her looks could at least deceive, and did not betray the excess of joy

which innundated her heart; yet the eyes of both expressed the same

sentiment as their souls flowed together in one thought,--the future

was theirs. This soft emotion was all the more precious to Charles in

the midst of his heavy grief because it was wholly unexpected. The

sound of the knocker recalled the women to their usual station.

Happily they were able to run downstairs with sufficient rapidity to

be seated at their work when Grandet entered; had he met them under