‘There is nothing wrong; nothing wrong at all,’ said George slowly.  ’The money is much more than I could have expected.  Indeed I did not expect any.’

‘What is it then?’

’I was thinking of something else.  Tell me, father; is it true that Marie is going to be married to Adrian Urmand?’

‘What makes you ask?’

‘I heard a report of it,’ said George.  ‘Is it true?’

The father reflected a moment what answer he should give.  It did not seem to him that George spoke of such a marriage as though the rumour of it had made him unhappy.  The question had been asked almost with indifference.  And then the young man’s manner to Marie, and Marie’s manner to him, during the last two days had made him certain that he had been right in supposing that they had both forgotten the little tenderness of a year ago.  And Michel had thoroughly made up his mind that it would be well that Marie should marry Adrian.  He believed that he had already vanquished Marie’s scruples.  She had promised ‘to try and think better of it,’ before George’s return; and therefore was he not justified in regarding the matter as almost settled?  ‘I think that they will be married,’ said he to his son.

‘Then there is something in it?’

’O, yes; there is a great deal in it.  Urmand is very eager for it, and has asked me and her aunt, and we have consented.’

‘But has he asked her?’

‘Yes; he has done that too,’ said Michel.

‘And what answer did he get?’

’Well;—­I don’t know that it would be fair to tell that.  Marie is not a girl likely to jump into a man’s arms at the first word.  But I think there is no doubt that they will be betrothed before Sunday week.  He is to be here again on Wednesday.’

‘She likes him, then?’

‘O, yes; of course she likes him.’  Michel Voss had not intended to say a word that was false.  He was anxious to do the best in his power for both his son and his niece.  He thoroughly understood that it was his duty as a father and a guardian to start them well in the world, to do all that he could for their prosperity, to feed their wants with his money, as a pelican feeds her young with blood from her bosom.  Had he known the hearts of each of them, could he have understood Marie’s constancy, or the obstinate silent strength of his son’s disposition, he would have let Adrian Urmand, with his business and his house at Basle, seek a wife in any other quarter where he listed, and would have joined together the hands of these two whom he loved, with a paternal blessing.  But he did not understand.  He thought that he saw everything when he saw nothing;- -and now he was deceiving his son; for it was untrue that Marie had any such ‘liking’ for Adrian Urmand as that of which George had spoken.

‘It is as good as settled, then?’ said George, not showing by any tone of his voice the anxiety with which the question was asked.