CHAPTER III

Mr. Ferrol seemed honestly to like the old farmhouse, with its low
ceilings, thick walls, big beams and wide chimneys, and he showed himself
perfectly at home. He begged to be allowed to sit for an hour in the
kitchen, beside the great fireplace. He enjoyed this part of his first
appearance greatly. It was like nothing he had tasted since he used, as
a boy, to visit the huntsman's home on his father's estate, and gossip
and smoke in that Galway chimney-corner. It was only when he had to face
the too impressive adoration of Madame Lavilette that his comfort got a
twist.

He made easy headway into the affections of his hostess; for, besides all
other predilections, she had an adoring awe of the nobility. It rather
surprised her that Ferrol seemed almost unaware of his title. He was
quite without self-consciousness, although there was that little touch
of irresponsibility in him which betrayed a readiness to sell his dignity
for a small compensation. With a certain genial capacity for universal
blarney, he was at first as impressive with Sophie as he was attentive to
Christine. It was quite natural that presently Madame Lavilette should
see possibilities beyond all her past imaginations. It would surely
advance her ambitions to have him here for Sophie's wedding; but even as
she thought that, she had twinges of disappointment, because she had
promised Farcinelle to have the wedding as simple and bourgeois as
possible.

Farcinelle did not share the social ambitions of the Lavilettes.
He liked his political popularity, and he was only concerned for that.