y lord, and I never knew such
courage. It was all done smiling, in the tone of good society; _belle
maman_ was the name I was taught to give to each; and for a day or two
the new 'pretty mamma' would make much of me, show me off, teach me the
minuet, and to say my prayers; and then, with a tender embrace, would go
the way of her predecessors, smiling. There were some that wept too.
There was a childhood! All the time Monsieur de Culemberg kept his eye
on me, and would have had me out of the _Abbaye_ and in his own
protection, but my 'pretty mammas' one after another resisted the idea.
Where could I be safer? they argued; and what was to become of them
without the darling of the prison? Well, it was soon shown how safe I
was! The dreadful day of the massacre came; the prison was overrun; none
paid attention to me, not even the last of my 'pretty mammas,' for she
had met another fate. I was wandering distracted, when I was found by
some one in the interests of Monsieur de Culemberg. I understand he was
sent on purpose; I believe, in order to reach the interior of the
prison, he had set his hand to nameless barbarities; such was the price
paid for my worthless, whimpering little life! He gave me his hand; it
was wet, and mine was reddened; he led me unresisting. I remember but
the one circumstance of my flight--it was my last view of my last
'pretty mamma.' Shall I describe it to you?" I asked the Count, with a
sudden fierceness.

"Avoid unpleasant details," observed my great-uncle gently.

At these words a sudden peace fell upon me. I had been angry with the
man before; I had not sought to spare him; and now, in a moment, I saw
that there was nothing to spare. Whether from natural heartlessness or
extreme old age, the soul was not at home; and my benefactor, who had
kept the fire lit in my room for a month past--my only relative except
Alain, whom I knew already to be a hired spy--had trodden out the last
sparks of hope and interest.

"Certainly," said I; "and, indeed, the day for them is nearly over. I
was taken to Monsieur de Culemberg's,--I presume, sir, that you know the
Abbe de Culemberg?"

He indicated assent without opening his eyes.

"He was a very brave and a very learned man----"

"And a very holy one," said my uncle civilly.

"And a very holy one, as you observe," I continued. "He did an infinity
of good, and through all the Terror kept himself from the guillotine. He
brought me up and gave me such educ