as one
day to make some repairs and raise this castle from its state of decay.

"At first everything went on tolerably well. We came in the
summer-time. We both needed rest; the splendid and varied scenery
enticed us out on long rides and drives; in fact, everything combined
to make us enjoy our solitude. But, alas! the autumn came with its
long evenings and chilly days; the General suffered from rheumatism
and could not mount his horse. Then weariness overmastered him like
a plague, and I tried music and reading in vain. He is not fond of
music, and he does not care for reading. He cannot bear to see me
with a book in my hand, unless it be an illustrated book to ornament
the drawing-room table. When I had read the paper there was nothing
more to say. I played dominoes with him and piquet-a-deux. I could
hardly do it any longer; but he never had enough of it. He grew
fidgetty and melancholy, began to languish, and was less and less
satisfied with our simple way of living. I could not bear to see
him so cast down, without the means of helping him. Just about this
time one of his former comrades, who had also obtained his pension,
invited grandfather to visit him in Arnheim. I thought it would be a
nice change, and encouraged him to go. He was quite happy and quite
at his ease there, and stayed the three winter months."

"And you?"

"I stayed at home. They had forgotten to invite me; and when they
thought of it, it seemed to me such a formal invitation that I made
up my mind to decline it, as I had before reflected it would save a
great deal of expense in ball dresses and other ways of squandering
money which such visits necessarily bring with them."

"Yet, even here, a little attention to dress would not be out of
place," I interposed, seizing the opportunity to tell her my opinion
on the subject.

"Oh, it does not matter for me. I can speak as a certain French woman
du temps que j'etais femme. That time's past; what does it matter
how Major Frank dresses?"

"Major Frank," I replied, "should wear a uniform suitable to her rank
and the position in which she finds herself. That is no coquetry,
it is only decency--seemliness."

"But, Leopold," she cried, feverishly beating the devil's tattoo with
her little foot, "since I have been here I have bought nothing new,
and part of my wardrobe I have given away to the daughter of a poor
officer, who had obtained a place as governess in a rich family,
and had scarcely th