DearlyshouldIliketoknowwhowasthegiverofthisdaintyworkofart，whichwassuchafavoritewithher。HowoftenhaveIseentheoldlady，herfeetuponthebar，recliningintheeasy-chair，withherdresshalfraisedinfront，toyingwiththesnuff-box，whichlayupontheledgebetweenherboxofpastillesandhersilkmits。Whatacoquetteshewas!tothedayofherdeathshetookasmuchpainswithherappearanceasthoughthebeautifulportraithadbeenpaintedonlyyesterday，andshewerewaitingtoreceivethethrongofexquisitesfromtheCourt!Howthearmchairrecallstometheinimitablesweepofherskirtsasshesankbackinit!
Thesewomenofapastgenerationhavecarriedoffwiththemsecretswhichareverytypicaloftheirage。ThePrincesshadacertainturnofthehead，awayofdroppingherglanceandherremarks，achoiceofwords，whichIlookforinvain，eveninmymother。Therewassubtletyinitall，andtherewasgood-nature；thepointsweremadewithoutanyaffectation。Hertalkwasatoncelengthyandconcise；shetoldagoodstory，andcouldputhermeaninginthreewords。Aboveall，shewasextremelyfree-thinking，andthishasundoubtedlyhaditseffectonmywayoflookingatthings。
FromsevenyearsoldtillIwasten，Ineverleftherside；itpleasedhertoattractmeasmuchasitpleasedmetogo。Thispreferencewasthecauseofmorethanonepassageatarmsbetweenherandmymother，andnothingintensifiesfeelingliketheicybreathofpersecution。
Howcharmingwashergreeting，“Hereyouare，littlerogue!“whencuriosityhadtaughtmehowtoglidewithstealthysnake-likemovementstoherroom。ShefeltthatIlovedher，andthischildishaffectionwaswelcomeasarayofsunshineinthewinterofherlife。
Idon’tknowwhatwentoninherroomsatnight，butshehadmanyvisitors；andwhenIcameontiptoeinthemorningtoseeifshewereawake，Iwouldfindthedrawing-roomfurnituredisarranged，thecard-
tablessetout，andpatchesofsnuffscatteredabout。
Thisdrawing-roomisfurnishedinthesamestyleasthebedroom。Thechairsandtablesareoddlyshaped，withclawfeetandhollowmouldings。Richgarlandsofflowers，beautifullydesignedandcarved，windoverthemirrorsandhangdowninfestoons。Ontheconsolesarefinechinavases。Thegroundcolorsarescarletandwhite。Mygrandmotherwasahigh-spirited，strikingbrunette，asmightbeinferredfromherchoiceofcolors。Ihavefoundinthedrawing-roomawriting-tableIrememberwell；thefiguresonitusedtofascinateme；
itisplaitedingravensilver，andwasapresentfromoneoftheGenoeseLomellini。Eachsideofthetablerepresentstheoccupationsofadifferentseason；therearehundredsoffiguresineachpicture，andallinrelief。
Iremainedalonefortwohours，whileoldmemoriesrosebeforeme，oneafteranother，onthisspot，hallowedbythedeathofawomanmostremarkableevenamongthewittyandbeautifulCourtladiesofLouisXV。’sday。
YouknowhowabruptlyIwaspartedfromher，ataday’snotice，in1816。
“Goandbidgood-byetoyourgrandmother，“saidmymother。
ThePrincessreceivedmeasusual，withoutanydisplayoffeeling，andexpressednosurpriseatmydeparture。
“Youaregoingtotheconvent，dear，“shesaid，“andwillseeyourauntthere，whoisanexcellentwoman。Ishalltakecare，though，thattheydon’tmakeavictimofyou；youshallbeindependent，andabletomarrywhomyouplease。“
Sixmonthslatershedied。HerwillhadbeengivenintothekeepingofthePrincedeTalleyrand，themostdevotedofallheroldfriends。Hecontrived，whilepayingavisittoMlle。deChargeboeuf，tointimatetome，throughher，thatmygrandmotherforbademetotakethevows。I
hope，soonerorlater，tomeetthePrince，andthenIshalldoubtlesslearnmorefromhim。
Thus，sweetheart，ifIhavefoundnooneinfleshandbloodtomeetme，IhavecomfortedmyselfwiththeshadeofthedearPrincess，andhavepreparedmyselfforcarryingoutoneofourpledges，whichwas，asyouknow，tokeepeachotherinformedofthesmallestdetailsinourhomesandoccupations。Itmakessuchadifferencetoknowwhereandhowthelifeofoneweloveispassed。Sendmeafaithfulpictureoftheveriesttriflesaroundyou，omittingnothing，noteventhesunsetlightsamongthetalltrees。
October19th。
ItwasthreeintheafternoonwhenIarrived。Abouthalf-pastfive，Rosecameandtoldmethatmymotherhadreturned，soIwentdownstairstopaymyrespectstoher。
Mymotherlivesinasuiteonthegroundfloor，exactlycorrespondingtomine，andinthesameblock。Iamjustoverherhead，andthesamesecretstaircaseservesforboth。Myfather’sroomsareintheblockopposite，butarelargerbythewholeofthespaceoccupiedbythegrandstaircaseonoursideofthebuilding。Theseancestralmansionsaresospacious，thatmyfatherandmothercontinuetooccupytheground-floorrooms，inspiteofthesocialdutieswhichhaveoncemoredevolvedonthemwiththereturnoftheBourbons，andareevenabletoreceiveinthem。
Ifoundmymother，dressedfortheevening，inherdrawing-room，wherenothingischanged。Icameslowlydownthestairs，speculatingwitheverystephowIshouldbemetbythismotherwhohadshownherselfsolittleofamothertome，andfromwhom，duringeightyears，Ihadheardnothingbeyondthetwolettersofwhichyouknow。JudgingitunworthytosimulateanaffectionIcouldnotpossiblyfeel，Iputontheairofapiousimbecile，andenteredtheroomwithmanyinwardqualms，whichhoweversoondisappeared。Mymother’stackwasequaltotheoccasion。Shemadenopretenceofemotion；sheneitherheldmeatarm’s-lengthnorhuggedmetoherbosomlikeabeloveddaughter，butgreetedmeasthoughwehadpartedtheeveningbefore。Hermannerwasthatofthekindliestandmostsincerefriend，assheaddressedmelikeagrownperson，firstkissingmeontheforehead。
“Mydearlittleone，“shesaid，“ifyouweretodieattheconvent，itismuchbettertolivewithyourfamily。Youfrustrateyourfather’splansandmine；buttheageofblindobediencetoparentsispast。M。
deChaulieu’sintention，andinthisIamquiteatonewithhim，istolosenoopportunityofmakingyourlifepleasantandoflettingyouseetheworld。AtyourageIshouldhavethoughtasyoudo，thereforeIamnotvexedwithyou；itisimpossibleyoushouldunderstandwhatweexpectedfromyou。Youwillnotfindanyabsurdseverityinme；andifyouhaveeverthoughtmeheartless，youwillsoonfindoutyourmistake。Still，thoughIwishyoutofeelperfectlyfree，Ithinkthat，tobeginwith，youwoulddowelltofollowthecounselsofamother，whowishestobeasistertoyou。“
IwasquitecharmedbytheDuchess，whotalkedinagentlevoice，straighteningmyconventtippetasshespoke。Attheageofthirty-
eightsheisstillexquisitelybeautiful。Shehasdark-blueeyes，withsilkenlashes，asmoothforehead，andacomplexionsopinkandwhitethatyoumightthinkshepaints。Herbustandshouldersaremarvelous，andherwaistisasslenderasyours。Herhandismilk-whiteandextraordinarilybeautiful；thenailscatchthelightintheirperfectpolish，thethumbislikeivory，thelittlefingerstandsjustalittleapartfromtherest，andthefootmatchesthehand；itistheSpanishfootofMlle。deVandenesse。Ifsheislikethisatforty，atsixtyshewillstillbeabeautifulwoman。
Ireplied，sweetheart，likeagoodlittlegirl。Iwasasnicetoherasshetome，nay，nicer。Herbeautycompletelyvanquishedme；itseemedonlynaturalthatsuchawomanshouldbeabsorbedinherregalpart。ItoldherthisassimplyasthoughIhadbeentalkingtoyou。I
daresayitwasasurprisetohertohearwordsofaffectionfromherdaughter’smouth，andtheunfeignedhomageofmyadmirationevidentlytouchedherdeeply。Hermannerchangedandbecameevenmoreengaging；
shedroppedallformalityasshesaid：
“Iammuchpleasedwithyou，andIhopeweshallremaingoodfriends。“
Thewordsstruckmeascharminglynaive，butIdidnotletthisappear，forIsawatoncethattheprudentcoursewastoallowhertobelieveherselfmuchdeeperandclevererthanherdaughter。SoIonlystaredvacantlyandshewasdelighted。Ikissedherhandsrepeatedly，tellingherhowhappyitmademetobesotreatedandtofeelatmyeasewithher。Ievenconfidedtohermyprevioustremors。Shesmiled，putherarmroundmyneck，anddrawingmetowardsher，kissedmeontheforeheadmostaffectionately。
“Dearchild，“shesaid，“wehavepeoplecomingtodinnerto-day。
Perhapsyouwillagreewithmethatitisbetterforyounottomakeyourfirstappearanceinsocietytillyouhavebeeninthedressmaker’shands；so，afteryouhaveseenyourfatherandbrother，youcangoupstairsagain。“
Iassentedmostheartily。Mymother’sexquisitedresswasthefirstrevelationtomeoftheworldwhichourdreamshadpictured；butIdidnotfeeltheslightestdesiretorivalher。
Myfathernowentered，andtheDuchesspresentedmetohim。
Hebecameallatoncemostaffectionate，andplayedthefather’spartsowell，thatIcouldnotbutbelievehishearttobeinit。Takingmytwohandsinhis，andkissingthem，withmoreoftheloverthanthefatherinhismanner，hesaid：
“Sothisismyrebeldaughter!“
Andhedrewmetowardshim，withhisarmpassedtenderlyroundmywaist，whilehekissedmeonthecheeksandforehead。
“Thepleasurewithwhichweshallwatchyoursuccessinsocietywillatoneforthedisappointmentwefeltatyourchangeofvocation，“hesaid。Then，turningtomymother，“Doyouknowthatsheisgoingtoturnoutverypretty，andyouwillbeproudofhersomeday？——Hereisyourbrother，Rhetore——Alphonse，“hesaidtoafineyoungmanwhocamein，“hereisyourconvent-bredsister，whothreatenstosendhernun’sfrocktothedeuce。“
Mybrothercameupinaleisurelywayandtookmyhand，whichhepressed。
“Come，come，youmaykissher，“saidmyfather。
Andhekissedmeonbothcheeks。
“Iamdelightedtoseeyou，“hesaid，“andItakeyoursideagainstmyfather。“
Ithankedhim，butcouldnothelpthinkinghemighthavecometoBloiswhenhewasatOrleansvisitingourMarquisbrotherinhisquarters。
Fearingthearrivalofstrangers，Inowwithdrew。Itidiedupmyrooms，andlaidoutonthescarletvelvetofmylovelytableallthematerialsnecessaryforwritingtoyou，meditatingallthewhileonmynewsituation。
This，myfairsweetheart，isatrueandveraciousaccountofthereturnofagirlofeighteen，afteranabsenceofnineyears，tothebosomofoneofthenoblestfamiliesinthekingdom。IwastiredbythejourneyaswellasbyalltheemotionsIhadbeenthrough，soI
wenttobedinconventfashion，ateighto’clockaftersupper。TheyhavepreservedevenalittleSaxeservicewhichthedearPrincessusedwhenshehadafancyfortakinghermealsalone。
NextdayIfoundmyroomsdoneoutanddusted，andevenflowersputinthevases，byoldPhilippe。Ibegantofeelathome。Onlyitdidn’toccurtoanybodythataCarmeliteschoolgirlhasanearlyappetite，andRosehadnoendoftroubleingettingbreakfastforme。
“Mlle。goestobedatdinner-time，“shesaidtome，“andgetsupwhentheDukeisjustreturninghome。“
Ibegantowrite。Aboutoneo’clockmyfatherknockedatthedoorofthesmalldrawing-roomandaskedifhemightcomein。Iopenedthedoor；hecamein，andfoundmewritingtoyou。
“Mydear，“hebegan，“youwillhavetogetyourselfclothes，andtomaketheseroomscomfortable。Inthispurseyouwillfindtwelvethousandfrancs，whichistheyearlyincomeIpurposeallowingyouforyourexpenses。Youwillmakearrangementswithyourmotherastosomegovernesswhomyoumaylike，incaseMissGriffithdoesn’tpleaseyou，forMme。deChaulieuwillnothavetimetogooutwithyouinthemornings。Acarriageandman-servantshallbeatyourdisposal。“
“LetmekeepPhilippe，“Isaid。