"I shouldn't be surprised to see the Marquise de Rochefide and Conti,
who, of course, will accompany her, at the landing-place to-morrow,"
said Claude Vignon, as the evening ended. "When I was at Croisic this
afternoon, the fishermen were saying that they had seen a little
vessel, Danish, Swedish, or Norwegian, in the offing."
This speech brought a flush to the cheeks of the impassible Camille.
Again Madame du Guenic sat up till one o'clock that night, waiting for
her son, unable to imagine why he should stay so late if Mademoiselle
des Touches did not love him.
"He must be in their way," said this adorable mother. "What were you
talking about?" she asked, when at last he came in.
"Oh, mother, I have never before spent such a delightful evening.
Genius is a great, a sublime thing! Why didn't you give me genius?
With genius we can make our lives, we can choose among all women the
woman to love, and she must be ours."
"How handsome you are, my Calyste!"
"Claude Vignon is handsome. Men of genius have luminous foreheads and
eyes, through which the lightnings flash--but I, alas! I know nothing
--only to love.
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