that to make me miserable."

"But," said Bathilde, "I shall always cry if you do not let me do what I
like."

This threat of Bathilde's, puerile as it was, made Buvat tremble; for,
since the day when the child wept for her mother, not a tear had fallen
from her eyes.

"Well," said Buvat, "do as you like, but promise me that when the king
pays my arrears--"

"Well, well," cried Bathilde, interrupting him, "we shall see all that
later; meanwhile, the dinner is getting cold." And, taking him by the
arm, she led him into the little room, where, by her jokes and gayety,
she soon succeeded in removing the last traces of sadness from Buvat's
face.

What would he have said if he had known all?

Bathilde thought she could do the two drawings for M. Papillon in eight
or ten days; there therefore remained the half, at least, of every
month, which she was determined not to lose. She, therefore, charged
Nanette to search among the neighbors for some difficult, and,
consequently, well-paid needlework, which she could do in Buvat's
absence. Nanette easily found what she sought. It was the time for
laces. The great ladies paid fifty louis a yard for guipure, and then
ran carelessly through the woods with these transparent dresses. The
result of this was, that many a rent had to be concealed from mothers
and husbands, so that at this time there was more to be made by mending
than by selling laces. From her first attempt, Bathilde did wonders; her
needle seemed to be that of a fairy. Nanette received many compliments
on the work of the unknown Penelope, who did by day what was undone by
night. Thanks to Bathilde's industry, they began to have much greater
ease in their house.

Buvat, more tranquil, and seeing that he must renounce his Sunday walks,
determined to be satisfied with the famous terrace which had determined
him in the choice of his house. For a week he spent an hour morning and
evening taking measures, without any one knowing what he intended to do.
At length he decided on having a fountain, a grotto, and an arbor.
Collecting the materials for these, and afterward building them, had
occupied all Buvat's spare time for twelve months. During this time
Bathilde had passed from her fifteenth to her sixteenth year, and the
charming child into a beautiful woman. It was during this time that her
neighbor, Boniface Denis, had remarked her, and his mother, who could
refuse him nothing, after having been for information to th