That very day, Fouque and Mathilde having sought to inform him of certain public rumours, which seemed to them to furnish grounds for hope, Julien had cut them short at the first word.
Ce jour-là, Fouqué et Mathilde ayant voulu lui apprendre certains bruits publics fort propres, selon eux, à donner des espérances, Julien les avait arrêtés dès le premier mot.