proper young man. He seems on the best of terms with his mother. The young ladies are all gone on him. Bless my soul, he's a good-looking lad ... and it won't take long before he's turned all their heads ..."
Gilberte reflected:
"He's quite right to make himself amiable. It's the only way to get round his mother."
Nevertheless, she had to make a certain effort to look upon this as the only explanation of Guillaume's conduct.
Two more days followed without a letter. Then, one morning, Adèle came back from her shopping:
"Here's a bit of news!" she said. "There's no harm in telling you, now that you've got over things. M. Guillaume is engaged to the eldest Charmeron girl."
Gilberte burst out laughing:
"It's one of Mme. Duval's matches!"
"No, no, I hear it from others as well: the Bottentuits' servant told me; so did M. Beaufrelant's gardener. Mme. de la Vaud-
