d them easily when
there is no DOT."

Jeanne felt her cheeks burning.

"I am to be married, then," she said slowly, "by some one who thinks I
have a great deal of money, and who afterwards will be able to turn
round and reproach me for having deceived him."

The Princess laughed.

"Afterwards," she said, "the man will not be too anxious to let the
world know that he has been made a fool of. If you play your cards
properly, the afterwards will come out all right."

Jeanne rose slowly to her feet.

"I do not think," she said, "that you have quite understood me. I
should like you to know that nothing would ever induce me to marry any
one unless they knew the truth. I will not go on accepting invitations
and visiting people's houses, many of whom have only asked me because
they think that I am very rich. Every one must know the truth at once."

"And how, may I ask, do you propose to live?" the Princess asked
quietly.

"If there is nothing left at all of my money," Jeanne said, "I will
work. If it is the worst which comes, I will go back to the convent and
teach the children."

The Princess laughed softly.

"Jeanne," she said, "you are talking like a positive idiot. It is
because you have had no time to think this thing out. Remember that
after all you are not sailing under any false colours. You are your
father's daughter, and you are also his heiress. If the newspapers and
gossip have exaggerated the amount of his fortune, that is not your
affair. Be reasonable, little girl," she added, letting her hand fall
upon Jeanne's. "Don't give us all away like this. Remember that I have
made sacrifices for your sake. I owe more money than I can pay for your
dresses, for the carriage, for the house here. Nothing but your
marriage will put us straight again. You must make up your mind to
this. The Count de Brensault is so much in love with you that he will
ask no questions. You must marry him."

Jeanne drew herself away from her stepmother's touch.

"Nothing," she said, "would induce me to marry the Count de Brensault,
not even if he knew that I am penniless. If we cannot afford to live in
this house, or to keep carriages, let us go away at once and take rooms
somewhere. I do not wish to live under false pretences."

The Princess was very pale, but her eyes were hard and steely.

"Child," she said, "don't be a fool. Don't make me angry, or I may say
and do things for which I should be sorry. It is no fault of mine t