hful appearance, a tall, handsome person, and a face
by no means devoid of a certain amount of manly good looks.
Notwithstanding this, he was repugnant to Aurelia on account of his
style of behaviour. He seemed to try to constrain himself, to conduct
himself like a gentleman and person of some cultivation, but there was
constantly, and most evidently, piercing through this exterior veneer
the unmistakable evidence of his really being a totally uncultured
person, whose manners and habits were those of the very lowest ranks of
the people. And the way in which he began to look at Aurelia filled her
with terror--nay, with an abhorrence of which she could not explain the
reason to herself.

Up to this point the Baroness had never taken the trouble to say a
single word to Aurelia about this stranger. But now she told her his
name, adding that this Baron was a man of great wealth, and a distant
relation. She lauded his good looks, and his various delightful
qualities, and ended by asking Aurelia if she thought she could bring
herself to take a liking to him. Aurelia made no secret of the inward
detestation which she felt for him. The Baroness darted a glance of
lightning at her, which terrified her excessively, and told her she was
a foolish, ignorant creature. After this she was kinder to her than she
had ever been before. She was provided with grand dresses in the height
of the fashion, and taken to share in all the public pleasures. The man
now strove to gain her favour in a manner which rendered him more and
more abhorrent to her. But her delicate, maidenly instincts were
wounded in the most mortal manner, when an unfortunate accident
rendered her an unwilling, secret witness of an abominable atrocity
between her abandoned and depraved mother and him. When, a few days
after this, this man, after having taken a good deal of wine, clasped
Aurelia in his arms in a way which left no doubt as to his intention,
her desperation gave her strength, and she pushed him from her so that
he fell down on his back. She rushed away and bolted herself in her own
room. The Baroness told her, very calmly and deliberately, that,
inasmuch as the Baron paid all the household expenses, and she had not
the slightest intention of going back to the old poverty of their
previous life, this was a case in which any absurd coyness would be
both ludicrous and inconvenient, and that she would really have to make
up her mind to comply with the Baron's wis