emptation, and had kept him as far as
possible away from Paris.

In the country, having nothing to do, he became interested in
agriculture, and in looking after his estate at Grandchaux. He had been
made a member of the Conseil General, when unfortunately death too
early deprived him of the wise and gentle counsellor for whom he
felt, possibly not a very lively love, but certainly a high esteem and
affection. After he be came a widower he met in the Pyrenees, where, as
he was whiling away the time of seclusion proper after his loss, a young
lady who appeared to him exactly the person he needed to bring up his
little daughter--because she was extremely attractive to himself. Of
course M. de Nailles found plenty of other reasons for his choice, which
he gave to the world and to himself to justify his second marriage--but
this was the true reason and the only one. His friends, however, all
of whom had urged on him the desirability of taking another wife, in
consideration of the age of Jacqueline, raised many objections as soon
as he announced his intention of espousing Mademoiselle Clotilde Hecker,
eldest daughter of a man who had been, at one time, a prefect under
the Empire, but who had been turned out of office by the Republican
Government. He had a large family and many debts; but M. de Nailles had
some answer always ready for the objections of his family and friends.
He was convinced that Mademoiselle Hecker, having no fortune, would be
less exacting than other women and more disposed to lead a quiet life.

She had been almost a mother to her own young brothers and sisters,
which was a pledge for motherliness toward Jacqueline, etc., etc.
Nevertheless, had she not had eyes as blue as those of the beauties
painted by Greuze, plenty of audacious wit, and a delicate complexion,
due to her Alsatian origin--had she not possessed a slender waist and
a lovely figure, he might have asked himself why a young lady who, in
winter, studied painting with the commendable intention of making her
own living by art, passed the summers at all the watering-places of
France and those of neighboring countries, without any perceptible
motive.

But, thanks to the bandage love ties over the eyes of men, he saw only
what Mademoiselle Clotilde was willing that he should see. In the first
place he saw the great desirability of a talent for painting which,
unlike music--so often dangerous to married happiness--gives women who
cultivate it sed