long. He started all alone, early in the morning, and reached
Granpere about twelve o'clock. His mind was full of painful
thoughts as he went, and as the little animal ran quickly down the
mountain road into the valley in which Granpere lies, he almost
wished that his feet were not so fleet. What was he to say when he
got to Granpere, and to whom was he to say it?

When he reached the angular court along two sides of which the house
was built he did not at once enter the front door. None of the
family were then about the place, and he could, therefore, go into
the stable and ask a question or two of the man who came to meet
him. His father, the man told him, had gone up early to the wood-
cutting, and would not probably return till the afternoon. Madame
Voss was no doubt inside, as was also Marie Bromar. Then the man
commenced an elaborate account of the betrothals. There never had
been at Granpere any marriage that had been half so important as
would be this marriage; no lover coming thither had ever been
blessed with so beautiful and discreet a maiden, and no maiden of
Granpere had ever before had at her feet a lover at the same time so
good-looking, so wealthy, so sagacious, and so good-tempered. The
man declared that Adrian was the luckiest fellow in the world in
finding such a wife, but his enthusiasm rose to the highest pitch
when he spoke of Marie's luck in finding such a husband. There was
no end to the good with which she would be endowed--'linen,' said
the man, holding up his hands in admiration, 'that will last out all
her grandchildren at least!' George listened to it all, and smiled,
and said a word or two--was it worth his while to come all the way
to Granpere to throw his thunderbolt at a girl who had been
captivated by promises of a chest full of house linen!