ntrast with their own more solid fairness. In their family,
Helene had taken all the beauty; there was not much left for them, but
they were honest girls and knew how to admire. Riette on her side,
untroubled with any shyness or self-consciousness, quite innocent of the
facts that her dress was old-fashioned and her education more than
defective, was delighted to improve her acquaintance with the new
cousins. She could tell them a thousand things they did not know. To
begin with, Lancilly itself, the woods, the walled gardens and courts,
even the staircases and galleries of the house--all was more familiar to
her than to them. She and Angelot had found Lancilly a splendid
playground, ever since she was old enough to walk so far; they had spent
many happy hours there in digging out rabbits, catching rats,
birds-nesting, playing _cache-cache_, and other charming employments.
She enlarged on these in the astonished ears of Sophie and Lucie,
walking between them with linked arms, pulling them on with a dancing
step, while they listened, fascinated, to the gay little spirit who led
them where she pleased. It did not seem so certain, to look at the three
young girls, that Madame de Sainfoy was right as to influence. But no
political talk, no party secrets, escaped from the loyal lips of Riette.
A word of warning from Angelot--a word which her father would not have
dreamed of saying--had closed her mouth on subjects such as these. She
could be friendly with her cousins, yet true to her father's friends.

"Let us go to the great garden," she said. "Have you seen the sundial,
and the fish-ponds? You don't know the way? Ah, my dear children, but
what discoveries you are going to make!"

"Sophie--Lucie--where are you going? Come back, come back!" cried
Mademoiselle Moineau, who was pacing slowly behind with Angelot and
Helene.

But Sophie and Lucie could not stop if they wished it; an impetuous
little whirlwind was carrying them along.

"To the garden--to the garden!" they called out as they fled.
Mademoiselle Moineau was distracted. She was fat, she was no longer
young; she could not race after the rebellious children; and even if she
could, it was impossible to leave Helene and Angelot alone in the wood.

"Where are they going?" she said helplessly to the young man.

He explained amiably that they were perfectly safe with his little
cousin, who knew every corner of the place, and while Mademoiselle
Moineau groaned, and beg