And yet she knew of instances in which marriages had been broken off after betrothal quite as ceremonious as her own--had been broken off without scandal or special censure from the Church.

Her aunt, indeed, and M.le Cure had, ever since the plighting of her troth to M.Urmand, spoken of the matter in her presence, as though the wedding were a thing already nearly done;--not suggesting by the tenor of their speech that any one could wish in any case to make a change, but pointing out incidentally that any change was now out of the question.

But Marie had been sharp enough to understand perfectly the gist of her aunt's manoeuvres and of the priest's incidental information.

The thing could be done, she know; and she feared no one in the doing of it,--except her uncle.

But she did fear that if she simply told him that it must be done, he would have such a power over her that she would not succeed.