e transports"--all the beautiful
things, in short, of which the poems spoke, and which were as yet unknown
to her. How could she know them? How could she, after an experience of
sorrow, which seemed to her to be itself enviable, retain such sweet
remembrances as the poets described?

"Let us love--love each other! Let us hasten to enjoy the passing hour!"
so sang the poet of Le Lac. That passing hour of bliss she thought she
had already enjoyed. She was sure that for a long time past she had
loved. When had that love begun? She hardly knew. But it would last as
long as she might live. One loves but once.

These personal emotions, mingling with the literary enchantments of the
poets, caused Jacqueline's pen to fly over her paper without effort, and
she produced a composition so far superior to anything she usually wrote
that it left the lucubrations of her companions far behind. M. Regis, the
professor, said so to the class. He was enthusiastic about it, and
greatly surprised. Belle, who had been always first in this kind of
composition, was far behind Jacqueline, and was so greatly annoyed at her
defeat that she would not speak to her for a week. On the other hand
Colette and Dolly, who never had aspired to literary triumphs, were moved
to tears when the "Study on the comparative merits of Three Poems, 'Le
Lac,' 'Souvenir,' and 'La Tristesse d'Olympio,'" signed "Mademoiselle de
Nailles," received the honor of being read aloud. This reading was
followed by a murmur of applause, mingled with some hisses which may have
proceeded from the viper of jealousy. But the paper made a sensation like
that of some new scandal. Mothers and governesses whispered together.
Many thought that that little de Nailles had expressed sentiments not
proper at her age. Some came to the conclusion that M. Regis chose
subjects for composition not suited to young girls. A committee waited on
the unlucky professor to beg him to be more prudent for the future. He
even lost, in consequence of Jacqueline's success, one of his pupils (the
most stupid one, be it said, in the class), whose mother took her away,
saying, with indignation, "One might as well risk the things they are
teaching at the Sorbonne!"

This literary incident greatly alarmed Madame de Nailles! Of all things
she dreaded that her daughter should early become dreamy and romantic.
But on this point Jacqueline's behavior was calculated to reassure her.
She laughed about her composition,