nier
seated near a bureau, was again turning over the leaves of Baron
Tripeaud's biography, whilst the baron appeared to be very attentively
examining one of the pictures of sacred subjects suspended from the wall.

"You sent for me, aunt, to talk upon matters of importance?" said
Adrienne, breaking the silence which had reigned in the reception-room
since her entrance.

"Yes, madame," answered the princess, with a cold and severe mien; "upon
matters of the gravest importance."

"I am at your service, aunt. Perhaps we had better walk into your
library?"

"It is not necessary. We can talk here." Then, addressing the marquis,
the doctor, and the baron, she said to them, "Pray, be seated,
gentlemen," and they all took their places round the table.

"How can the subject of our interview interest these gentlemen, aunt?"
asked Mdlle. de Cardoville, with surprise.

"These gentlemen are old family friends; all that concerns you must
interest them, and their advice ought to be heard and accepted by you
with respect."

"I have no doubt, aunt, of the bosom friendship of M. d'Aigrigny for our
family: I have still less of the profound and disinterested devotion of
M. Tripeaud; M. Baleinier is one of my old friends; still, before
accepting these gentlemen as spectators, or, if you will, as confidants
of our interview, I wish to know what we are going to talk of before
them."

"I thought that, among your many singular pretensions, you had at least
those of frankness and courage."

"Really, aunt," said Adrienne, smiling with mock humility, "I have no
more pretensions to frankness and courage than you have to sincerity and
goodness. Let us admit, once for all, that we are what we are--without
pretension."

"Be it so," said Madame de Saint-Dizier, in a dry tone; "I have long been
accustomed to the freaks of your independent spirit. I suppose, then,
that, courageous and frank as you say you are, you will not be afraid to
speak before such grave and respectable persons as these gentlemen what
you would speak to me alone?"

"Is it a formal examination that I am to submit to? if so, upon what
subject?"

"It is not an examination: but, as I have a right to watch over you, and
as you take advantage of my weak compliance with your caprices, I mean to
put an end to what has lasted too long, and tell you my irrevocable
resolutions for the future, in presence of friends of the family. And,
first, you have hitherto had a very false