e beloved.

Eva, although perhaps, strictly speaking, not beautiful, was yet
bloomingly lovely. Her eyes were not large, but were of the most
exquisite form, and of the clearest dark blue colour, and their glance
from under their long black lashes was at once modest, lively, and
amiable. The silky chestnut brown hair was parted over a not lofty but
classically-formed brow. Her skin was white, fine, and transparent, and
the mouth and teeth perfectly beautiful; add to all this, Eva had the
fine figure of her mother, with her light and graceful action. Excellent
health, the happiest temper, and a naturally well-tuned soul, gave a
beautiful and harmonious expression to her whole being. Whatever she
did, she did well, and with grace; and whatever she wore became her; it
was a kind of proverb in the family, that if Eva were to put a black cat
on her head it would be becoming.

A similarity in understanding and talent, as well as companionship
together, had made Louise and Eva hitherto "_les inseparables_," both at
home and abroad; of late, however, without separating herself from
Louise, Eva had been drawn, as it were, by a secret power to Leonore.
Louise, with all her possessions, was so sufficient for herself. Leonore
was so solitary, so mournful, up there, that the good heart of Eva was
tenderly drawn towards her.

But it seems to us as if Gabriele looks rather poutingly, because she
has been so long, as it were, pushed aside. _We_ will therefore hastily
turn to

THE LITTLE LADY.

It did not please "our little lady" to be neglected at all. Gabriele
was, in truth, a spoiled child, and often made "_la pluie_" and the
"_beau temps_" in the house. She was defended from cold, and wind, and
rain, and vexation, and faddled with and indulged in all possible ways,
and praised and petted as if for the best behaviour, if she were only
gracious enough to take a cup of bouillon, or the wing of a chicken for
dinner. She herself is still like the chicken under the mother's wing;
yet she will sometimes creep from under, and attempt little flights on
her own account. Then she is charming and merry, makes enigmas and
charades, which she gives mostly to her mother and Petrea to guess. It
gives her particular pain to be treated as a little girl; and nothing
worse can happen to her than for the elder sisters to say, "Go out just
for a little while, Gabriele, dear!" in order that they may then impart
to each other some important affair,