w her hands abruptly, or, rather, tore them out of mine.

"I recognized that shiver as soon as I had felt it: I was deceived in
nothing. Ah! the love shudder of a woman, whether she is fifteen or
fifty years of age, whether she is one of the people or one of the
monde, goes so straight to my heart that I never had any difficulty in
understanding it!

"Her whole frail being trembled, vibrated, yielded. I knew it. She
walked away before I had time to say a word, leaving me as surprised as
if I had witnessed a miracle, and as troubled as if I had committed a
crime.

"I did not go in to breakfast. I took a walk on the banks of the
Falaise, feeling that I could just as soon weep as laugh, looking on
the adventure as both comic and deplorable, and my position as
ridiculous, fain to believe that I had lost my head.

"I asked myself what I ought to do. I debated whether I ought not to
take my leave of the place and almost immediately my resolution was
formed.

"Somewhat sad and perplexed, I wandered about until dinner time, and
entered the farmhouse just when the soup had been served up.

"I sat down at the table, as usual. Miss Harriet was there, munching
away solemnly, without speaking to anyone, without even lifting her
eyes. She wore, however, her usual expression, both of countenance and
manner.

"I waited, patiently, till the meal had been finished. Then, turning
toward the landlady, I said: 'Madame Lecacheur, it will not be long now
before I shall have to take my leave of you.'

"The good woman, at once surprised and troubled, replied in a quivering
voice: 'My dear sir, what is it I have just heard you say? Are you
going to leave us, after I have become so much accustomed to you?'

"I looked at Miss Harriet from the corner of my eye. Her countenance
did not change in the least; but the under-servant came toward me with
eyes wide open. She was a fat girl, of about eighteen years of age,
rosy, fresh, strong as a horse, yet possessing a rare attribute in one
in her position--she was very neat and clean. I had kissed her at odd
times, in out of the way corners, in the manner of a mountain guide,
nothing more.

"The dinner being over, I went to smoke my pipe under the apple-trees,
walking up and down at my ease, from one end of the court to the other.
All the reflections which I had made during the day, the strange
discovery of the morning, that grotesque and passionate attachment for
me, the recollections which