"Nay, he fell upon me, the rather," said in reply Victorine, artlessly, "as Iwas resting me at the window of the long storeroom. He heard me singing,and came there."

"Did he praise thy voice?" asked Jeanne. "He is a brave singer himself."

"Is he?" exclaimed Victorine, eagerly. "He did not tell me that. He exclaimed myvoice was like the voice of a wild bird. And there be birds and birdsagain, I was minded to tell him, and not all birds make music; but heseemed to me not one to take jests readily."

"So," exclaimed Jeanne; "that he is not. Leaves he early in the night?"

"I think so," replied Victorine. "He did not tell me, but I heard theelder man say to Georgeoit to have the horses ready at earliest light."