Abreezesighedinthehigherboughs;theskyseenthroughtheirgreenwasveryblueandverywhiteincloud——thoseheavywhitecloudsalmostalwayspresentinriverlandscape。Bees，shelteringoutofthewind，hummedsoftly，andoverthelushgrassfellthethickshadefromthosefruit—treesplantedbyherfatherfive—and—twenty，yearsago。Birdswerealmostsilent，thecuckooshadceasedtosing，butwood—pigeonswerecooing。Thebreathanddroneandcooingofhighsummerwerenotforlongasedativetoherexcitednerves。Crouchedoverherkneesshebegantoscheme。Herfathermustbemadetobackherup。Whyshouldhemindsolongasshewashappy？Shehadnotlivedfornearlynineteenyearswithoutknowingthatherfuturewasallhereallycaredabout。Shehad，then，onlytoconvincehimthatherfuturecouldnotbehappywithoutJon。Hethoughtitamadfancy。Howfoolishtheoldwere，thinkingtheycouldtellwhattheyoungfelt！Hadnotheconfessedthathe——whenyoung——hadlovedwithagrandpassion？Heoughttounderstand！’Hepilesuphismoneyforme，’shethought;’butwhat’stheuse，ifI’mnotgoingtobehappy？’
Money，andallitbought，didnotbringhappiness。Loveonlybroughtthat。Theox—eyeddaisiesinthisorchard，whichgaveitsuchamoonylooksometimes，grewwildandhappy，andhadtheirhour。’Theyoughtn’ttohavecalledmeFleur，’shemused，’iftheydidn’tmeanmetohavemyhour，andbehappywhileitlasts。’Nothingrealstoodintheway，likepoverty，ordisease——sentimentonly，aghostfromtheunhappypast！Jonwasright。Theywouldn’tletyoulive，theseoldpeople！Theymademistakes，committedcrimes，andwantedtheirchildrentogoonpaying！Thebreezediedaway;midgesbegantobite。Shegotup，pluckedapieceofhoneysuckle，andwentin。
Itwashotthatnight。Bothsheandhermotherhadputonthin，palelowfrocks。Thedinnerflowerswerepale。Fleurwasstruckwiththepalelookofeverything;herfather’sface，hermother’sshoulders;
thepalepanelledwalls，thepalegreyvelvetycarpet，thelamp—
shade，eventhesoupwaspale。Therewasnotonespotofcolourintheroom，notevenwineinthepaleglasses，fornoonedrankit。