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STRAIT IS THE GATE 142

of our damp hands made us unclasp them and let them drop sadly to our sides. We had made too much haste, and arrived at the cross-roads long before the carriage, which had taken another road and driven very slowly, because of my aunt's desire to leave us plenty of time for talking. We sat down on the bank at the side of the road; a cold wind, which suddenly got up, chilled us to the bone, for we were bathed in perspiration; then we walked on to meet the carriage. But the worst was again the pressing solicitude of our poor aunt, who was convinced that we had had a long and satisfactory talk and was longing to question us about our engagement. Alissa, unable to bear it, and with her eyes full of tears, alleged a violent headache, and we drove home in silence. The next day I woke up with aching limbs and a bad chill, so unwell that I put off going to the Bucolins' till the afternoon. By ill luck, Alissa was not alone. Madeleine Plantier, one of Aunt Félicie's granddaughters , was there. I knew Alissa liked talking to her. She was staying with her grandmother for a few days, and when I came in, she exclaimed: "If you are going back to the Côte when yoų leave here, we might as well go together."

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