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This repeated assertion of cowardice on the part of the living Damascus blade that stood bolt…upright before her； struck Josephine as so funny that she laughed merrily； and bade him fancy it was only a fort he was attacking instead of the terrible Josephine； whom none but heroes feared； she assured him。
This encouragement； uttered in jest； was taken in earnest。 The soldier thanked her； and rallied visibly at the comparison。 〃All right；〃 said he； 〃as you say； it is only a fortsomademoiselle！〃
〃Monsieur！〃
〃Hum！ will you lend me your hand for a moment？〃
〃My hand！ what for？ there；〃 and she put it out an inch a minute。 He took it； and inspected it closely。
〃A charming hand； the hand of a virtuous woman？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Josephine as cool as a cucumber； too sublimely and absurdly innocent even to blush。
〃Is it your own？〃
〃Sir！〃 She blushed at that； I can tell you。
〃Because if it was； I would ask you to give it me。 （I've fired the first shot anyway。）〃
Josephine whipped her hand off his palm； where it lay like cream spilt on a trencher。
〃Ah！ I see； you are not free： you have a lover。〃
〃No； no！〃 cried Josephine in distress； 〃I love nobody but my mother and sister： I never shall。〃
〃Your mother；〃 cried Raynal； 〃that reminds me； he told me to ask her； by Jove； I think he told me to ask her first；〃 and Raynal up with his scabbard and was making off。
Josephine begged him to do nothing of the kind。
〃I can save you the trouble；〃 said she。
〃Ah； but my instructions！ my instructions！〃 cried the military pedant； and ran off into the house； and left Josephine 〃planted there；〃 as they say in France。
Raynal demanded a private interview of the baroness so significantly and unceremoniously that Rose had no alternative but to retire； but not without a glance of defiance at the bear。 She ran straight； without her bonnet； into the Pleasaunce to slake her curiosity at Josephine。 That young lady was walking pensively； but turned at sight of Rose； and the sisters came together with a clash of tongues。
〃O Rose！ he has〃
〃Oh！〃
So nimbly does the female mind run on its little beaten tracks； that it took no more than those syllables for even these innocent young women to communicate that Raynal had popped。
Josephine apologized for this weakness in a hero。 〃It wasn't his fault；〃 said she。 〃It is your Edouard who set him to do it。〃
〃My Edouard？ Don't talk in that horrid way： I have no Edouard。 You said 'no' of course。〃
〃Something of the kind。〃
〃What； did you not say 'no' plump？〃
〃I did not say it brutally； dear。〃
〃Josephine； you frighten me。 I know you can't say 'no' to any one； and if you don't say 'no' plump to such a man as this； you might as well say 'yes。'〃
〃Well； love；〃 said Josephine； 〃you know our mother will relieve me of this； what a comfort to have a mother！〃
They waited for Raynal's departure； to go to the baroness。 They had to wait a long time。 Moreover； when he did leave the chateau he came straight into the Pleasaunce。 At sight of him Rose seized Josephine tight and bade her hold her tongue； as she could not say 〃no〃 plump to any one。 Josephine was far from raising any objection to the arrangement。
〃Monsieur；〃 said Rose； before he could get a word out； 〃even if she had not declined； I could not consent。〃
Raynal tapped his forehead reflectively； and drew forth from memory that he had no instructions whatever to ask HER consent。
She colored high； but returned to the charge。
〃Is her own consent to be dispensed with too？ She declined the honor； did she not？〃
〃Of course she did； but this was anticipated in my instructions。 I am to be sure and not take the first two or three refusals。〃
〃O Josephine； look at that insolent boy： he has found you out。〃
〃Insolent boy！〃 cried Raynal； 〃why； it is the referee of your own choosing； and as well behaved a lad as ever I saw； and a zealous officer。〃
〃My kind friends；〃 put in Josephine with a sweet languor； 〃I cannot let you quarrel about a straw。〃
〃It is not about a straw；〃 said Raynal； 〃it is about you。〃
〃The distinction involves a compliment； sir；〃 said Josephine； then she turned to Rose； 〃Is it possible you do not see Monsieur Raynal's strange proposal in its true light？ and you so shrewd in general。 He has no personal feeling whatever in this eccentric proceeding： he wants to make us all happy； especially my mother； without seeming to lay us under too great an obligation。 Surely good…nature was never carried so far before； ha； ha！ Monsieur； I will encumber you with my friendship forever； if you permit me； but farther than that I will not abuse your generosity。〃
〃Now look here； mademoiselle；〃 began Raynal bluntly； 〃I did start with a good motive at first； that there's no denying。 But； since I have been every day in your company； and seen how good and kind you are to all about you； I have turned selfish； and I say to myself； what a comfort such a wife as you would be to a soldier！ Why； only to have you to write letters home to； would be worth half a fellow's pay。 Do you know sometimes when I see the fellows writing their letters it gives me a knock here to think I have no one at all to write to。〃
Josephine sighed。
〃So you see I am not so mighty disinterested。 Now； mademoiselle； you speak so charmingly； I can't tell what you mean： can't tell whether you say 'no' because you could never like me； or whether it is out of delicacy； and you only want pressing。 So I say no more at present： it is a standing offer。 Take a day to consider。 Take two if you like。 I must go to the barracks； good…day。〃
〃Oh！ this must be put an end to at once；〃 said Rose。
〃With all my heart；〃 replied Josephine； 〃but how？〃
〃Come to our mother； and settle that；〃 said the impetuous sister； and nearly dragged the languid one into the drawing…room。
To their surprise they found the baroness walking up and down the room with unusual alacrity for a person of her years。 She no sooner caught sight of Josephine than she threw her arms open to her with joyful vivacity； and kissed her warmly。 〃My love； you have saved us。 I am a happy old woman。 If I had all France to pick from I could not have found a man so worthy of my Josephine。 He is brave； he is handsome； he is young； he is a rising man； he is a good son； and good sons make good husbandsandI shall die at Beaurepaire； shall I not； Madame the Commandante？〃
Josephine held her mother round the neck； but never spoke。 After a silence she held her tighter； and cried a little。
〃What is it？〃 asked the baroness confidentially of Rose； but without showing any very profound concern。
〃Mamma！ mamma！ she does not love him。〃
〃Love him？ She would be no daughter of mine if she loved a man at sight。 A modest woman loves her husband only。〃
〃But she scarcely knows Monsieur Raynal。〃
〃She knows more of him than I knew of your father when I married him。 She knows his virtues and appreciates them。 I have heard her； have I not； love？ Esteem soon ripens into love when they are once fairly married。〃
〃Mother； does her silence then tell you nothing？ Her tearsare they nothing to you？〃
〃Silly child！ These are tears that do not scald。 The sweet so