iste has shown
her pride to our neighbour, Madame Goton, and she is the marchande de
mode of Madame la Baronne de Salency."

"But I thought," said Victorine, "that the rose was to be given without
prejudice or partiality."

"So it is," replied Lisette, angrily, "and it is by failure of courtesy
and civility that Caliste will lose it."

Victorine sighed, for she saw clearly that a breach was made between her
two sisters that nothing but time could heal. The elder, in her pride,
shunned compassion, whilst the triumphant self-conceit of the younger was
a perpetual gall to her sister.

Thus was peace banished from the household of Durocher, and Valmont and
his wife were in a perpetual excitement, lest Felicie Durand should be
elected, and their own children passed over. Mimi was wholly for her
sister Caliste, in opposition to Lisette, whilst Caliste felt her cause a
failing one, and had the mortifying assurance she should have to yield
the triumph to a younger sister.

Victorine felt for all, and did not know what to desire, for whichever
way it turned out, it would bring sorrow to the family in one or other of
its members--and thus passed the first four days of Dorsain's visit at
Salency.

It was on the Sunday morning, being the first of June, that the election
was to be made, after Prone, in church. Prone is an exhortation or
lecture, read by the priest at mass, in which he announces the holy days
of the ensuing week.

Caliste, Lisette, and Felicie Durand, attired in white, walked together
to church, and sate side by side during the service, all eyes being fixed
upon them. Dorsain, with his sister and her husband, and Mimi, were also
there, but Victorine, who could not join in the service, remained at home
to pray for her sisters. Whilst thus left to solitude, she had time
given her not only gratefully to thank God for not being one in the
strife, but also to implore that the lesson might be beneficial to her
family.

From Mimi she learnt that Caliste had reason to believe that Lisette
would be preferred to herself, the beauty of her younger sister having
attracted the attention and admiration of Madame la Baronne, whose
husband was to proclaim the Rosiere.

Earnestly did she pray that the disappointment might be blest to Caliste,
and, after shedding some tears for this sister's sake, she prepared to
receive her in the manner that would be most agreeable to a proud and
disappointed mind. Being led to see