oung mistress's
marriage.

Andree, it should be said, was comprised in Ambroise's universal
conquest. She had met him at her uncle Du Hordel's house for a year
before it occurred to the latter to marry them. She was a very gentle
girl, a little golden-haired sheep, as her mother sometimes said. And
that handsome, smiling young man, who evinced so much kindness towards
her, became the subject of her thoughts and hopes whenever she suffered
from loneliness and abandonment. Thus, when her uncle prudently
questioned her, she flung herself into his arms, weeping big tears
of gratitude and confession. Valentine, on being approached, at first
manifested some surprise. What, a son of the Froments! Those Froments
had already taken Chantebled from them, and did they now want to
take one of their daughters? Then, amid the collapse of fortune and
household, she could find no reasonable objection to urge. She had never
been attached to Andree. She accused La Catiche, the nurse, of having
made the child her own. That gentle, docile, emotional little sheep was
not a Seguin, she often remarked. Then, while feigning to defend the
girl, Celeste embittered her mother against her, and inspired her with
a desire to see the marriage promptly concluded, in order that she might
free herself from her last cares and live as she wished. Thus, after a
long chat with Mathieu, who promised his consent, it remained only for
Du Hordel to assure himself of Seguin's approval before an application
in due form was made. It was difficult, however, to find Seguin in a
suitable frame of mind. So weeks were lost, and it became necessary to
pacify Ambroise, who was very much in love, and was doubtless warned by
his all-invading genius that this loving and simple girl would bring him
a kingdom in her apron.

One day when Mathieu was passing along the Avenue d'Antin, it occurred
to him to call at the house to ascertain if Seguin had re-appeared
there, for he had suddenly taken himself off without warning, and had
gone, so it was believed, to Italy. Then, as Mathieu found himself alone
with Celeste, the opportunity seemed to him an excellent one to discover
La Couteau's whereabouts. He asked for news of her, saying that a friend
of his was in need of a good nurse.

"Well, monsieur, you are in luck's way," the maid replied; "La Couteau
is to bring a child home to our neighbor, Madame Menoux, this very day.
It is nearly four o'clock now, and that is the time whe