sum which had formerly, and with reason, been found fault with. The
slightest symptom of illness is magnified into a serious attack by the
supposed affectionate and assiduous nurse, until her master, in
compliance with her advice, becomes a confirmed hypochondriac, whom she
governs despotically under a show of devoted attachment.

She has, by slow but sure degrees, alienated him from all his
relatives, and banished from his house the few friends whom she
believed possessed any influence over him. Having rendered herself
essential to his comfort, she menaces him continually with the threat
of leaving his service; and is only induced to remain by a considerable
increase to her salary, though not, as she asserts, by any interested
motive.

She lately informed her master, that she was "very sorry--very sorry,
indeed--but it was time for her to secure her future comfort; and M.
----, the rich grocer, had proposed marriage to her, and offered a good
settlement. It would be a great grief to her to leave so kind a master,
especially as she knew no one to whom she could confide the care of
him; but a settlement of 4000 francs a-year was not to be refused, and
she might never again receive so good an offer."

The proposal of the rich grocer, which never existed but in her own
fertile brain, is rejected, and her continuance as housekeeper and
nurse secured by a settlement of a similar sum made on her by her
master; who congratulates himself on having accomplished so
advantageous a bargain, while she is laughing with the valet at his
credulity.

This same valet, finding her influence to be omnipotent with his
master, determines on marrying her secretly, that they may join in
plundering the valetudinarian, whose infirmities furnish a perpetual
subject for the coarse pleasantries of both these ungrateful menials.

She is now giving him his daily walk on the sunny side of the
Luxembourg Gardens. See how she turns abruptly down an alley, in
despite of his request to continue where he was: but the truth is, her
Argus eyes have discovered his niece and her beautiful children walking
at a distance; and, as she has not only prevented their admission to
his house, but concealed their visits, intercepted their letters,
making him believe they are absent from Paris and have forgotten him,
she now precludes their meeting; while to his querulous murmurs at
being hurried along, she answers that the alley she has taken him to is
more shel