CHAPTER IV

After a short time Laure came in view of an old castle. She dismounted and ventured a few paces into the courtyard, in order to examine the escutcheon which was sculptured over the door. She was about to retire when an elderly lady appeared in the doorway and came out on the steps. Laure's first impulse was to escape, but the noble lady did not give her time. " I hope, mademoiselle," she said, " that it is not my présence which frightens you ? " " Madame," stammered Laure, " pardon my rashness ; I had every reason to believe that the castle was uninhabited." — Well, mademoiselle, you are punished for your thoughtlessness, for you are my prisoner. I hope you will not refuse to rest for a moment with the Marchioness of La Rochelandier," and with thèse words she led Laure into the house. In the course of conversation Laure explained who she was, and how that it was owing to Montflanquin that her father had not called at La Rochelandier. On learning

Passages for Translation into French 239

that Montflanquin, Barbanpré, and Kerlandec were the only people whose acquaintance the Levraults had made, the marchioness burst out laughing, and begged Laure not to judge the nobility of Brittany by thèse three spécimens. At that moment the marchioness's son Gaston came in, and was requested by his mother to escort Laure home in case she might lose herself in the woods. As the young people rode along, Laure could not help weighing Gaston's advantages at the expense of those of Gaspard ; but what influenced her most was the fact that Gaston was a marquis, while Gaspard was only a viscount. She cared nothing for his other qualities, but she clearly saw now why Gaspard had tried to keep her away from La Rochelandier. On arriving at La Trélade she insisted on Gaston going in to pay his respects to her father, while she herself would enjoy Gaspard's vexation. She also wanted Gaston to take away with him some notion of her father's immense wealth.