The result was that from then on the girls never mentioned Luc Hancq in their conversations, which was all the stranger because he occupied such a large place in their lives.
He came almost every day. Now he gave music lessons to each of them in turn, and after the lesson they would go into the shed for shooting practice.
He was the favourite of all the ladies in the village. He also taught the boarders at the convent and several young girls in more than one friendly household, and in these cases, as with the Misses Santander, without payment. How he found the time to conduct the local band as well was a mystery to everyone. And he was so lively, so cheerful; wherever he went, he seemed to bring a ray of sunshine with him.