“ Oh la singulière petite bossue! ” laughed she. “ Et figurez-vous qu’elle me déteste, parcequ’elle me croit amoureuse de mon cousin Paul; ce petit dévot qui n’ose pas bouger, à moins que son confesseur ne lui donne la permission! 214 Au reste” (she went on), “if he wanted to marry ever so much— soit moi, soit une autre 215 —he could not do it; he has too large a family already on his hands; Mère Walravens, Père Silas, Dame Agnes, and a whole troop of nameless paupers. There never was a man like him for laying on himself burdens greater than he can bear, voluntarily incurring needless responsibilities. Besides, he harbours a romantic idea about some pale-faced Marie Justine— personnage assez niaise à ce que je pense ” 216
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