No words that could
have been spoken would have induced Marie to seat herself at the
table, so well did she understand all that such a change in her
habits would have seemed to imply. There was now hardly one person
in the supper-room of the hotel who did not instinctively understand
the reason which made Michel Voss anxious that his niece should sit
down, and that other reason which made her sternly refuse to comply
with his request. So, day followed day, and there was but little
said between the uncle and the niece, though heretofore--up to a
time still within a fortnight of the present day--the whole business
of the house had been managed by little whispered conferences
between them. 'I think we'll do so and so, uncle;' or, 'Just you
manage it yourself, Marie.' Such and such-like words had passed
every morning and evening, with an understanding between them full
and complete. Now each was afraid of the other, and everything was
astray.
But Marie was still gentle with the children: when she could be
with them for half an hour, she would sit with them on her lap, or
clustering round, kissing them and saying soft words to them,--even
softer in her affection than had been her wont.
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