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Pere Silas took an interest in this prospective improvement for the sake of religion and the church, whereof Magliore Walravens was a devout daughter.
She is a relation of both the Becks and Walravens; she derives her baptismal name from the sainted nun who would have been her aunt had she lived; her patronymic is Sauveur; she is an heiress and an orphan, and M. Emanuel is her guardian; some say her godfather. The family junta wish this heiress to be married to one of their band which is it? Vital question which is it?
The son was then forbidden to think of Marie; especially that old witch of a grand-dame I had seen, Madame Walravens, opposed the match with all the violence of a temper which deformity made sometimes demoniac.
Here I no more than get Carl safely home from hunting Esquimaux or whatever it was up there by the North Pole walravens, wasn't it, Diane? well, walrus then! than you decide to become a gypsy and sleep by a lake in springtime under a planting moon and stay outdoors all winter, collecting birds, when I fancied you were safely launched in society until you were married."
The expression of her face was not quite so soothing as the cut of her costume; anything more cantankerous I have seldom seen; she would scarcely reply to my inquiry after Madame Walravens; I believe she would have snatched the basket of fruit from my hand, had not the old priest, hobbling up, checked her, and himself lent an ear to the message with which I was charged.
"There," she said, "it is not heavy, and will not shame your neat toilette, as if it were a household, servant-like detail. Do me the favour to leave this little basket at the house of Madame Walravens, with my felicitations on her fete. She lives down in the old town, Numero 3, Rue des Mages.
Leaving Madame Walravens' inhospitable salon, I betook myself to her cold staircase; there was a seat on the landing there I waited. Somebody came gliding along the gallery just above; it was the old priest. "Indeed Mademoiselle shall not sit there," said he. "It would displeasure our benefactor if he knew a stranger was so treated in this house."
To see and know the worst is to take from Fear her main advantage. The Walravens' party, augmented in numbers, now became very gay. The gentlemen fetched refreshments from the kiosk, all sat down on the turf under the trees; they drank healths and sentiments; they laughed, they jested.
"More than half a league." "You live ?" "In the Rue Fossette." "The same." "Monsieur Paul Emanuel, Professor of Literature?" "He and none other." A brief silence fell. The spring of junction seemed suddenly to have become palpable; I felt it yield to pressure. "Was it of M. Paul you have been speaking?" I presently inquired. "Was he your pupil and the benefactor of Madame Walravens?"
Amidst all the badinage, Madame Walravens still obtruded from time to time, hoarse, cross-grained speeches; her impatience being diverted only by an implacable surveillance of Desiree, who could not stir but the old woman menaced her with her staff. "La voila!" suddenly cried one of the gentlemen, "voila Justine Marie qui arrive!" This moment was for me peculiar.
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