“Mamma, do cousins ever marry?”

“Yes, of course,” said Helene.  “Why do you ask me that?”

“Oh, nothing; only I wanted to know.”

Helene had become accustomed to these extraordinary questions.  The hour spent in the garden had so beneficial an effect on the child that every sunny day found her there.  Helene’s reluctance was gradually dispelled; the house was still shut up.  Henri never ventured to show himself, and ere long she sat down on the edge of the rug beside Jeanne.  However, on the following Sunday morning she found the windows thrown open, and felt troubled at heart.

“Oh! but of course the rooms must be aired,” exclaimed Rosalie, as an inducement for them to go down.  “I declare to you nobody’s there!”

That day the weather was still warmer.  Through the leafy screen the sun’s rays darted like golden arrows.  Jeanne, who was growing strong, strolled about for ten minutes, leaning on her mother’s arm.  Then, somewhat tired, she turned towards her rug, a corner of which she assigned to Helene.  They smiled at one another, amused at thus finding themselves side by side on the ground.  Zephyrin had given up his raking, and was helping Rosalie to gather some parsley, clumps of which were growing along the end wall.

All at once there was an uproar in the house, and Helene was thinking of flight, when Madame Deberle made her appearance on the garden-steps.  She had just arrived, and was still in her travelling dress, speaking very loudly, and seemingly very busy.  But immediately she caught sight of Madame Grandjean and her daughter, sitting on the ground in the front of the lawn, she ran down, overwhelmed them with embraces, and poured a deafening flood of words into their ears.

“What, is it you?  How glad I am to see you!  Kiss me, my little Jeanne!  Poor puss, you’ve been very ill, have you not?  But you’re getting better; the roses are coming back to your cheeks!  And you, my dear, how often I’ve thought of you!  I wrote to you:  did my letters reach you?  You must have spent a terrible time:  but it’s all over now!  Will you let me kiss you?”

Helene was now on her feet, and was forced to submit to a kiss on each cheek and return them.  This display of affection, however, chilled her to the heart.

“You’ll excuse us for having invaded your garden,” she said.

“You’re joking,” retorted Juliette impetuously.  “Are you not at home here?”

But she ran off for a moment, hastened up the stairs, and called across the open rooms:  “Pierre, don’t forget anything; there are seventeen packages!”

Then, at once coming back, she commenced chattering about her holiday adventures.  “Oh! such a splendid season!  We went to Trouville, you know.  The beach was always thronged with people.  It was quite a crush. and people of the highest spheres, you know.  I had visitors too.  Papa came for a fortnight with Pauline.  All the same, I’m glad to get home again.  But I haven’t given you all my news.  Oh!  I’ll tell you later on!”