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conspicuously。 And as for his hat； it was quite evident that it was
fresh that morning from the maker's block。
In this costume； with his hat in his hand； he stood under the great
gateway of the hotel； ready to hand Mrs。 Thompson into the carriage。
This would have been nothing if the landlord and landlady had not
been there also； as well as the man…cook； and the four waiters； and
the fille de chambre。 Two or three other pair of eyes Mrs。 Thompson
also saw； as she glanced round； and then Mimmy walked across the
yard in her best clothes with a fete…day air about her for which her
mother would have liked to have whipped her。
But what did it matter？ If it was written in the book that she
should become Madame Lacordaire； of course the world would know that
there must have been some preparatory love…making。 Let them have
their laugh； a good husband would not be dearly purchased at so
trifling an expense。 And so they sallied forth with already half
the ceremony of a wedding。
Mimmy seated herself opposite to her mother； and M。 Lacordaire also
sat with his back to the horses； leaving the second place of honour
for Lilian。 〃Pray make yourself comfortable； M。 Lacordaire； and
don't mind her；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。 But he was firm in his purpose
of civility； perhaps making up his mind that when he should in truth
stand in the place of papa to the young lady； then would be his time
for having the back seat in the carnage。
Lilian； also in her best frock； came down the school…steps； and
three of the school teachers came with her。 It would have added to
Mrs。 Thompson's happiness at that moment if M。 Lacordaire would have
kept his polished boots out of sight； and put his yellow gloves into
his pocket。
And then they started。 The road from Le Puy to Polignac is nearly
all up hill； and a very steep hill it is； so that there was plenty
of time for conversation。 But the girls had it nearly all to
themselves。 Mimmy thought that she had never found M。 Lacordaire so
stupid； and Lilian told her sister on the first safe opportunity
that occurred； that it seemed very much as though they were all
going to church。
〃And do any of the Polignac people ever live at this place？〃 asked
Mrs。 Thompson； by way of making conversation； in answer to which M。
Lacordaire informed madame that the place was at present only a
ruin； and then there was again silence till they found themselves
under the rock； and were informed by the driver that the rest of the
ascent must be made on foot。
The rock now stood abrupt and precipitous above their heads。 It was
larger in its circumference and with much larger space on its summit
than those other volcanic rocks in and close to the town； but then
at the same time it was higher from the ground； and quite as
inaccessible； except by the single path which led up to the chateau。
M。 Lacordaire； with conspicuous gallantry； first assisted Mrs。
Thompson from the carriage； and then handed down the two young
ladies。 No lady could have been so difficult to please as to
complain of him； and yet Mrs。 Thompson thought that he was not as
agreeable as usual。 Those horrid boots and those horrid gloves gave
him such an air of holiday finery that neither could he be at his
ease wearing them； nor could she； in seeing them worn。
They were soon taken in hand by the poor woman whose privilege it
was to show the ruins。 For a little distance they walked up the
path in single file； not that it was too narrow to accommodate two；
but M。 Lacordaire's courage had not yet been screwed to a point
which admitted of his offering his arm to the widow。 For in France；
it must be remembered； that this means more than it does in some
other countries。
Mrs。 Thompson felt that all this was silly and useless。 If they
were not to be dear friends this coming out feting together； those
boots and gloves and new hat were all very foolish； and if they
were； the sooner they understood each other the better。 So Mrs。
Thompson； finding that the path was steep and the weather warm；
stood still for a while leaning against the wall； with a look of
considerable fatigue in her face。
〃Will madame permit me the honour of offering her my arm？〃 said M。
Lacordaire。 〃The road is so extraordinarily steep for madame to
climb。〃
Mrs。 Thompson did permit him the honour； and so they went on till
they reached the top。
The view from the summit was both extensive and grand； but neither
Lilian nor Mimmy were much pleased with the place。 The elder
sister； who had talked over the matter with her school companions；
expected a fine castle with turrets； battlements； and romance； and
the other expected a pretty smiling house； such as princes； in her
mind； ought to inhabit。
Instead of this they found an old turret； with steps so broken that
M。 Lacordaire did not care to ascend them； and the ruined walls of a
mansion； in which nothing was to be seen but the remains of an
enormous kitchen chimney。
〃It was the kitchen of the family；〃 said the guide。
〃Oh；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。
〃And this；〃 said the woman； taking them into the next ruined
compartment； 〃was the kitchen of monsieur et madame。〃
〃What！ two kitchens？〃 exclaimed Lilian； upon which M。 Lacordaire
explained that the ancestors of the Prince de Polignac had been very
great people； and had therefore required culinary performances on a
great scale。
And then the woman began to chatter something about an oracle of
Apollo。 There was； she said； a hole in the rock； from which in past
times； perhaps more than a hundred years ago； the oracle used to
speak forth mysterious words。
〃There；〃 she said； pointing to a part of the rock at some distance；
〃was the hole。 And if the ladies would follow her to a little
outhouse which was just beyond； she would show them the huge stone
mouth out of which the oracle used to speak。〃
Lilian and Mimmy both declared at once for seeing the oracle； but
Mrs。 Thompson expressed her determination to remain sitting where
she was upon the turf。 So the guide started off with the young
ladies； and will it be thought surprising that M。 Lacordaire should
have remained alone by the side of Mrs。 Thompson？
It must be now or never； Mrs。 Thompson felt； and as regarded M。
Lacordaire； he probably entertained some idea of the same kind。
Mrs。 Thompson's inclinations； though they had never been very strong
in the matter； were certainly in favour of the 〃now。〃 M。
Lacordaire's inclinations were stronger。 He had fully and firmly
made up his mind in favour of matrimony； but then he was not so
absolutely in favour of the 〃now。〃 Mrs。 Thompson's mind； if one
could have read it； would have shown a great objection to shilly…
shallying； as she was accustomed to call it。 But M。 Lacordaire；
were it not for the danger which might thence arise； would have seen
no objection to some slight further procrastination。 His courage
was beginning； perhaps； to ooze out from his fingers' ends。
〃I declare that those girls have scampered away ever so far；〃 said
Mrs。 Thompson。
〃Would madame wish that I should call them back？〃 said M。
Lacordaire； innocently。
〃Oh； no； dear children！ let them enjoy themselves； it will be a
pleasure to them to run about the rock； and I suppose they will be
safe with that woman？〃
〃Oh； yes； quite safe；〃 said M。 Lacordaire； and then there was
another little pause。
Mrs。 Thompson was sitting on a broken fragment of a stone just
outside the entrance to the old family kitchen； and M。 Lacordaire
was standing immediately before her。 He had in his hand a little
cane with which he sometimes slapped his boots and sometimes poked
about among the rubbish。 His hat was not quite straight on his
head； having a little jaunty twist to one side； with reference to
which； by…the…bye； Mrs。 Thompson then resolved that she would make a
change； should ever the gentleman become her own property。 He still
wore his gloves； and was very smart； but it was clear to see that he
was not at his ease。
〃I hope the heat does not incommode you；〃 he said after a few
moments' silence。 Mrs。 Thompson declared that it did not； that she
liked a good deal of heat； and that； on the whole； she was very well
where she was。 She was afraid； however； that she was detaining M。
Lacordaire； who might probably wish to be moving about upon the
rock。 In answer to which M。 Lacordaire declared that he never could
be so happy anywhere as in her close vicinity。
〃You are too good to me；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson； almost sighing。 〃I
don't know what my stay here would have been without your great
kindness。〃
〃It is madame that has been kind to me；〃 said M。 Lacordaire；
pressing the handle of his cane against his heart。
There was then another pause； after which Mrs。 Thompson said that
that was all his French politeness； that she knew that she had been
very troublesome to him； but that she would now soon be gone； and
that then； in her own country； she would never forget his great
goodness。
〃Ah； madame！〃 said M。 Lacordaire； and； as he said it； much more was
expressed in his face than in his words。 But； then； you can neither
accept nor reject a gentleman by what he says in his face。 He
blushed； too； u