uste raised his eyebrows in a way peculiar to himself. Who
was this girl in Lyons? How was it that a man of his importance in the
family should be reduced to picking up his information in this stray
fashion?

Rosa was quick to read his thoughts, and saw her opportunity. Tossing
her head so energetically, that the last hairpin gave way and those
obstreperous red locks of hers came tumbling over her eyes, she said--

"It's no business of mine. Besides, _I_ never speak of young ladies who
write letters," and another shake of the locks emphasised her meaning.

That was all. It would have been _infra dig._ for _l'oncle_ to have
cross-questioned her, so he said nothing, but his eyebrows went up a
little higher, and remained there quite a while after the little female
Iago had left the stage triumphantly minus hairpins, but plus goldfish.

I say stage advisedly, for Rosa was a consummate little actress, and as
the pere Sinel of the Theatre Francais used to tell us, there was no
doubt her talent was inherited from him.

The uncle went home in a reflective frame of mind. He could see no
particular objection to some short-lived intrigue.

"A good-looking young fellow like Claude," he muttered to himself. "To
be sure. We all know what's what--but that's not that, or his father
would not know of it, or at least not be asked to bring her to Paris.
There must be something more serious at the bottom of this. _Petite
guenon va!_ (You little she-monkey!)" and he growled as his thoughts
reverted to Rosa; but being himself something of a bully, he rather
appreciated her impudence. So when he later on related the gold-fish
incident to some friends at his club, he wound up with his favourite
phrase--

"Now mark my words, gentlemen" (he always insisted on having his words
marked at the club), "mark my words, that girl will go far; and when she
finds a comb to keep that crop of hair in order, she'll find a carriage
and pair too."

As I have said before, the subject of matrimony, applied to his nephew,
was of all others the one that the uncle was touchy about, and anything
that threatened to delay or obstruct the ambitious plans he had formed
for that nephew must be combated. He had more than once expounded the
true principles of worldly wisdom to him, but had always been nonplussed
by Claude's independent spirit and his ready wit, so he did not go
straight off and make a scene; he must get at the truth though, but he
must bide his ti