Seated opposite to him, she would gaze at him earnestly, astonished at his studiousness, often on the point of bursting into tears.

She said to him occasionally:  “You will fatigue yourself, my treasure!” hoping that he would raise his head, and come across to embrace her; but he did not even answer her; he had not heard or understood what she was saying; he paid no attention to anything save what he read in those pages.

For two years he devoured an incalculable number of volumes.  His character changed.

After this, he asked Mademoiselle Source several times for money, which she gave him.  As he always wanted more, she ended by refusing, for she was both methodical and decided, and knew how to act rationally when it was necessary to do so.  By dint of entreaties he obtained a large sum from her one night; but when he begged her for more a few days later, she showed herself inflexible, and did not give way to him further, in fact.

He appeared to be satisfied with her decision.

He again became quiet, as he had formerly been, remaining seated for entire hours, without moving, plunged in deep reverie.  He now did not even talk to Madame Source, merely answering her remarks with short, formal words.  Nevertheless, he was agreeable and attentive in his manner toward her; but he never embraced her now.

She had by this time grown slightly afraid of him when they sat facing one another at night on opposite sides of the fireplace.  She wanted to wake him up, to make him say something, no matter what, that would break this dreadful silence, which was like the darkness of a wood.  But he did not appear to listen to her, and she shuddered with the terror of a poor feeble woman when she had spoken to him five or six times successively without being able to get a word out of him.

What was the matter with him?  What was going on in that closed-up head?  When she had remained thus two or three hours opposite him, she felt as if she were going insane, and longed to rush away and to escape into the open country in order to avoid that mute, eternal companionship and also some vague danger, which she could not define, but of which she had a presentiment.

She frequently wept when she was alone.  What was the matter with him?  When she expressed a wish, he unmurmuringly carried it into execution.  When she wanted anything brought from the city, he immediately went there to procure it.  She had no complaint to make of him; no, indeed!  And yet—­

Another year flitted by, and it seemed to her that a fresh change had taken place in the mind of the young man.  She perceived it; she felt it; she divined it.  How?  No matter!  She was sure she was not mistaken; but she could not have explained in what manner the unknown thoughts of this strange youth had changed.

It seemed to her that, until now, he had been like a person in a hesitating frame of mind, who had suddenly arrived at a determination.  This idea came to her one evening as she met his glance, a fixed, singular glance which she had not seen in his face before.