‘Mrs Osmond then is very fond of her stepdaughter; she may do something.’

‘For a love-sick swain you have your eyes about you!’ Madame Merle exclaimed with a laugh.

‘I esteem a dot very much. I can do without it, but I esteem it.’

‘Mrs Osmond,’ Madame Merle went on, ‘will probably prefer to keep her money for her own children.’

‘Her own children? Surely she has none.’

‘She may have yet. She had a poor little boy, who died two years ago, six months after his birth. Others therefore may come.’

‘I hope they will, if it will make her happy. She’s a splendid woman.’

Madame Merle failed to burst into speech. ‘Ah, about her there’s much to be said. Splendid as you like! We’ve not exactly made out that you’re a parti. The absence of vices is hardly a source of income.’

‘Pardon me, I think it may be,’ said Rosier quite lucidly.

‘You’ll be a touching couple, living on your innocence!’

‘I think you underrate me.’

‘You’re not so innocent as that? Seriously,’ said Madame Merle, ‘of course forty thousand francs a year and a nice character are a combination to be considered. I don’t say it’s to be jumped at, but there might be a worse offer. Mr Osmond, however, will probably incline to believe he can do better.’

‘He can do so perhaps; but what can his daughter do? She can’t do better than marry the man she loves. For she does, you know,’ Rosier added eagerly.

‘She does—I know it.’

‘Ah,’ cried the young man, ‘I said you were the person to come to.’

‘But I don’t know how you know it, if you haven’t asked her,’ Madame Merle went on.

‘In such a case there’s no need of asking and telling; as you say, we’re an innocent couple. How did you know it?’

‘I who am not innocent? By being very crafty. Leave it to me; I’ll find out for you.’

Rosier got up and stood smoothing his hat. ‘You say that rather coldly. Don’t simply find out how it is, but try to make it as it should be.’

‘I’ll do my best. I’ll try to make the most of your advantages.’

‘Thank you so very much. Meanwhile then I’ll say a word to Mrs Osmond.’

‘Gardez-vous-en-bien!’ And Madame Merle was on her feet. ‘Don’t set her going, or you’ll spoil everything.’

Rosier gazed into his hat; he wondered whether his hostess had been after all the right person to come to. ‘I don’t think I understand you. I’m an old friend of Mrs Osmond, and I think she would like me to succeed.’

‘Be an old friend as much as you like; the more old friends she has the better, for she doesn’t get on very well with some of her new. But don’t for the present try to make her take up the cudgels for you.