, my dear son, you will not fear an opposing influence if
I live in your house. I know the world, and men, and things; I have seen
the peace of many a home destroyed by the blind love of mothers who
made themselves in the end as intolerable to their daughters as to
their sons-in-law. The affection of old people is often exacting and
querulous. Perhaps I could not efface myself as I should. I have the
weakness to think myself still handsome; I have flatterers who declare
that I am still agreeable; I should have, I fear, certain pretensions
which might interfere with your lives. Let me, therefore, make one more
sacrifice for your happiness. I have given you my fortune, and now I
desire to resign to you my last vanities as a woman. Your notary Mathias
is getting old. He cannot look after your estates as I will. I will be
your bailiff; I will create for myself those natural occupations which
are the pleasures of old age. Later, if necessary, I will come to you
in Paris, and second you in your projects of ambition. Come, Paul, be
frank; my proposal suits you, does it not?"

Paul would not admit it, but he was at heart delighted to get his
liberty. The suspicions which Mathias had put into his mind respecting
his mother-in-law were, however, dissipated by this conversation, which
Madame Evangelista carried on still longer in the same tone.

"My mother was right," thought Natalie, who had watched Paul's
countenance. "He _is_ glad to know that I am separated from her--why?"

That "why" was the first note of a rising distrust; did it prove the
power of those maternal instructions?

There are certain characters which on the faith of a single proof
believe in friendship. To persons thus constituted the north wind drives
away the clouds as rapidly as the south wind brings them; they stop at
effects and never hark back to causes. Paul had one of those essentially
confiding natures, without ill-feelings, but also without foresight. His
weakness proceeded far more from his kindness, his belief in goodness,
than from actual debility of soul.

Natalie was sad and thoughtful, for she knew not what to do without
her mother. Paul, with that self-confident conceit which comes of love,
smiled to himself at her sadness, thinking how soon the pleasures
of marriage and the excitements of Paris would drive it away. Madame
Evangelista saw this confidence with much satisfaction. She had already
taken two great steps. Her daughter possessed the