“Well，nevermindtheshop，myleetlefriend。YoucometomyshopnextSunday，eh？“
“No，“saidGodfrey，“Ihavehadenoughofspirits。“
“Yes，perhaps，thoughthespeeritshavebeenyourgoodfriends，takingSisterHelen，whohasleftsomethingbehindher。Butthosedearspeerits，theyhavenothadenoughofyou；theyveryfaithfulsouls，especiallythatprettyEleanor。Itellyou，Mr。Godfrey，youwillcometoseemenextSunday，andifyounotcome，I’llfetchyou。“
“Fetchme!How？“
“Lookatmyeyes，that’show。Iputyoutosleepmanytimesnow，andI
havepowertomakeyoucomewhereIwantanddowhatIwish。Youdonotbelieveme，eh？Well，nowIshowyou。Come，/monpetit/，andgiveyourdeargodmammaakiss，“andshesmiledathimlikeanogress。
NowthelastthinginthewholeworldthatGodfreywishedtodowastoembraceMadameRiennes，whomheloathedsothateveryfibreofhisbodyshrankfromher。Yet，ohhorror!awildimpulsetokisshertookpossessionofhim。Invainhestruggled；hetriedtostepbackwards，andinsteadwentforwards，hetriedtoturnhisheadaway，butthoseglowingeyesheldanddrewhimasamagnetdrawsaneedle。Andastheneedlerollsacrossthetableevermorequicklytowardsthemagnet，sodidtheunwillingGodfreygravitatetowardsMadameRiennes。Andnow，oh!nowherstoutarmwasabouthisneck，andnow——hewasimpressingaferventembraceuponherdome-likebrow。
“There!WhatdidItellyou，younice，kind，littleGodfrey，“shegurgledwithahollowlaugh。“Yourdeargodmammathanksyou，andyoumustruntocatchthatdiligence。/Aurevoir/tillSundayafternoon。
Donottroubleaboutthehour，youwillknowexactlywhentostart。
Nowgo。“
Shemadeamovementofherbig，whitehand，withtheresultthatGodfreyfeltlikeaspringwhichhadbeensuddenlyreleased。Nextinstant，stillpursuedbythatgurglinglaughter，hewasrunninghardtowardsthediligence。
FortunatelythePasteurwassofulloftalkaboutthehouseandhisbusinesswiththenotary，thattherewasnoneedforGodfreytospeakinthecoach，orindeedatdinner。Thenafterthemealwasfinishedheproducedhispresents，andwithblushesandstammersofferedthemtothevariousmembersofthefamily。Whatrapturetherewas!Madamewasdelightedwithhernecklace，whichshesaidandtruly，wasinthebestoftaste。Juliettekissedthewatch，andlookedasthoughshewouldliketokissthedonor，asindeedwashercase。ThePasteurexaminedthefinepipethroughhisbluespectacles，sayingthatneverhadheexpectedtoownonesobeautiful，thenatoncefilleditandbegantosmoke。Afterthistheyallscoldedhimforhisextravagance。
“Youdidnotbuyanythingforyourself，“saidJuliette，reproachfully。
“Oh!yes，Iseeyoudid，“andshepretendedtoperceiveforthefirsttimethelittleredcasecontainingthering，whichinadvertentlyhehadpulledoutofhispocketwiththeotherarticles，althoughintruthshehadobserveditfromthebeginning。“Letuslearnwhatitis，“shewenton，possessingherselfofandopeningthecase。“Oh!aring，whataprettyring，withtwohearts。Forwhomisthering，MonsieurGodfrey？SomeoneinEngland？“
ThenGodfrey，overcome，toldalie。
“No，formyself，“hesaid。
Juliettelookedathimandexclaimed：
“Thenyoushouldhavetoldthejewellertomakeitbigenough。Tryandyouwillsee。“
Heturnedredasaboiledlobster。Mademoisellestoodoppositetohim，shakingherprettyhead，andmurmuring：“/Quelmensonge!Quelbêtemensonge!/“whileMadamebrokeintoalowandmelodiouslaughter，andasshelaughed，lookedfirstattheringandthenatJuliette’sshapelyhand。
“Makenotamockofouryoungfriend，“saidthePasteur，suddenlyliftinghisglance，orratherhisspectaclesfromalongcontemplationofthatnoblepipeandbecomingawareofwhatwaspassing。“Weallhaveourpresents，whicharemagnificent。Whatthenisouraffairwiththering？Pardonthem，andputitinyourpocket，Godfrey，andcome，letusgototheobservatory，forthenightisfine，andbynowthestovewillbewarm。“
Sotheywent，andsoonwereengagedincontemplationofthestars，anoccupationwhichabsorbedGodfreysomuchthatforawhileheforgotallhistroubles。
WhenthedoorhadshutbehindthemMadamelookedatJuliette，whowithhernewwatchheldtoherear，observedheroutofthecornersofhereyes。
“Ifindhimcharming，“saidMadamepresently。
“Yes，Mamma，“repliedJuliette，“sobrightandeventhetickismusical。“
“Stupid!“exclaimedMadame。“WhenIwasyourage——well。“
“Pardon!“saidJuliette，openinghereyesinnocently。
“Child，ImeantouryoungEnglishfriend。IrepeatthatIfindhimcharming。“
“Ofcourse，Mamma——afterthatnecklace。“
“Andyou——afterthatwatch？“
“Oh!wellenough，thoughtoograveperhaps，andfondofwhatisfaroff——Imeanstars，“sheaddedhurriedly。
“Stars!Pish!Itisbutbecausethereisnothingnearer。Athisage——
stars!——wellofasort，perhaps。“
ShepausedwhileJuliettestilllookedprovokinglyinnocent。Sohermothertookalongstepforward，forintruthshegrewimpatientwithallthisobtusenessinwhich，forreasonsofherown，shedidnotbelieve。
“IfIwereagirlofyourage，“musedMadameasthoughtoherself，“I
donotthinkthatringwouldgotoEngland。“
“How，Mamma，wouldyoustealit？“
“No，butIwouldmakesurethatitwasgiventome。“
NowJuliettecouldnolongerfeignnottounderstand。Shesaidnothing，butturnedasredasGodfreyhaddonealittlewhilebeforeandstoodwaiting。
“Ifindhimcharming，“repeatedMadame，“thoughheissoyoung，whichisafaultthatwillmend，“andshefixedhereyesuponherdaughter’sfacewithalookofinterrogation。
ThenJuliettegavealittlesighandanswered：
“Good。Ifyouwillmakemesayit，sodoIalso，atleast，sometimesI
thinkso，whenheisnotdull，“andturningshefledfromtheroom。
Madamesmiledasthedoorclosedbehindher。
“Thatgoeswell，andshouldgobetter，“shesaidtoherself。“Only，forwhomisthering？TheremustbesomegirlinEngland，althoughofherhesaysnothing。/Peste!/Therearesomanygirls。Still，sheisfaraway，andthisoneisnear。Butitcouldbewishedthatsheweremoreexperienced，forthen，sinceshelikeshimwellenough，allwouldbesure。Whatdoesamancountinsuchacase——especiallywhenheissoyoung？Pish!nothingatall，“andMadamesnappedherfingersattheemptyair。“Itisthewomanwhoholdsthecards，ifonlysheknowshowtoplaythem。“
NowallthesethingshappenedonaWednesday。WhenGodfreywenttobedthatnightuncomfortablememoriesofMadameRiennes，andofthechasteembracewhichshehadforcedhimtoimpressuponherexpansiveforehead，hauntedhimforawhile，alsofearsforthefuture。However，Sundaywasstillalongwayoff，sohewenttosleepanddreamedthathewasbuyingpresentsateveryshopinLucerneandgivingthemalltoMadameRiennes。
OnThursdayhewasquitehappy。OnFridayhebegantosufferfromuneasiness，whichonSaturdaybecameverypronounced。Itseemedtohimthatalreadywavesofinfluencewerecreepingtowardshimlikethefringesofsomemiasmicmist。Doubtlessitwasimagination，buthecouldfeeltheirfirstfrailtentacleswrappingthemselvesaroundhiswill，anddrawinghimtowardsLucerne。Asthedaywentonthetentaclesgrewstronger，tillbyeveningtheremighthavebeenaveryoctopusbehindthem。Ifthisweresothatnight，hewonderedwhatwouldhappenonthefollowingday，whentheoctopusbegantopull。Ononepointhewasdetermined。Hewouldnotgo；neverwouldheallowMadameRiennestoputhimtosleepagain，andwhatwasmuchworsetomakehimkissher。Atanyratethatspirit，Eleanor，wasbeautifulandattractive——butMadameRiennes!Ratherthanforgatherwithheragaininthisaffectionatemanner，muchashedreadedit——orher——hewouldhavecompoundedwiththeghostcalledEleanor。
Now，althoughlikemostyoungpeople，Godfreywasindolentandevasiveofdifficulties，fearfuloffacingtroublesalso，hehadabedrockofcharacter。Therewerepointsbeyondwhichhewouldnotgo，evenforthesakeofpeace。Buthereatroublecamein；hewaswellawarethatalthoughhewouldnotgo——toMadameRiennestowit——therewassomethingstrongerthanhimselfwhichwouldmakehimgo。ItwastheoldstoryoveragainsetoutbySt。Paulonceandforever，thatofthetwolawswhichmakeashuttlecockofmansothathemustdowhathewillsnot。HavingoncegivenwaytoMadameRiennes，whowastohimakindofsinincarnate，hehadbecomeherservant，andifshewishedtoputhimtosleep，ortodoanythingelsewithhim，well，howevermuchhehatedit，hemustobey。
Thethoughtterrifiedhim。Whatcouldhedo？Hehadtriedprayers，neverbeforehadheprayedsohardinallhislife；buttheydidnotseemtobeoftheslightestuse。Noguardianangel，notevenEleanor，appearedtoprotecthimfromMadameRiennes，andmeanwhile，thefogwascreepingon，andtheoctopustentaclesweregrippingtighter。InhisemergencythererosethecountenanceofMissOgilvy’sdyingcounsel，welcomeandunexpectedaslightofthemoontoalosttravelleronacloud-clothednight。Whathadshetoldhimtodo？ToresistMadameRiennes。Hehadtriedthatwithlamentableresults。Toinvokethehelpofreligion。Hehadtriedthatwithstrictlynegativeresults；thePowersabovedidnotseeminclinedtointerveneinthisprivateaffair。ToappealtothePasteur。Thathehadnottriedbut，unpromisingastheventureseemedtobe，byJove!hewould。Inhisimminentperiltherewasnothingtowhichhewouldhaveappealed，evenMumbo-JumboitselfifitgavehimtheslightesthopeofprotectionfromMadameRiennes。