eries wounding, and
thought Madame Desvarennes's preferences for Micheline unjust.

All these accumulated grievances made Jeanne conceive the wish one
morning of leaving the house where she had been brought up, and where
she now felt humiliated. Pretending to long to go to England to see
that rich relative of her father, who, knowing her to be in a brilliant
society, had taken notice of her, she asked Madame Desvarennes to allow
her to spend a few weeks from home. She wished to try the ground in
England, and see what she might expect in the future from her family.
Madame Desvarennes lent herself to this whim, not guessing the young
girl's real motive; and Jeanne, well attended, went to her aunt's home
in England.

Madame Desvarennes, besides, had attained the summit of her hopes,
and an event had just taken place which preoccupied her. Micheline,
deferring to her mother's wishes, had decided to allow herself to be
betrothed to Pierre Delarue, who had just lost his mother, and whose
business improved daily. The young girl, accustomed to treat Pierre like
a brother, had easily consented to accept him as her future husband.

Jeanne, who had been away for six months, had returned sobered and
disillusioned about her family. She had found them kind and affable, had
received many compliments on her beauty, which was really remarkable,
but had not met with any encouragement in her desires for independence.
She came home resolved not to leave until she married. She arrived in
the Rue Saint-Dominique at the moment when Pierre Delarue, thirsting
with ambition, was leaving his betrothed, his relatives, and gay Paris
to undertake engineering work on the coasts of Algeria and Tunis that
would raise him above his rivals. In leaving, the young man did not for
a moment think that Jeanne was returning from England at the same hour
with trouble for him in the person of a very handsome cavalier, Prince
Serge Panine, who had been introduced to her at a ball during the London
season. Mademoiselle de Cernay, availing herself of English liberty,
was returning escorted only by a maid in company with the Prince. The
journey had been delightful. The tete-a-tete travelling had pleased the
young people, and on leaving the train they had promised to see each
other again. Official balls facilitated their meeting; Serge was
introduced to Madame Desvarennes as being an English friend, and soon
became the most assiduous partner of Jeanne and Micheline