‘We are delighted to have you here among us, my friend,’ said Michel Voss, who also, perhaps, had been made bold.  Madame Voss, who was close to her husband, pulled him by the sleeve.  Then he seated himself, but Adrian Urmand was left standing among them.

‘My friend,’ said he, ’and you, Madame Voss particularly, I feel particularly obliged to you for this charming entertainment.’  Then the innkeeper cheered his guest, whereupon Madame Voss pulled her husband’s sleeve harder than before.  ‘I am, indeed,’ continued Urmand.  ‘The best thing will be,’ said he, ’to make a clean breast of it at once.  You all know why I came here,—­and you all know how I’m going back.’  At this moment his voice faltered a little, and he almost sobbed.  Both the old ladies immediately put their handkerchiefs to their eyes.  Marie blushed and turned away her face on to her uncle’s shoulder.  Madame Voss remained immovable.  She dreaded greatly any symptoms of that courage which follows the flying of corks.  In truth, however, she had nothing now to fear.  ‘Of course, I feel it a little,’ continued Adrian Urmand.  ’That is only natural.  I suppose it was a mistake; but it has been rather trying to me.  But I am ready to forget and forgive, and that is all I’ve got to say.’  This speech, which astonished them all exceedingly, remained unanswered for some few moments, during which Urmand had sunk back into his niche.  Michel Voss was not ready-witted enough to reply to his guest at the moment, and George was aware that it would not be fitting for him, the triumphant lover, to make any reply.  He could hardly have spoken without showing his triumph.  During this short interval no one said a word, and Urmand endeavoured to assume a look of gloomy dignity.

But at last Michel Voss got upon his legs, his wife giving him various twitches on the sleeve as he did so.  ’I never was so much affected in my life,’ said he, ’and upon my word I think that our excellent friend Adrian Urmand has behaved as well in a trying difficulty as,—­as,—­as any man ever did.  I needn’t say much about it, for we all know what it was.  And we all know that young women will be young women, and that they are very hard to manage.’  ‘Don’t, Uncle Michel’ said Marie in a whisper.  But Michel was too bold to attend either to whisperings or pullings of the sleeve, and went on with his speech.  ’There has been a slight mistake, but I hope sincerely that everything has now been made right.  Here is our friend Adrian Urmand’s health, and I am quite sure that we all hope that he may get an excellent, beautiful young wife, with a good dowry, and that before long.’  Then he too sat down, and all the ladies drank to the health and future fortunes of M. Adrian Urmand.