As the day approached he was nervous, anxious, restless--but ready.
It was a day of excitement in the house of Floriot the morning before the trial. M. Floriot arrived from Toulouse on the preceding evening and M. Valmorin planned to call on him that morning if he could find time. Helene was at the house before ten o'clock eager to see Raymond. He had gone to the prison early to make a last attempt to see his client, and she put in the time of waiting by chatting with Rose and lamenting the fact that Raymond's father could not be the judge in the case so he would have a reasonably certain chance of winning!
"It's hard enough to get cases, isn't it?" she complained.
"I don't know anything about it," replied Rose cheerfully, "but I guess the law is like anything else--you have to make a beginning!"
"And Raymond is beginning to-morrow!" murmured the girl, as if it had just occurred to her. "To-morrow he is pleading his first case!"
"And a capital case to begin with it is!" declared Rose. "Everyone is talking about it!"
"Oh, I hope he'll win!" exclaimed the girl, almost tearfully. "I haven't thought of anything else for weeks!"
"Oh, I'm not anxious about that!" returned Rose, with the confidence of an old and loyal servant. "M. Raymond is clever, I tell you! He'll convince them!"
"Do you think he'll be back soon?" asked Helene, anxiously.
"That depends!" smiled Rose. "Does he know you're here?"
"I--I don't think so---No!" Helene replied, turning hastily to the window of the study where they were talking. "I only told him that my father would probably call on M. Floriot this morning at eleven o'clock, and that I might come and meet him. Rose, what are you laughing at?"
"Well, I was laughing," chuckled the housekeeper, "because you came here in such a hurry at half-past nine to meet your father, who won't be here until eleven!"
"I suppose you think I'm an awfully silly girl?"
"Oh, dear, no!" Rose assured her with a grave little smile. "I'm only too glad to see that you and Raymond love each other."
The girl's face lit up with a quick little gleam of pleasure.
"Really, does that please you?" she asked softly.
"Very much!" nodded Rose. And the next moment the girl kissed her withered cheek.