'It sounds like a marvellous dream. . . .' she
faltered.
'But a dream that is going to come true/ he told
her. Then he got up: 'Madame, I have kept you too
long. I talk too much, it is my greatest weakness.'
And he gallantly pressed a kiss on her hand. *I go
now to give orders about that new gutter.'
She watched him as he hurried away down the
quay, no doubt going in search of his absent foreman.
Such ideas; she was feeling quite upset, and yet with-
all rather pleasantly excited. Then she thought:
'Why not? The man may be right ... we certainly
have the most excellent bathing. Belli santo, our Saint
Loup as a summer resort, frequented by rich and
fashionable people . . . and I selling Paris models
in my shop, and fine lingerie, instead of bone buttons!
Ah, mais non, he is mad, that poor Monsieur Kahn
. . . yet who knows, such things must have happened
before . . . there must surely always have been a
beginning. . . .' And she suddenly decided to find
Mere Melanie and discuss these surprising possibilities
over a small cup of coffee at la Tarasque.
§2
That evening Madame Roustan went to visit her
brother. She found the Benedits in the parlour;
Marie was darning a pair of socks and Jouse was
quietly reading his paper.
6Ah, Germaine,' said Marie. Then: 'Loup,
bring up that chair. Christophe, go and fetch wine
and biscuits from the kitchen, but keep your greedy
hand out of the tin! They are fond of sweet biscuits,
my sons/ she said smiling.
Jouse laid aside his paper: 'Good evening/ he
grunted.
Madame Roustan began the moment she sat down:
237