m thankful for it," continued the old lady.
"I am too old to begin another education; thank goodness, one is quite
enough! I have no authority over you, and your conduct is your brother's
concern. The advice which I give you is entirely disinterested; your
amusements are not such as seem to me proper for a young girl of good
birth. It may be possible that it is the fashion today, so I will say no
more about it; but there is one thing more serious, upon which I should
advise you to reflect. In my youth, a young lady never was allowed to
write letters except to her father and mother. Your letters to your
cousin d'Artigues are inconsiderate--do not interrupt me--they are
inconsiderate, and I should advise you to mend your ways."

Mademoiselle de Corandeuil arose, and, as she had found an opportunity to
read three sermons in one forenoon, she could not say, like Titus, "I
have wasted my morning." She left the room with a majestic step, escorted
by her dog and satisfied with herself, bestowing an ironical curtsey on
the young girl, which the latter did not think it necessary to return.

"How hateful your aunt is!" exclaimed Mademoiselle de Bergenheim to her
sister-in-law, when they were alone. "Christian says that I must pay no
attention to her, because all women become like her if they never marry.
As for myself, I know very well that if I am an old maid I shall try not
to hurt others' feelings--I, inconsiderate! When she can think of nothing
more to say, she scolds me about my cousin. It is hardly worth while, for
what we write about! Alphonse wrote of nothing, in his last letter, but
of the partridge he had shot and his hunting costume; he is such a boy!
But why do you not say something? You sit there speechless; are you angry
with me, too?"

She approached Clemence and was about to seat herself in her lap, when
the latter arose to avoid this loving familiarity.

"So you really have beaten Christian," said she, in a listless tone; "are
you going for a ride now? Your habit is very becoming."

"Truly? oh! I am so glad!" replied the young girl, planting herself
before the glass to look at her pretty figure. She pulled down her waist,
adjusted the folds of the skirt of her dress and arranged her veil,
placed her hat on her head with a little more jaunty air, turned three
quarters around to get a better view of her costume; in one word, she
went through the coquettish movements that all pretty women learn upon
entering soc