le of
friendly malice played upon his lips.

"Ah!" he replied, "that is a great secret. But you will know soon, for
the man drives well."

The poor horses went, indeed, as fast as if the dollar which the driver
had received had infused the noble blood of the fastest racer into their
veins. They drove down the whole long street at a furious rate, turned
to the right, and, after many more turns, stopped at last before a house
of modest appearance. Lightly and promptly, like a sheriff's clerk, Papa
Ravinet jumped out; and, having aided Henrietta to alight, he offered
her his arm, and drew her into the house, saying,--

"You will see what a surprise I have in store for you."

In the third story the old man stopped; and, drawing a key from his
pocket, he opened the door which faced the staircase. And, before she
had time to consider, Henrietta found herself gently pushed into a small
sitting-room, where a middle-aged lady was embroidering at a frame by
the light of a large copper lamp.

"Dear sister," said Papa Ravinet, still in the door, "here is the young
lady of whom I spoke to you, and who does us the honor to accept our
hospitality."

Slowly the elderly lady put her needle into the canvas, pushed back the
frame, and rose.

She seemed to be about fifty years old, and must have been beautiful
formerly. But age and sorrow had blanched her hair, and furrowed her
face; and the habit of silence and meditation seemed to have sealed her
lips forever. Her stern countenance, nevertheless, expressed kindliness.
She was dressed in black; and her costume betrayed a lady from a
provincial town.

"You are welcome, madam," she said in a grave voice. "You will find in
our modest home that peace and that sympathy which you need."

In the meantime, Papa Ravinet had come forward; and, bowing to
Henrietta, he said,--

"I beg to present to you Mrs. Bertolle, my dearly beloved sister Mary, a
widow, and a saint, who has devoted herself to her brother, and who has
sacrificed to him every thing,--her fortune, her peace, and her life."

Ah! there was no mistaking the look with which the old man caressed the
old lady: he worshipped her. But she interrupted him, as if embarrassed
by his praise, saying,--

"You have told me so late, Anthony, that I have not been able to attend
to all of your orders. But the young lady's room is ready, and if you
choose"--

"Yes, we must show her the way."

The old lady having taken the lamp, after