"Why should Marie, because those Americans are here, never speak to me now?"
"Never mind the girl, Len; you are a rich man now, and that will give you a better chance to look about for someone who will please you as much as Marie. You know she is but a child in my eyes, and I must not lose her for a long time yet."
"If I am rich, why does she still shun me?" he persisted.
"You must let a woman have her way, Len," Pierre said.
"What has Winslow said of me? Why did his coming to your house shut me out altogether?" he continued, his rage growing.
"He is a worthy young man, Len. Do not believe anything that is dishonoring to him. He does no man harm."
"Pierre! Pierre! he does not love Marie, if she does love him," he cried, brutally.
"How much do you gain by that, Len?" said the old man, turning upon him his kind eyes, yet without a sign of anger. "You must not think to get nearer to Marie by speaking in this way about the persons she thinks are her friends."
"Pierre," said Len, "does Marie think that the water curse will come to me?"
"You know what everybody thinks about it, Len. And you know what we Acadians think of it."
"But, Pierre, why must that cursed story stand against me?" he exclaimed, in a rage again in a moment. "I have never believed the lie they tell about it, nor do I think I shall have the water curse."
"I hope not, Len, I hope not. You have only a year, and if you escape it with the money you have, make your life a good one. Restrain your temper, and avoid such suspicions as you seem to hold of worthy people."
In their talks they never got beyond this point. The young man knew the patience of Pierre, and often addressed him in this way. It was probably a relief from the pressure of passion and disappointment, which would have manifested itself in some other way. Yet his ideas never changed, and Pierre saw that he was more and more convinced on certain points touching Winslow, and more unreasonable as his chance of success lessened.
An occasion threw Winslow and Len together not long after the above meeting. Len was waiting for the tide to fall enough for him to cross the ford as Winslow came down for the same purpose. Len remained silent and sullen, while Winslow, as usual, with his calm indifference would have let him remain as he found him, had not the temptation to address him overcome his better judgment. While he spoke to him in good part, he was not expecting that his words would be so badly received.