The old lady was annoyed by these continual distractions, but she did scruple to profit by them.

She looked at the discard, changed the cards which did not suit her, while she audaciously scored points she never made, and pocketed the money thus won without shame or remorse.
M.Daburon's timidity was extreme, and Claire was unsociable to excess, they therefore seldom spoke to each other.

During the entire winter, the magistrate did not directly address the young girl ten times; and, on these rare occasions, he had learned mechanically by heart the phrase he proposed to repeat to her, well knowing that, without this precaution, he would most likely be unable to finish what he had to say.
But at least he saw her, he breathed the same air with her, he heard her voice, whose pure and harmonious vibrations thrilled his very soul.
By constantly watching her eyes, he learned to understand all their expressions.

He believed he could read in them all her thoughts, and through them look into her soul like through an open window.
"She is pleased to-day," he would say to himself; and then he would be happy.

At other times, he thought, "She has met with some annoyance to-day;" and immediately he became sad.
The idea of asking for her hand many times presented itself to his imagination; but he never dared to entertain it.