ere sleeping.

Oscar, with a happy air, pointed out to me the famous mill, the quiet
valley, and farther on his loved stream, in which the sun, before
setting, was reflecting itself amid the reeds. Meanwhile the little
queen on her high heels flitted round the cups like a child playing
at party-giving, and with a thousand charming touches poured out the
boiling coffee, the odor of which blended deliciously with the perfume
of the flowers, the hay, and the woods.

When she had finished she sat down beside her husband, so close that her
skirt half hid my friend, and unceremoniously taking the cigar from his
lips, held it at a distance, with a little pout, that meant, "Oh, the
horrid thing!" and knocked off with her little finger the ash which
fell on the gravel. Then she broke into a laugh, and put the cigar back
between the lips of her husband held out to her.

It was charming. Oscar was no doubt accustomed to this, for he did not
seem astonished, but placed his hand on his wife's shoulder, as one
would upon a child's, and, kissing her on the forehead, said, "Thanks,
my dear."

"Yes, but you are only making fun of me," said the young wife, in a
whisper, leaning her head against her husband's arm.

I could not help smiling, there was so much coaxing childishness and
grace in this little whispered sentence. I do not know why I turned
toward the cousin who had remained a little apart, smoking in silence.
He seemed to me rather pale; he took three or four sudden puffs, rose
suddenly under the evident influence of some moral discomfort, and
walked away beneath the trees.

"What is the matter with cousin?" said Oscar, with some interest. "What
ails him?"

"I don't know," answered the little queen, in the most natural manner in
the world, "some idea about fishing, no doubt."

Night began to fall; we had remained as I have said a long time at
table. It was about nine o'clock. The cousin returned and took the seat
he had occupied before, but from this moment it seemed to me that a
strange constraint crept in among us, a singular coolness showed itself.
The talk, so lively at first, slackened gradually and, despite all my
efforts to impart a little life to it, dragged wretchedly. I myself did
not feel very bright; I was haunted by the most absurd notions in the
world; I thought I had detected in the sudden departure of the cousin,
in his pallor, in his embarrassed movements, the expression of some
strong feeling which he