the other hand, the last mail
from Tonquin had brought her one of those great joys which always
incline us to be merciful. Fred had so greatly distinguished himself
in a series of fights upon the river Min that he had been offered his
choice between the Cross of the Legion of Honor or promotion. He told
his mother now that he had quite recovered from a wound he had received
which had brought him some glory, but which he assured her had done him
no bodily harm, and he repeated to her what he would not tell her at
first, some words of praise from Admiral Courbet of more value in his
eyes than any reward.

Triumphant herself, and much moved by pity for Jacqueline, Madame d'Argy
felt as if she must put an end to a rupture which could not be kept up
when a great sorrow had fallen on her old friends, besides which she
longed to tell every one, those who had been blind and ungrateful in
particular, that Fred had proved himself a hero. So Jacqueline and her
stepmother saw her arrive as if nothing had ever come between them.
There were kisses and tears, and a torrent of kindly meant questions,
affectionate explanations, and offers of service. But Fred's mother
could not help showing her own pride and happiness to those in sorrow.
They congratulated her with sadness. Madame d'Argy would have liked
to think that the value of what she had lost was now made plain to
Jacqueline. And if it caused her one more pang--what did it matter?
He and his mother had suffered too. It was the turn of others. God
was just. Resentment, and kindness, and a strange mixed feeling of
forgiveness and revenge contended together in the really generous
heart of Madame d'Argy, but that heart was still sore within her.
Pity, however, carried the day, and had it not been for the irritating
coldness of "that little hard-hearted thing," as she called Jacqueline,
she would have entirely forgiven her. She never suspected that
the exaggerated reserve of manner that offended her was owing to
Jacqueline's dread (commendable in itself) of appearing to wish in her
days of misfortune for the return of one she had rejected in the time of
prosperity.

In spite of the received opinion that society abandons those who are
overtaken by misfortune, all the friends of the De Nailles flocked
to offer their condolences to the widow and the orphan with warm
demonstrations of interest. Curiosity, a liking to witness, or to
experience, emotion, the pleasure of being able to tell