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de Chaulieu's intention； and in this I am quite at one with him； is to
lose no opportunity of making your life pleasant and of letting you
see the world。 At your age I should have thought as you do； therefore
I am not vexed with you； it is impossible you should understand what
we expected from you。 You will not find any absurd severity in me； and
if you have ever thought me heartless； you will soon find out your
mistake。 Still； though I wish you to feel perfectly free； I think
that； to begin with； you would do well to follow the counsels of a
mother； who wishes to be a sister to you。〃
I was quite charmed by the Duchess； who talked in a gentle voice；
straightening my convent tippet as she spoke。 At the age of thirty…
eight she is still exquisitely beautiful。 She has dark…blue eyes； with
silken lashes； a smooth forehead； and a complexion so pink and white
that you might think she paints。 Her bust and shoulders are marvelous；
and her waist is as slender as yours。 Her hand is milk…white and
extraordinarily beautiful； the nails catch the light in their perfect
polish； the thumb is like ivory； the little finger stands just a
little apart from the rest； and the foot matches the hand； it is the
Spanish foot of Mlle。 de Vandenesse。 If she is like this at forty； at
sixty she will still be a beautiful woman。
I replied； sweetheart； like a good little girl。 I was as nice to her
as she to me； nay； nicer。 Her beauty completely vanquished me； it
seemed only natural that such a woman should be absorbed in her regal
part。 I told her this as simply as though I had been talking to you。 I
daresay it was a surprise to her to hear words of affection from her
daughter's mouth； and the unfeigned homage of my admiration evidently
touched her deeply。 Her manner changed and became even more engaging；
she dropped all formality as she said：
〃I am much pleased with you； and I hope we shall remain good friends。〃
The words struck me as charmingly naive； but I did not let this
appear； for I saw at once that the prudent course was to allow her to
believe herself much deeper and cleverer than her daughter。 So I only
stared vacantly and she was delighted。 I kissed her hands repeatedly；
telling her how happy it made me to be so treated and to feel at my
ease with her。 I even confided to her my previous tremors。 She smiled；
put her arm round my neck； and drawing me towards her； kissed me on
the forehead most affectionately。
〃Dear child；〃 she said； 〃we have people coming to dinner to…day。
Perhaps you will agree with me that it is better for you not to make
your first appearance in society till you have been in the
dressmaker's hands； so； after you have seen your father and brother；
you can go upstairs again。〃
I assented most heartily。 My mother's exquisite dress was the first
revelation to me of the world which our dreams had pictured； but I did
not feel the slightest desire to rival her。
My father now entered； and the Duchess presented me to him。
He became all at once most affectionate； and played the father's part
so well； that I could not but believe his heart to be in it。 Taking my
two hands in his； and kissing them； with more of the lover than the
father in his manner； he said：
〃So this is my rebel daughter！〃
And he drew me towards him； with his arm passed tenderly round my
waist； while he kissed me on the cheeks and forehead。
〃The pleasure with which we shall watch your success in society will
atone for the disappointment we felt at your change of vocation；〃 he
said。 Then； turning to my mother； 〃Do you know that she is going to
turn out very pretty； and you will be proud of her some day？Here is
your brother； Rhetore。Alphonse；〃 he said to a fine young man who
came in； 〃here is your convent…bred sister； who threatens to send her
nun's frock to the deuce。〃
My brother came up in a leisurely way and took my hand； which he
pressed。
〃Come； come； you may kiss her；〃 said my father。
And he kissed me on both cheeks。
〃I am delighted to see you；〃 he said； 〃and I take your side against my
father。〃
I thanked him； but could not help thinking he might have come to Blois
when he was at Orleans visiting our Marquis brother in his quarters。
Fearing the arrival of strangers； I now withdrew。 I tidied up my
rooms； and laid out on the scarlet velvet of my lovely table all the
materials necessary for writing to you； meditating all the while on my
new situation。
This； my fair sweetheart； is a true and veracious account of the
return of a girl of eighteen； after an absence of nine years； to the
bosom of one of the noblest families in the kingdom。 I was tired by
the journey as well as by all the emotions I had been through； so I
went to bed in convent fashion； at eight o'clock after supper。 They
have preserved even a little Saxe service which the dear Princess used
when she had a fancy for taking her meals alone。
II
THE SAME TO THE SAME
November 25th。
Next day I found my rooms done out and dusted； and even flowers put in
the vases； by old Philippe。 I began to feel at home。 Only it didn't
occur to anybody that a Carmelite schoolgirl has an early appetite；
and Rose had no end of trouble in getting breakfast for me。
〃Mlle。 goes to bed at dinner…time；〃 she said to me； 〃and gets up when
the Duke is just returning home。〃
I began to write。 About one o'clock my father knocked at the door of
the small drawing…room and asked if he might come in。 I opened the
door； he came in； and found me writing to you。
〃My dear；〃 he began； 〃you will have to get yourself clothes； and to
make these rooms comfortable。 In this purse you will find twelve
thousand francs； which is the yearly income I purpose allowing you for
your expenses。 You will make arrangements with your mother as to some
governess whom you may like； in case Miss Griffith doesn't please you；
for Mme。 de Chaulieu will not have time to go out with you in the
mornings。 A carriage and man…servant shall be at your disposal。〃
〃Let me keep Philippe；〃 I said。
〃So be it；〃 he replied。 〃But don't be uneasy； you have money enough of
your own to be no burden either to your mother or me。〃
〃May I ask how much I have？〃
〃Certainly； my child；〃 he said。 〃Your grandmother left you five
hundred thousand francs； this was the amount of her savings； for she
would not alienate a foot of land from the family。 This sum has been
placed in Government stock； and； with the accumulated interest； now
brings in about forty thousand francs a year。 With this I had purposed
making an independence for your second brother； and it is here that
you have upset my plans。 Later； however； it is possible that you may
fall in with them。 It shall rest with yourself； for I have confidence
in your good sense far more than I had expected。
〃I do not need to tell you how a daughter of the Chaulieus ought to
behave。 The pride so plainly written in your features is my best
guarantee。 Safeguards； such as common folk surround their daughters
with； would be an insult in our family。 A slander reflecting on your
name might cost the life of the man bold enough to utter it； or the
life of one of your brothers； if by chance the right sho