to the
fete."

She said no more, but walked out of the room, and up stairs, where
Victorine found her some time afterwards, extended on a bed in a restless
and feverish state, between sleeping and waking. But as Caliste left the
room, Victorine with much gentleness proposed that they should seek some
other young girl to fill the place of Caliste in the procession. "Indeed,
indeed, Lisette," she said, "our sister is far from well, and I fear the
excitement of the day will make her worse."

"It is only a jealous fit," replied the Rosiere; "only a jealous fit,
sister Victorine, and nothing shall induce me to give up her attendance."

"But if it is what you say it is," exclaimed Victorine, "dearest Lisette,
are you not irritating, instead of soothing your patient! My sister, vex
her no more; you have obtained the crown from her; is not that
sufficient? must you triumph over her also?"

"Pshaw," replied Lisette, sullenly, "I like to punish jealous people, it
does them good."

"But can you be happy?" said Victorine; "can you be at peace, when
another is suffering, I grieve to own, severely?"

"And why not?" she answered. "If Caliste could, she would have been
Rosiere, and would not then have cared for my feelings. I have no
necessity, then, to spare hers. You are sufficiently unkind, Victorine,
to remain at home, pray content yourself with doing so, without keeping
my other sister with you also."

Dorsain, who was present, ventured to put in a word in this place.
"Really Lisette," he said, "I would caution you not to urge Caliste too
much, she looks exceedingly ill."

"Monsieur D'Elsac," replied the Rosiere, "allow us young people, I
entreat, to settle this matter amongst ourselves. We shall fight it out
very amicably together, but when others interfere with us it only makes
matters worse."

The quiet man drew back, only venturing to say, "Well Mam'selle Lisette,
do as you propose; settle the matter, amongst yourselves, but let it be
quite among yourselves--let no fourth person be brought in."

"Well said, uncle Dorsain!" exclaimed Mimi; "well said, uncle Dorsain!
Mind, Lisette, you are not to ask our father to command Caliste to do as
_you_ please; mind that, Lisette--mind that."

"You are all against me, I see," replied Lisette, shedding tears for very
passion--"you are all against me; but I might have expected it. I might
have known others would be annoyed at any preference shown to me."

She left th