h nothing but devilment--not that she has taught _you_
much, my dear--_yet_ at least. I'll see her, my dear; where is she? Come,
let us visit Madame. I should so like to talk to her a little.'

'But she is ill,' I answered, and all this time I was ready to cry for
vexation, thinking of my dress, which must be very absurd to elicit so much
unaffected laughter from my experienced relative, and I was only longing to
get away and hide myself before that handsome Captain returned.

'Ill! is she? what's the matter?'

'A cold--feverish and rheumatic, she says.'

'Oh, a cold; is she up, or in bed?'

'In her room, but not in bed.'

'I should so like to see her, my dear. It is not mere curiosity, I assure
you. In fact, curiosity has nothing on earth to do with it. A governess may
be a very useful or a very useless person; but she may also be about the
most pernicious inmate imaginable. She may teach you a bad accent, and
worse manners, and heaven knows what beside. Send the housekeeper, my dear,
to tell her that I am going to see her.'

'I had better go myself, perhaps,' I said, fearing a collision between Mrs.
Rusk and the bitter Frenchwoman.

'Very well, dear.'

And away I ran, not sorry somehow to escape before Captain Oakley returned.

As I went along the passage, I was thinking whether my dress could be
so very ridiculous as my old cousin thought it, and trying in vain to
recollect any evidence of a similar contemptuous estimate on the part of
that beautiful and garrulous dandy. I could not--quite the reverse, indeed.
Still I was uncomfortable and feverish--girls of my then age will easily
conceive how miserable, under similar circumstances, such a misgiving would
make them.

It was a long way to Madame's room. I met Mrs. Rusk bustling along the
passage with a housemaid.

'How is Madame?' I asked.

'Quite well, I believe,' answered the housekeeper, drily. 'Nothing the
matter that _I_ know of. She eat enough for two to-day. I wish _I_ could
sit in my room doing nothing.'

Madame was sitting, or rather reclining, in a low arm-chair, when I entered
the room, close to the fire, as was her wont, her feet extended near to the
bars, and a little coffee equipage beside her. She stuffed a book hastily
between her dress and the chair, and received me in a state of langour
which, had it not been for Mrs. Rusk's comfortable assurances, would have
frightened me.

'I hope you are better, Madame,' I said, approaching.