ces. "There was Mademoiselle Justemar, whom nobody had ever
imagined to be an artiste, came out as Alice one evening that the prima
donna was ill, and took the whole town by storm. There was that little
creature, Violetta; who ever fancied she could dance till they saw her
as Titania? Every one knew of Giulia Barducci, taken from the chorus, to
be the greatest Norma of the age."

He paused and looked at her, with a stare of triumph in his features;
his expression seemed to say, "What think you of that glorious Paradise
I have led you to look at?"

"It is very encouraging indeed, sir," said Clara, dryly, but with no
semblance of irony,--"very encouraging. There is, then, really no reason
that one day I might not be a rope-dancer."

"Clara," cried Mrs. Morris, severely, "you must curb this habit, if you
will not do better by abandoning it altogether. The spirit of repartee
is the spirit of impertinence."

"I had really hoped, mamma," said she, with an air of simplicity, "that,
as all Mr. Stocmar's illustrations were taken from the stage, I had
caught the spirit of his examples in giving one from the circus."

"I'll be sworn you're fond of riding," cried Stocmar, eager to relieve a
very awkward crisis even by a stupid remark.

"Yes, sir; and I am very clever in training. I know the whole 'Bauchet'
system, and can teach a horse his 'flexions,' and the rest of it.--Well,
but, mamma," broke she in, apologetically, "surely my guardian ought to
be aware of my perfections; and if _you_ won't inform him, _I_ must."

"You perceive, sir," said Mrs. Morris, "that when I spoke of her
flippancy, I was not exaggerating."

"You may rely upon it, Mr. Stocmar," continued Clara, "mamma's
description of me was only justice."

Stocmar laughed, and hoped that the others would have joined him; but
in this he was unhappily disappointed: they were even graver than before;
Mrs. Morris showing, in her heightened color, a degree of irritation,
while Clara's pale face betrayed no sign of emotion.

"You are to leave this to-morrow, Clara," said Mrs. Morris, coldly.

"Very well, mamma," was the quiet answer.

"You don't seem very eager to know for whither," said Stocmar, smiling.
"Are all places alike to you?"

"Pretty much so, sir," said she, in the same voice.

"You were scarcely prepared for so much philosophy, I 'm sure,
Mr. Stocmar," said Mrs. Morris, sneeringly. "Pray confess yourself
surprised."

"Call it ignorance, mamma, an