"I belong to you; I am happy to have seen you. It frightens me to love you as I do!"
Soon he reached the frontier, and by the magnificent road crossing the Schlucht, went back again into the German-land.
The following day, the Tuesday of Holy Week, he was again at Alsheim, and handed to his father the report he had drawn up. Every one welcomed his return with such evident pleasure that he was very much touched by it. The evening after the "conference" between the old grandfather and the manufacturer, and at which Jean was present, since he had just returned from visiting the cuttings, Lucienne called her brother to the fire before which she was warming herself in the large yellow drawing-room. Madame Oberlé was reading near the window; her husband had gone out, the coachman having informed him that one of the horses had gone lame.
"Well!" asked Lucienne. "What is the most beautiful thing you saw?"
"You."
"No, do not joke; tell me, the most beautiful thing during your journey?"
"France!"
"Where?"
"At the Schlucht. You cannot imagine the emotion it made me feel. It was a shock—like a revelation. You do not seem to understand me."
She answered in an indifferent manner: