the height of your
happiness, you neither saw me nor the world around; and then I felt
that I was not at all required to witness your betrothal. My daughter
lives for you, make her happy, and then I shall be so too."

What kindness! I sank at her feet, and kissed her hand without being
able to utter a word.

"Not so," she said, "a son must not kneel before his mother."

"Madame," I exclaimed, "you give more than the most daring hopes
could----"

"Not I," she replied, "it is you, dear friend, who bring peace to our
house. I am indeed a mother, but I have no command over my daughter's
heart. Clementine has known you longer than I. On your account she
has refused many offers; her hopes were centred in you. To complete
her happiness is my duty. Now I know you, I bless Clementine's choice."

"This is too great kindness," I said; "it was indeed my resolution,
some day, when my fortune should be adequate--but I am poor, Madame----"

"What has fortune to do with this affair?" answered the noble lady,
"you have a respectable competency, and Clementine, beside having
property of her own, is my heiress. The cares of life cannot trouble
you; and should you ever, by any misfortune, lose all, you must
retrench; you possess knowledge, activity, and honesty: with these you
will always succeed."

In vain I stated several obstacles; she was above considering them
important.

"No, sir," she said, "that you loved Clementine without regard to
wealth I was well aware. And indeed the girl has sufficient worth of
her own to be loved for herself only. Your delicacy, dear friend, is
therefore not compromised; if you could aspire to her heart and conquer
it, truly you need not blush at her bringing you a rich dowry. The
heart which you possess is worth more than the paltry money to which
you fear to aspire, as if it were too much. My daughter cannot be
happier, if she marries with a man she does not love, though he has a
million. She will only be rendered happy by the mind, nobleness, true
love, and solicitude of her beloved."

"And--" said Clementine, bounding in with her charming simplicity,
taking my hand, and looking affectionately in the eyes of her kind
mother.

"You have chosen well," said Madame de Sonnes, embracing us both; "you
always are more solicitous for your mother's happiness than for your
own."

Clementine was now my betrothed; the whole family treated me with the
greatest affection; I was looked upon