ellers," said the old aunt; "they always
pretend to know everything. One of them, doubtless, when reading the
well-known name of Monsieur de Bergenheim upon the wrapper, sketched the
animal in question. These gentlemen of industry usually have a rather
good education! But this is giving the affair more importance than it
merits. Leonard Rousselet," said she, raising her voice as a judge does
in court when pronouncing his charge, "you were wrong to let anything
addressed to your master leave your hands. We will excuse you this time,
but I warn you to be more careful in future; when you go to Madame
Gobillot's, you may say to Mademoiselle Reine, from me, that if she
wishes to read La Mode I shall be delighted to procure a subscriber to
one of our journals. You may retire now."

Without waiting for this invitation to be repeated, Rousselet backed out
of the room like an ambassador leaving the royal presence, escorted by
Constance acting as master of ceremonies. Not having calculated the
distance, he had just bumped against the door, when it suddenly opened
and a person of extreme vivacity bounded into the middle of the room.

It was a very young and petite lady, whose perfectly developed form
predicted an inclination to stoutness in the future. She belonged to the
Bergenheim family, if one could credit the resemblance between her
characteristic features and several of the old portraits in the room; she
wore a dark-brown riding-habit, a gray hat perched on one side, showing
on the left a mass of very curly, bright blond hair. This coiffure and
the long green veil, floating at each movement like the plume in a
helmet, gave a singularly easy air to the fresh face of this pretty
amazon, who brandished, in guise of a lance, a billiard cue.

"Clemence," she exclaimed, "I have just beaten Christian; I made the red
ball, I made the white, and then the double stroke; I made all!
Mademoiselle, I have just beaten Christian two games; is it not glorious?
He made only eighteen points in a single game. Pere Rousselet, I have
just beaten Christian! Do you know how to play billiards?"

"Mademoiselle Aline, I am absolutely ignorant of the game," replied the
old man, with as gracious a smile as was possible, while he tried to
recover his equilibrium.

"You are needed no longer, Rousselet," said Mademoiselle de Corandeuil;
"close the door as you go out."

When she had been obeyed, the old maid turned gravely toward Aline, who
was still