dark eye, the same
determined air and regular features which in time would become strongly
marked. The second boy, Alfred, about eleven, was delicate, fair, and
fragile, like his mother; his sweet countenance, full of tenderness,
changed before the audience with a rapid emotion. The youngest son,
Michel, was an infant of four years, and with his large blue eyes and
long golden hair, might have figured as one of the seraphs of Murillo.

There was analogy in the respective physical appearances of the brothers
and the sisters. The eldest girl, Josephine, though she had only counted
twelve summers, was in stature, and almost in form, a woman. She was
strikingly handsome, very slender, and dark as night. Adelaide, in
colour, in look, in the grace of every gesture, and in the gushing
tenderness of her wild, yet shrinking glance, seemed the twin of Alfred.
The little Carlotta, more than two years older than Michel, was the
miniature of her mother, and had a piquant coquettish air, mixed with
an expression of repose in one so young quite droll, like a little opera
dancer. The father clapped his hands, and all, except himself, turned
round, bowed to the audience, and retired, leaving Baroni and his two
elder children. Then commenced a variety of feats of strength. Baroni
stretched forth his right arm, and Josephine, with a bound, instantly
sprang upon his shoulder; while she thus remained, balancing herself
only on her left leg, and looking like a flying Victory, her father
stretched forth his left arm, and Francis sprang upon the shoulder
opposite to his sister, and formed with her a group which might have
crowned a vase. Infinite were the postures into which, for more than
half an hour, the brother and sister threw their flexible forms, and all
alike distinguished for their agility, their grace, and their precision.
At length, all the children, with the exception of Carlotta, glided from
behind the curtain, and clustered around their father with a quickness
which baffled observation. Alfred and Adelaide suddenly appeared,
mounted upon Josephine and Francis, who had already resumed their former
positions on the shoulders of their father, and stood immovable with
outstretched arms, while their brother and sister balanced themselves
above. This being arranged, Baroni caught up the young Michel, and, as
it were, flung him up on high; Josephine received the urchin, and tossed
him up to Adelaide, and in a moment the beautiful child w