"This, surely, is the work of that wicked Colin," thought she, andhurried to the parsonage in order to apologize to Father Jerome fordelaying the marriage. The good gray-headed old man advanced toward her,proud of his work, and leading by the hand the newly married pair.
Now Mother Manon lost her wits and her speech in good earnest when shelearned what had happened. But Colin had more thoughts and power ofspeech than in his whole previous life. He told of his love and thebroken cup, the falsehood of the justice, and how he had unmasked thisunjust magistrate in the Viguerie at Grasse. Then he besought MotherManon's blessing, since all this had happened without any fault on thepart of Marietta or himself.
Father Jerome, who for a long while could not make out what hadhappened, when he received a full explanation of the marriage throughmistake, piously folded his hands and exclaimed, with uplifted eyes:"Wonderful are the dispensations of Providence!" Colin and Mariettakissed his hands; Mother Manon, through sheer veneration of heaven, gavethe young couple her blessing, but remarked incidentally that her headseemed turned round.
Mother Manon herself was pleased with her son-in-law when she came toknow the full extent of his property, and especially when she found thatMonsieur Hautmartin and his nose had been arrested.
"But am I then really a wife?" asked Marietta; "and really Colin'swife?"
Mother Manon nodded her head, and Marietta hung upon Colin's arm. Thusthey went to Colin's farm, to his dwelling-house, through the garden.
"Look at the flowers, Marietta," said Colin; "how carefully I cultivatedthem for your cup!"
Colin, who had not expected so pleasant an event, now prepared a weddingfeast on the spur of the occasion. Two days was it continued. AllNapoule was feasted. Who shall describe Colin's extravagance?
The broken cup is preserved in the family to the present day as amemorial and sacred relic.
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