he house, I was sent for to her boudoir,
and told that she much regretted being unable to keep me, but needed
the room that I occupied for a young relative who had suddenly
announced herself for the whole winter. However, she was conscientious
enough to give me, without my demanding it, my salary for that whole
winter.

"'There I was again on the wide world! I had a great mind to buy myself
a black mask, like the lady with the death's head, and hide my face
once for all, that it might not get me into any further trouble.

"'And indeed if I could only have foreseen what I had yet to endure I
should have done so, or something madder still. I should have become a
Catholic just to go into a nunnery.

"'Three times in this town I have had to change my rooms because people
would not leave me alone. I can assure you, if I had stolen or forged,
or done any other disgraceful thing that I feared might come out, I
could not live in greater anxiety and uncertainty than now, when I have
no one to stand by me in the right way and guard me from wicked men and
my unfortunate fate: but I will spare you all details; you can imagine
them. And then to have nothing to do, and not rightly to understand
anything, to read half the day, the other half to wonder what is to
become of me when my money and my patience come to an end, as they
must. The people with whom I lodge at present--Babette's parents--have
all been sorry for me since they saw that I was no worthless runaway
creature, but had only been afflicted with that church-window face. But
what can _they_ do? I help a little in the house, I have learnt some
sewing, as the man is a regimental tailor; I teach Babette to read and
write, but the good souls are too poor to keep a governess. So this
last March when I had had to give up a situation in a jeweller's
shop--of course on account of my face--I was obliged to write again to
my parents, and ask them to take me back. No doubt they thought they
need only remain hard for a little time in order perfectly to soften
me. They wrote me word, therefore, that the tanner was still waiting
for me, and that all would be forgiven if I came to my senses at last,
but if I did not do so, I might just remain where I was. My aunt Millie
sent me a little money, but not much; she has herself been swindled
latterly out of great part of her means. And so there I had to sit
again, my hands in my lap; and if I accidentally saw myself in the
glass, I was so a