“No, monsieur; he was one of those men who wander about the world and settle nowhere.”
“And when you came to Beaucourt, you had no idea that it would end like this?”
“No, monsieur, I was so happy working here for Manon that it was not till the place was nearly finished——”
And then, quite suddenly, Monsieur Lefèbre astonished them both. He began to laugh, the generous, rolling laughter of a big, human creature who asks of God that life shall not be mean.
“You children!” he said. “You children!”
He got up, waving his arms like benedictory wings.
“Where is my candle? And the matches. Let us have light here. God be thanked that I am no bigot. Moreover, I thank you two children for coming to me.”
He struck a light and lit the candle that was stuck on the top of an old tin, and they saw that his eyes were all ashine, and his rosy face happy.
“But you gave me a fright, you two. Monsieur Paul, masquerading is the very devil!”
He shook a forefinger at Brent.