me to take. As she was about to take it she stood as though
transfixed, gazing at a portrait hanging over the fireplace which her
eyes, gradually becoming accustomed to the dim light, had not seen
before.

"Why are you silent?" he asked.

"I am looking at the portrait over the mantel shelf," she said, in a
trembling voice.

"That was my son when he was twenty," said the old gentleman; "but you
can't see it very well. I'll light up."

He touched the electric knob and the room was flooded with light.
Perrine, who had taken a few steps nearer, uttered a cry and let the
book of travels fall to the floor.

"What is the matter?" he asked.

She did not reply, but stood there with her eyes fixed on the picture of
a fair young man dressed in a hunting suit leaning with one hand on a
gun and the other stroking the head of a black spaniel.

There was silence in the room, then the blind man heard a little sob.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

Perrine did not reply for a moment. With an effort she tried to control
her emotion.

"It is the picture ... your son ... you are his father?" she stammered.

At first he did not understand, then in a voice that was strangely
sympathetic he said:

"And you ... you were thinking of your father, perhaps?"

"Yes, yes, sir; I was."

"Poor little girl," he murmured.

CHAPTER XXIV

GETTING AN EDUCATION

The next morning, when Theodore and Casimir entered their uncle's office
to attend to the correspondence, they were amazed to see Perrine
installed at her table as though she were a fixture there.

Talouel had taken care not to tell them, but he had contrived to be
present when they entered so as to witness their discomfiture. The sight
of their amazement gave him considerable enjoyment. Although he was
furious at the way this little beggar girl had imposed, as he thought,
upon the senile weakness of an old man, it was at least some
compensation to know that the two nephews felt the same astonishment and
indignation that he had.

Evidently they did not understand her presence in this sacred office,
where they themselves only remained just the time necessary to report on
the business of which they were in charge.

Theodore and Casimir looked in dismay at one another, but they did not
dare ask questions. Talouel left the room the same time as they.

"You were surprised to see that girl in the boss' office, eh?" he said,
when they got outside.

They did not deign t