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〃Oh；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。
〃And this；〃 said the woman； taking them into the next ruined
compartment； 〃was the kitchen of monsieur et madame。〃
〃What！ two kitchens？〃 exclaimed Lilian； upon which M。 Lacordaire
explained that the ancestors of the Prince de Polignac had been very
great people； and had therefore required culinary performances on a
great scale。
And then the woman began to chatter something about an oracle of
Apollo。 There was； she said； a hole in the rock； from which in past
times； perhaps more than a hundred years ago； the oracle used to
speak forth mysterious words。
〃There；〃 she said； pointing to a part of the rock at some distance；
〃was the hole。 And if the ladies would follow her to a little
outhouse which was just beyond； she would show them the huge stone
mouth out of which the oracle used to speak。〃
Lilian and Mimmy both declared at once for seeing the oracle； but
Mrs。 Thompson expressed her determination to remain sitting where
she was upon the turf。 So the guide started off with the young
ladies； and will it be thought surprising that M。 Lacordaire should
have remained alone by the side of Mrs。 Thompson？
It must be now or never； Mrs。 Thompson felt； and as regarded M。
Lacordaire； he probably entertained some idea of the same kind。
Mrs。 Thompson's inclinations； though they had never been very strong
in the matter； were certainly in favour of the 〃now。〃 M。
Lacordaire's inclinations were stronger。 He had fully and firmly
made up his mind in favour of matrimony； but then he was not so
absolutely in favour of the 〃now。〃 Mrs。 Thompson's mind； if one
could have read it； would have shown a great objection to shilly…
shallying； as she was accustomed to call it。 But M。 Lacordaire；
were it not for the danger which might thence arise； would have seen
no objection to some slight further procrastination。 His courage
was beginning； perhaps； to ooze out from his fingers' ends。
〃I declare that those girls have scampered away ever so far；〃 said
Mrs。 Thompson。
〃Would madame wish that I should call them back？〃 said M。
Lacordaire； innocently。
〃Oh； no； dear children！ let them enjoy themselves； it will be a
pleasure to them to run about the rock； and I suppose they will be
safe with that woman？〃
〃Oh； yes； quite safe；〃 said M。 Lacordaire； and then there was
another little pause。
Mrs。 Thompson was sitting on a broken fragment of a stone just
outside the entrance to the old family kitchen； and M。 Lacordaire
was standing immediately before her。 He had in his hand a little
cane with which he sometimes slapped his boots and sometimes poked
about among the rubbish。 His hat was not quite straight on his
head； having a little jaunty twist to one side； with reference to
which； by…the…bye； Mrs。 Thompson then resolved that she would make a
change； should ever the gentleman become her own property。 He still
wore his gloves； and was very smart； but it was clear to see that he
was not at his ease。
〃I hope the heat does not incommode you；〃 he said after a few
moments' silence。 Mrs。 Thompson declared that it did not； that she
liked a good deal of heat； and that； on the whole； she was very well
where she was。 She was afraid； however； that she was detaining M。
Lacordaire； who might probably wish to be moving about upon the
rock。 In answer to which M。 Lacordaire declared that he never could
be so happy anywhere as in her close vicinity。
〃You are too good to me；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson； almost sighing。 〃I
don't know what my stay here would have been without your great
kindness。〃
〃It is madame that has been kind to me；〃 said M。 Lacordaire；
pressing the handle of his cane against his heart。
There was then another pause； after which Mrs。 Thompson said that
that was all his French politeness； that she knew that she had been
very troublesome to him； but that she would now soon be gone； and
that then； in her own country； she would never forget his great
goodness。
〃Ah； madame！〃 said M。 Lacordaire； and； as he said it； much more was
expressed in his face than in his words。 But； then； you can neither
accept nor reject a gentleman by what he says in his face。 He
blushed； too； up to his grizzled hair； and； turning round； walked a
step or two away from the widow's seat； and back again。
Mrs。 Thompson the while sat quite still。 The displaced fragment；
lying； as it did； near a corner of the building； made not an
uncomfortable chair。 She had only to be careful that she did not
injure her hat or crush her clothes； and throw in a word here and
there to assist the gentleman； should occasion permit it。
〃Madame！〃 said M。 Lacordaire； on his return from a second little
walk。
〃Monsieur！〃 replied Mrs。 Thompson； perceiving that M。 Lacordaire
paused in his speech。
〃Madame；〃 he began again； and then； as he again paused； Mrs。
Thompson looked up to him very sweetly； 〃madame； what I am going to
say will； I am afraid； seem to evince by far too great audacity on
my part。〃
Mrs。 Thompson may； perhaps； have thought that； at the present
moment； audacity was not his fault。 She replied； however； that she
was quite sure that monsieur would say nothing that was in any way
unbecoming either for him to speak or for her to hear。
〃Madame； may I have ground to hope that such may be your sentiments
after I have spoken！ Madame〃and now he went down； absolutely on
his knees； on the hard stones； and Mrs。 Thompson； looking about into
the distance； almost thought that she saw the top of the guide's
cap〃Madame； I have looked forward to this opportunity as one in
which I may declare for you the greatest passion that I have ever
yet felt。 Madame； with all my heart and soul I love you。 Madame； I
offer to you the homage of my heart； my hand； the happiness of my
life； and all that I possess in this world；〃 and then； taking her
hand gracefully between his gloves； he pressed his lips against the
tips of her fingers。
If the thing was to be done； this way of doing it was； perhaps； as
good as any other。 It was one； at any rate； which left no doubt
whatever as to the gentleman's intentions。 Mrs。 Thompson； could she
have had her own way； would not have allowed her lover of fifty to
go down upon his knees； and would have spared him much of the
romance of his declaration。 So also would she have spared him his
yellow gloves and his polished boots。 But these were a part of the
necessity of the situation； and therefore she wisely took them as
matters to be passed over with indifference。 Seeing； however； that
M。 Lacordaire still remained on his knees； it was necessary that she
should take some step toward raising him； especially as her two
children and the guide would infallibly be upon them before long。
〃M。 Lacordaire；〃 she said； 〃you surprise me greatly； but pray get
up。〃
〃But will madame vouchsafe to give me some small ground for hope？〃
〃The girls will be here directly； M。 Lacordaire； pray get up。 I can
talk to you much better if you will stand up； or sit down on one of
these stones。〃
M。 Lacordaire did as he was bid； he got up； wiped the knees of his
pantaloons with his handkerchief； sat down beside her； and then
pressed the handle of his cane to his heart。
〃You really have so surprised me that I hardly know how to answer
you；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。 〃Indeed； I cannot bring myself to imagine
that you are in earnest。〃
〃Ah； madame； do not be so cruel！ How can I have lived with you so
long； sat beside you for so many days； without having received your
image into my heart？ I am in earnest！ Alas！ I fear too much in
earnest！〃 And then he looked at her with all his eyes； and sighed
with all his strength。
Mrs。 Thompson's prudence told her that it would be well to settle
the matter； in one way or the other； as soon as possible。 Long
periods of love…making were fit for younger people than herself and
her future possible husband。 Her object would be to make him
comfortable if she could； and that he should do the same for her； if
that also were possible。 As for lookings and sighings and pressings
of the hand； she had gone through all that some twenty years since
in India； when Thompson had been young； and she was sti