"You will come to-morrow, then?" Maurice said to him at parting.
"I haven't the courage to refuse," Artois replied. "Good-bye."
He had already shaken Maurice's hand, but now he extended his hand again.
"It is good of you to make me so welcome," he said.
He paused, holding Maurice's hand in his. Both Hermione and Maurice
thought he was going to say something more, but he glanced at her,
dropped his host's hand, lifted his soft hat, and signed to the boy to
lead the donkey away.
Hermione and Maurice followed to the arch, and from there watched him
riding slowly down till he was out of sight. Maurice looked for Gaspare,
but did not see him. He must have moved into the shadow of the ravine.
"Dear old Emile!" Hermione said. "He's been happy to-day. You've made him
very happy, Maurice. Bless you for it!"
Maurice said nothing. Now the moment had arrived when he could go he felt
a strange reluctance to say good-bye to Hermione, even for a short time.
So much might--must--happen before he saw her again that evening.
"And you?" she said, at last, as he was silent. "Are you really going
down to bathe? Isn't it too late?"
"Oh no. I must have a dip. It will do me all the good in the world." He
tried to speak buoyantly, but the words seemed to himself to come heavily
from his tongue.
"Will you take Tito?"
"I--no, I think I'll walk. I shall get down quicker, and I like going
into the sea when I'm hot. I'll just fetch my bathing things."
They walked back together to the house. Maurice wondered what had
suddenly come to him. He felt horribly sad now--yet he wished to get the
scene that awaited him over. He was longing to have it over. He went into
the house, got his bathing-dress and towels, and came out again onto the
terrace.
"I shall be a little late back, I suppose," he said.
"Yes. It's six o'clock now. Shall we dine at half-past eight--or better
say nine? That will give you plenty of time to come up quietly."
"Yes. Let's say nine."
Still he did not move to go.
"Have you been happy to-day, Hermione?" he asked.
"Yes, very--since this morning."
"Since?"
"Yes. This morning I--"
She stopped.
"I was a little puzzled," she said, after a minute, with her usual
frankness. "Tell me, Maurice--you weren't made unhappy by--by what I told
you?"