hou art only a vaurien, mon cousin? Thou art always
very good for me. I love thee better than all those messieurs. Ma tante
Florac a ete bonne pour moi a Paris aussi--Ah! qu'elle a ete bonne!"

"C'est que les anges aiment bien les petits cherubins, and my mother is
an angel, seest thou," cries Florac, kissing her.

"Thy mother is not dead," said little Antoinette, "then why dost thou
cry, my cousin?" And the three spectators were touched by this little
scene and speech.

Lady Anne Newcome received the caresses and compliments of Madame
la Duchesse with marked coldness on the part of one commonly so very
good-natured. Ethel's instinct told her that there was something wrong
in this woman, and she shrank from her with haughty reserve. The girl's
conduct was not likely to please the French lady, but she never relaxed
in her smiles and her compliments, her caresses, and her professions of
admiration. She was present when Clara Pulleyn fell; and, prodigal of
calineries and consolation, and shawls and scent-bottles, to the unhappy
young lady, she would accompany her home. She inquired perpetually after
the health of cette pauvre petite Miss Clara. Oh, how she railed against
ces Anglaises and their prudery! Can you fancy her and her circle, the
tea-table set in the twilight that evening, the court assembled, Madame
de la Cruchecassee and Madame de Schlangenbad; and their whiskered
humble servants, Baron Punter and Count Spada, and Marquis Iago, and
Prince Iachimo, and worthy Captain Blackball? Can you fancy a moonlight
conclave, and ghouls feasting on the fresh corpse of a reputation:--the
gibes and sarcasms, the laughing and the gnashing of teeth? How they
tear the dainty limbs, and relish the tender morsels!

"The air of this place is not good for you, believe me, my little Kew;
it is dangerous. Have pressing affairs in England; let your chateau
burn down; or your intendant run away, and pursue him. Partez, mon petit
Kiou; partez, or evil will come of it." Such was the advice which a
friend of Lord Kew gave the young nobleman.

CHAPTER XXXII. Barnes's Courtship

Ethel had made various attempts to become intimate with her future
sister-in-law; had walked, and ridden, and talked with Lady Clara before
Barnes's arrival. She had come away not very much impressed with respect
for Lady Clara's mental powers; indeed, we have said that Miss Ethel was
rather more prone to attack women than to admire them, and was a littl