brief interview held with young Pierre sealed the maiden's fate.
She knew nothing of love before the beautiful youth stood before
her--her heart was as pure as an infant's--she was artlessness
itself. She had heard him so often spoken of by his mother, that she
had learned to think of Pierre as the kindest and best of youths.
She saw him, for the first time, as one to love. His face, his
tones, the air of refinement and intelligence that was about him,
all conspired to win her young affections. But of the true nature of
her feelings, Nina was as yet ignorant. She did not think of love.
She did not, therefore, hesitate as to the propriety of continuing
her visits at the cottage of Blanche Delebarre, nor did she feel any
reserve in the presence of Pierre. Not until the enamored youth
presumed to whisper the passion her presence had awakened in his
bosom, did she fully understand the cause of the delight she always
felt while by his side.

After Pierre had been home a few weeks, he ventured to explain to
his mother the cause of his unexpected and unannounced return. He
had disagreed with his uncle, who, in a passion, had reminded him
of his dependence. This the high-spirited youth could not bear,
and he left his uncle's house within twenty-four hours, with a fixed
resolution never to return. He had come back to the village, resolved,
he said, to lead a peasant's life of toil, rather than live with a relative
who could so far forget himself as to remind him of his dependence.
Poor Blanche was deeply grieved. All her fond hopes for her son were
at an end. She looked at his small, delicate hands and slender
pro-portions, and wept when she thought of a peasant's life of hard
labor.

A very long time did not pass before Nina made a proposition to
Blanche, that relieved, in some measure, the painful depression
under which she labored. It was this. Pierre had, from a child,
exhibited a decided talent for painting. This talent had been
cultivated by the uncle, and Pierre was, already, quite a
respectable artist. But he needed at least a year's study of the old
masters, and more accurate instruction than he had yet received,
before he would be able to adopt the painter's calling as one by
which he could take an independent position in society as a man.
Understanding this fully, Nina said that Pierre must go to Florence,
and remain there a year, in order to perfect himself in the art, and
that she would claim the privilege of bea