'I hope not. I hope that he has not quarrelled with me. But it is
better that I should go.'

'What is it, George? I hope it is nothing serious.' Madame Voss as
she said this looked at Marie, but Marie had turned her face away.
George also looked at her, but could not see her countenance. He
did not dare to ask her to give him an interview alone; nor had he
quite determined what he would say to her if they were together.
'Marie,' said Madame Voss, 'do you know what this is about?'

'I wish I had died,' said Marie, 'before I had come into this house.
I have made hatred and bitterness between those who should love each
other better than all the world!' Then Madame Voss was able to
guess what had been the cause of the quarrel.

'Marie,' said George very slowly, 'if you will only ask your own
heart what you ought to do, and be true to what it tells you, there
is no reason even yet that you should be sorry that you came to
Granpere. But if you marry a man whom you do not love, you will sin
against him, and against me, and against yourself, and against God!'
Then he took up his hat and went out.

In the courtyard he met his father.

'Where are you going now, George?' said his father.

'To Colmar. It is better that I should go at once. Good-bye,
father;' and he offered his hand to his parent.