"I do not know. He has an odd admiration for De Courval, and that is strange, for he never contradicts him."
"The admiration of a coward for a brave man—I have known that more than once. He will do Heaven knows what, and end in making mischief enough."
"I have scared him a little. He talked, the idiot, about his will, and what he would or would not do. As if that would help, or as if the dear child cares or would care. I said I had money to spare at need. He will say nothing for a while. I do not mean to be interfered with. I told him so."
"Did you, indeed?"
"I did."
"Mistress Gainor, you had better keep your own hands off and let things alone. Josiah would be like an elephant in a rose garden."
"And I like—"
"A good, kindly woman about to make a sad mistake. You do not know the mother's deep-seated prejudices, nor yet of what trouble lies like a shadow on René's life. I should not dare to interfere."
"What is it?" she said, at once curious and anxious.
"Mistress Gainor, you are to be trusted, else you would go your way. Is not that so?"