“Myimpressionofutternoveltyseemedsomehowenhancedbythisunexpectedrefinementintheheartofthesolitudesandinsucharuggedshell，andyet，whenIcametoreflect，itwasonlycharacteristicofmycosmopolitanhost。Butanothersurprisewasinstoreforme。
“WhenIhadrecoveredbodilywarmthandmentalequilibriuminmydownyarmchair，beforetheroaringlogs，andduringthedeliciousabsorptionofmysecondglassoftea，IturnedmyattentiontotheFrenchvalet，evidentlythebaron’sownman，whowasdeftlyunpackingmyportmanteau，andwho，unlessmypracticedeyedeceivedme，askedfornothingbetterthantoentertainmewithagreeableconversationthewhile。
“’Yourmasterisout，then？’quothI，knowingthatthemosttrivialremarkwouldsufficetostarthim。
“True，Monseigneurwasout；hewasdesolatedindespairthiswiththenationalamiableandimaginativeinstinct；’butitwasdoubtlessimportantbusiness。M。leBaronhadthevisitofhisfactorduringthemiddaymeal；hadleftthetablehurriedly，andhadnotbeenseensince。MadamelaBaronnehadbeenalittlesuffering，butshewouldreceivemonsieur！’
“’Madame！’exclaimedI，astounded，’isyourmasterthenmarried？——