nd I were Jacobins like himself, but without doing
injustice to Jacobin ideas, or abandoning them, we ought to honor our
mother, and go and inquire after her health.

I did not know how he would receive this declaration, when one Sunday
morning, as we went down about eight o'clock, we found him dressed, and
in excellent humor. He said to us, "Children, here it is more than a
month since Aunt Gredel has been to see us. She is obstinate. I wish
to show her that I can yield. Between friends like us, there should
not be even a shadow of difference. After breakfast we will go to
Quatre Vents, and tell her that she is prejudiced, and that we love her
in spite of her faults. You will see how ashamed she will be." He
laughed, but we were quite touched by his generosity.

"Ah! Mr. Goulden, how good and kind you are," said Catherine, "they
who do not love you, must have very bad hearts."

"Ha!" he exclaimed, "is not what I have done quite natural? must we let
a few words separate us? Thank God! age teaches us to be more
reasonable and to be willing to take the first step,--that you know is
one of the principles of the Rights of Man,--in order to maintain
concord between reasonable persons."

Everything was summed up, when he had quoted the "Rights of Man." You
can hardly imagine our satisfaction. Catherine could hardly wait till
breakfast was over, she was here and there and everywhere, to bring his
hat and cane and his shoes and the box which held his beautiful peruke.
She helped him on with his brown coat, while he laughed as he watched
her, and at last he kissed her saying, "I knew this would make you
happy, so do not let us lose a minute, let us go."

We all set off together, Father Goulden gravely giving his arm to
Catherine, as he always did in the street, and I marched on behind as
happy as possible. Those I loved best in the world were here before my
eyes, and as I went on I thought of what I should say to Aunt Gredel.

The weather was splendid, and on we went beyond the wall and the
glacis, and in twenty minutes, without hurrying, we stood before Aunt
Gredel's door. It might have been ten o'clock, and as I had gained a
little on them at the "Roulette" I went in by the alley of elders that
ran along the side of the house, and looked into the little window to
see what aunt was doing. She was seated right opposite me near the
fireplace, in which a little fire was smouldering, she had on her short
skirt,