True he had gone no farther.
But that was very far to have gone as a beginning. And in their
last meeting, now a fortnight old, she had received him with frank
friendliness. True, she had been a little aloof. But that was to
be expected until he quite explicitly avowed that he had revived
the hope of winning her. He had been a fool not to have returned
before to-day.
Thus in that mood of new-born confidence - a confidence risen from
the very ashes of despondency - came he on that Sunday morning to
Meudon. He was gay and jovial with M. de Kercadiou what time he
waited in the salon for mademoiselle to show herself. He pronounced
with confidence on the country's future. There were signs already
- he wore the rosiest spectacles that morning - of a change of
opinion, of a more moderate note. The Nation began to perceive
whither this lawyer rabble was leading it. He pulled out "The Acts
of the Apostles" and read a stinging paragraph. Then, when
mademoiselle at last made her appearance, he resigned the journal
into the hands of M.
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