d
somewhat."

"You want to relieve my mind, my generous cousin, by making the best of
your very hard lot."

"Every lot has its best side," said Jane, "and it is only by looking
steadily at it that one can obtain courage to bear the worst. I see
this in visiting the very poor people whom I wrote to you about. Some
people are querulous in comparative comfort; others have the most
astonishing powers of cheerful endurance. I have learned upon how very
little the human soul can be kept in working order from a poor
rheumatic and bed-ridden old woman, who is so grateful for the use of
one hand while she is helpless otherwise, and who has had a very bad
husband, and several very careless and cold-hearted children; but she
has one son who comes to see her regularly once every three months, and
brings her the scanty pittance on which she subsists; and surely I,
with youth, and health, and work to do, should try to be cheerful, even
though the work is not such as I could prefer.---- And you have been in
France as well as England since I saw you last in August. I want to
hear further particulars of your travels, since you say that you have
more to give. They interested you very much, particularly those in
France."

"Very much, indeed; all the more as I acquired the language. I wrote to
you that I met with Clemence de Vericourt, now Madame Lenoir."

"Is she handsome?" asked Jane.

"No; I thought her almost ugly till she opened her mouth, and then I
forgot it, and felt the charm of the most winning manner and the most
brilliant conversational power in the world. Frenchwomen are not to
compare with Englishwomen for beauty, but they can be irresistible
without it."

"How did you get an introduction to her?" asked Jane.

"French society is more accessible than it is here; but I met with a
French gentleman in a CAFE who had known my father, and who recognized
my name, who introduced me to a good many very pleasant salons, and to
Madame Lenoir's among others. Arnauld is dead; he fell in Algeria. His
sister speaks of him with the tenderest affection."

"Is she happily married? After all her mother's solicitude, it would be
hard if she too were sacrificed."

"So far as I can see, she appears to be happy. The husband is of
suitable years and good character; not so brilliant as his wife. But
really what Madame de Girardin says appears to me to be true, that
French women are superior to their so-called lords and masters. It is
str