Saviour's. Their souls were busy, hers
wanted rest; that was clear. He was glad he had worked it out so cleverly
to the Cure--and to his own mind. His philosophy surely had vindicated
itself.
But Jean Jacques was far from thinking of these things as he drove back
from Vilray and from his episode in Court to the Manor Cartier. He was
indeed just praising himself, his wife, his child, and everything that
belonged to him. He was planning, planning, as he talked, the new things
to do--the cheese-factory, the purchase of a steam-plough and a
steam-thresher which he could hire out to his neighbours. Only once
during the drive did he turn round to Carmen, and then it was to ask her
if she had seen her father of late.
"Not for ten months," was her reply. "Why do you ask?"
"Wouldn't he like to be nearer you and Zoe? It's twelve miles to
Beauharnais," he replied.
"Are you thinking of offering him another place at the Manor?" she asked
sharply.
"Well, there is the new cheese-factory--not to manage, but to keep the
books! He's doing them all right for the lumber-firm. I hear that he--"
"I don't want it. No good comes from relatives working together. Look at
the Latouche farm where your cousin makes his mess. My father is well
enough where he is."
"But you'd like to see him oftener--I was only thinking of that," said
Jean Jacques in a mollifying voice.
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