rawing-room Pansy arrived to say that her
aunt would presently appear. Pansy was spending the day with that lady,
who thought her of an age to begin to learn how to carry herself in
company. It was Isabel's view that the little girl might have given
lessons in deportment to her relative, and nothing could have justified
this conviction more than the manner in which Pansy acquitted herself
while they waited together for the Countess. Her father's decision, the
year before, had finally been to send her back to the convent to receive
the last graces, and Madame Catherine had evidently carried out her
theory that Pansy was to be fitted for the great world.

"Papa has told me that you've kindly consented to marry him," said this
excellent woman's pupil. "It's very delightful; I think you'll suit very
well."

"You think I shall suit YOU?"

"You'll suit me beautifully; but what I mean is that you and papa will
suit each other. You're both so quiet and so serious. You're not so
quiet as he--or even as Madame Merle; but you're more quiet than many
others. He should not for instance have a wife like my aunt. She's
always in motion, in agitation--to-day especially; you'll see when she
comes in. They told us at the convent it was wrong to judge our elders,
but I suppose there's no harm if we judge them favourably. You'll be a
delightful companion for papa."

"For you too, I hope," Isabel said.

"I speak first of him on purpose. I've told you already what I myself
think of you; I liked you from the first. I admire you so much that I
think it will be a good fortune to have you always before me. You'll be
my model; I shall try to imitate you though I'm afraid it will be
very feeble. I'm very glad for papa--he needed something more than
me. Without you I don't see how he could have got it. You'll be my
stepmother, but we mustn't use that word. They're always said to be
cruel; but I don't think you'll ever so much as pinch or even push me.
I'm not afraid at all."

"My good little Pansy," said Isabel gently, "I shall be ever so kind to
you." A vague, inconsequent vision of her coming in some odd way to need
it had intervened with the effect of a chill.

"Very well then, I've nothing to fear," the child returned with her
note of prepared promptitude. What teaching she had had, it seemed to
suggest--or what penalties for non-performance she dreaded!

Her description of her aunt had not been incorrect; the Countess Gemini
was furt