Volume I Part 33 (2/2)

”I trust that it's where our Ledrux lives.”

They reached the house and found a small gate which opened by turning a k.n.o.b; they pa.s.sed through the gate and found themselves in a large and well-kept garden, cleanly raked, where numerous boxes of pomegranates, laurel-bushes and rhododendrons were taking their first breath of the spring air. But they saw n.o.body.

”Let us go in,” said Honorine.

”Let's call,” said Agathe; ”he must be either in the house or in the garden.--Monsieur Ledrux!”

”Monsieur Ledrux!”

”Perhaps we ought to say: 'plain Monsieur Ledrux.'”

”What a child you are! It seems to me that if he were in the house he would hear us, for it isn't large, and the gate rang a bell when we opened it. Let us look around the garden.”

”See, there's a man at the further end of the garden; he sees us.”

The master of the house was a little old man, thin and wrinkled, tanned by the sun, but whose face was at once kindly and shrewd. He came toward them humming between his teeth, which promised well for his disposition.

Honorine walked forward quickly to meet the singer.

”I beg pardon, monsieur, but we were told to apply to you to show us a house that is for sale in this neighborhood.”

”What's that! a house for sale?”

”Monsieur Courtivaux's.”

”Ah! you want to see Monsieur Courtivaux's house, do you?”

”We do.”

”Do you think of buying it?”

”Why, we may buy it if it suits us.”

”Ah, yes! that's so; you must see it first. I'll show it to you.”

”We are sorry to give you so much trouble.”

”Oh! it ain't very far. And then, you can't go there alone, for you don't know where it is. Wait a bit, while I go and fetch the keys.”

And the little old man walked away, humming: ”Tutu--turlututu--lututu!”

”You see, my dear love, we came to the right place.”

”Yes; and this old peasant seems a merry old fellow; I like him already.”

”We will take him for our gardener.”

Pere Ledrux returned, still humming.

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