quite
apart from its throng and bustle. All day Madame Granier gathered up the
gossip of the quarter, and passing it through a kind of moral sieve,
retailed it at intervals to her guest.

Furthermore, Claire had time to bethink herself. She had long, long
thoughts of the Abbe John. She remembered how bright and willing he had
ever been in her service, how he had respected her grief, and never
breathed word her father might not have heard.

And her good Professor of Eloquence--Doctor Anatole Long? What of him?
He was there close under her hand, always willing to stroll with her
along the river's bank. Or in Dame Granier's little living-room, he
would explain the universe to Claire Agnew to the accompaniment of
Madame Granier's clattering platters and her rhyme of King Francis.

"Brave Francis went the devil's way,
Bold sprang the hawk, laughed maidens gay!
Yet he learned to eat from an Emperor's tray,
_Sans_ hawk, _sans_ hound, _sans_ maiden gay.
A-lack-a-day! A-lack-a-day!
From Pavia's steeple struck Doomsday!"

After all, it was best by the river-side. You saw things there, and if
the Professor were in good humour, he would talk on and on, while you
could--that is, Claire could--throw stones in the water without
disturbing the even flow of the big, fine words. Not too large stones,
but only pebbles, else he would rise and march on, with a frown at being
interrupted, but without at all perceiving the cause. For at such times
Claire always looked especially demure.

"You are indeed my dear Uncle Anatole," she said one day, when they had
been longer by the water-side than usual; "you were just made for it. If
you had not been--I declare I should have adopted you!"

There was something teasing about Claire's accent, at once girlish and
light, which fell pleasantly on the Professor's ear. But the words--he
was not so sure that he liked the words.

"I am not so old," he said, the deep furrow which dinted downwards
between his thick eyebrows smoothing itself out as he looked, or rather
peered at her with his short-sighted blue eyes; "my mother is active
still. I long for you to see her; and I have two brothers, one of whom
was thinking of marrying last year, but after all it came to nothing!"

"I should think so, indeed," said Claire suddenly.

"And pray why?" The Professor swung about and faced her. "What was there
to prevent it?"

"The girl, of course!" said Claire, smiling simply.

"