ive a parting glance, the farm buildings were no
longer visible, and the waste lands of the forest border, gray, stony,
and barren, stretched their mute expanse before him.

"No!" exclaimed he, between his set teeth, "she never loved me. She
thinks only of the other man! I have nothing more to do but go away and
never return!"

CHAPTER IX. LOVE HEALS THE BROKEN HEART

In arriving at Langres, Claudet enrolled in the seventeenth battalion of
light infantry. Five days later, paying no attention to the lamentations
of Manette, he left Vivey, going, by way of Lyon, to the camp at
Lathonay, where his battalion was stationed. Julien was thus left alone
at the chateau to recover as best he might from the dazed feeling
caused by the startling events of the last few weeks. After Claudet's
departure, he felt an uneasy sensation of discomfort, and as if he
himself had lessened in value. He had never before realized how little
space he occupied in his own dwelling, and how much living heat Claudet
had infused into the house which was now so cold and empty. He felt poor
and diminished in spirit, and was ashamed of being so useless to
himself and to others. He had before him a prospect of new duties,
which frightened him. The management of the district, which Claudet had
undertaken for him, would now fall entirely on his shoulders, and just
at the time of the timber sales and the renewal of the fences. Besides
all this, he had Manette on his conscience, thinking he ought to try
to soften her grief at her son's unexpected departure. The ancient
housekeeper was like Rachel, she refused to be comforted, and her
temper was not improved by her recent trials. She filled the air
with lamentations, and seemed to consider Julien responsible for her
troubles. The latter treated her with wonderful patience and indulgence,
and exhausted his ingenuity to make her time pass more pleasantly. This
was the first real effort he had made to subdue his dislikes and his
passive tendencies, and it had the good effect of preparing him, by
degrees, to face more serious trials, and to take the initiative in
matters of greater importance. He discovered that the energy he expended
in conquering a first difficulty gave him more ability to conquer the
second, and from that result he decided that the will is like a muscle,
which shrivels in inaction and is developed by exercise; and he made
up his mind to attack courageously the work before him, although i