"There's that extraordinary man with whom you talked," said Alfred one day as they left Isaure's house. "What the deuce is he doing here? I begin to agree with Robineau that that fellow has evil designs. But the little one must know him; I am curious to know if he has ever spoken to her. I propose also that the rascal shall tell me why he presumes to smile when he looks at us; there's something sarcastic in his expression which I am going to ask him to explain."
"The man is unfortunate," said Edouard; "we must overlook eccentricities in him which are perhaps the consequence of the troubles he has undergone."
"Troubles! He doesn't seem to have had any; he whistles and sings and laughs all to himself."
"But with all that, Alfred, one can detect a bitter expression, which indicates that his gayety is not altogether genuine!"
The next day the young men asked Isaure if she knew the man who was wandering about the mountains. From the portrait which they drew of him the girl remembered that she had seen him once or twice; but he had never spoken to her and had never entered her house.
"If he ever should come here," said Alfred, "I advise you to be on your guard."
"Why so?" said Isaure; "is he a bad man?"
"I don't know, but I am not prepossessed in his favor. However, if he should venture to offer you the slightest affront----"
"Why on earth should he want to injure me? I have never injured anybody!"
"That's not always a reason, but I hope that Vaillant will defend you. I remember the way in which he receives those who try to kiss you."
As he said this, Alfred smiled and took the girl's hand; she blushed; Edouard, who was some yards away, said nothing, but his features betrayed all the suffering of his heart. Isaure glanced at him, and instantly taking her hand from Alfred's, she ran to Edouard and said in a tone which went to his very heart:
"What is the matter, pray? One would think that you were suffering. Can it be that I have pained you?"
That sweet, tender voice, and the way in which Isaure looked at him, revived hope in Edouard's heart, while it produced an entirely contrary effect upon Alfred. He frowned, moved about impatiently, and exclaimed:
And he instantly left the cottage, much less satisfied than when he had entered, dragging away Edouard, who would gladly have remained longer.