arned also to keep her temper well under
control, if she can work at the Director's," said Labassandre, "for he
is such an arrogant, haughty person--"

"You are very much mistaken," interrupted Ron-die; "he is, on the
contrary, a most excellent man; strict, perhaps, but when a master
has to manage two thousand operatives, he must be somewhat of a
disciplinarian. Is not that so, Clarisse?" and the old man turned to his
wife, who, seemingly occupied with her dinner, paid no attention to him.
A certain preoccupation was very evident.

At this moment the youth, with whom Madame Rondic had been talking
at the door, came in and shook hands with his uncle Labassandre, who
replied coldly to his greeting; thinking, possibly, of the remonstrances
he had promised to lavish upon him. Zenaide quickly followed: a plump
little girl, red and out of breath; not pretty, and square in face and
figure, she looked like her father. She wore a white cap, and her short
skirts, and small shawl pinned over her shoulders, increased her general
clumsiness. But her heavy eyebrows and square chin indicated an unusual
amount of firmness and decision, offering the strongest possible
contrast to the gentle, irresolute expression of her stepmother's sweet
face. Without a moment's delay, not waiting to detach the enormous
shears that hung at her side, or to disembarrass herself of the needles
and pins which glittered on her breast like a cuirass, the girl slipped
into a seat next to Jack. The presence of the strangers did not
abash her in the least. Whatever she had to say she said, simply and
decidedly; but when she spoke to her cousin Chariot, it was in a vexed
tone.

He did not appear to notice this, but replied with jests which left more
than one scar.

"And I wished them to marry each other," said Father Rondic, in a
despairing, complaining tone, as he heard them dispute.

"And I made no objection," said the young man with a laugh, as he looked
at his cousin.

"But I did, then," answered the girl abruptly, frowning and unabashed.
"And I am glad of it. Had I married you, my handsome cousin, I should
have drowned myself by this time!"

These words were said with so much unction that for a few moments the
handsome cousin was silent and discomfited.

Clarisse was startled, and turned to her daughter-in-law with a timid
look of appeal.

"Listen, Chariot," said Rondic, anxious to change the conversation: "to
prove to you that the Director is a