drabs, are dreamy little prudes in the shade of their village belfry. Hortense is, as was said of Marion, "naturally lascivious;" she might have died without knowing the art of fruitfully employing this precious temperament. She seemed so awkward and shame-faced when she abandoned herself at those first meetings of ours. She loves me. But mayn't she perhaps love me too much? Leave her husband! No, she must remain my secret."
He was in a very good humor, and took an interest in the trees and rivers and houses that he passed. The monotony of the apple orchards and the fields of cows did not bore him in the least. Having nothing to desire, he was enjoying the mere process of living.
He stopped at Carentan to look for a house in which he could hide a bed, failed to find one but discovered a very decent furnished room. The skipper of an English coasting steamer occupied it sometimes, but the people would be happy to have a more sober tenant. Everything smelt strongly of whiskey. He made the bargain, had the room cleaned, paid well and made no concealment of his intentions. "Oh yes," they answered, "the other tenant
