er's daughter was drowned in
the Seine, and you are now the _protegee_ of Madame d'Albret. I have
already mentioned to all my friends that I expect a young cousin from
Gascony, whom I have adopted, having no children of my own. Your own
name is noble, and you may safely retain it, as there are no want of
Chatenoeufs in Gascony, and there have been former alliances between
them and the d'Albrets. I have no doubt that if I were to refer back to
family records, that I could prove you to be a cousin, some three
hundred times removed, and that is quite enough. As soon as you are
quite well, and I think in a week all vestiges of your ill-treatment
will be effaced, we will go down to my chateau for a few months, and we
will return to Paris in the season. Has Madame Paon been here?"

"Yes, my dear madame, she has, and has taken my measure for the dresses;
but don't scold me. I must cry a little, for I am so happy and so
grateful. My heart will burst if I do not. Bless you, bless you, dear
madame; little did I think before I saw you, that I should ever cry for
joy."

Madame d'Albret embraced me with much affection, and allowed me to give
vent to my feelings, which I did, bedewing her hands with my tears. A
week afterwards, everything was ready, and we set off for the chateau in
Brittany, travelling in Madame d'Albret's post-chariot with an _avant
courier_, and without regard to expense.

And now I must make the reader somewhat better acquainted with my kind
protectress. I little thought at the time that she offered me her
protection, that she was a personage of such consequence, but the fact
was, that her sister having made a very inferior match to her own, she,
out of delicacy, while the Colonel and his wife were at Paris, avoided
anything like state in paying them a visit, and I supposed that she was
much in the same rank and society as they were; but such was not the
case.

Madame d'Albret had married into one of the highest and most noble
families of France. Her husband had died three years after their
marriage, and having no children, had left her a large revenue entirely
at her own disposal during her life, and wishing her to marry again, had
the property entailed upon her children if she had any, if not, after
her death, it was to go to a distant brand of the d'Albret family. I
was informed that her income amounted to 60,000 livres per annum,
besides her chateau in the country, and the hotel in the Rue St