and all with one
voice declared, "he would never be forgiven if he did not stay to the
fete of St. Medard."

Now Dorsain had already determined he would stay with his sister for some
days, but being, as I have before remarked, a thoughtful and slow
personage, he was so long in answering, that he found the good and
excited Salenciens had imagined his silence was a refusal, and all
together they mutually joined to persuade him to stay.

"Now, brother," said Margoton, "this is one of the proudest days of my
life, and I shall take it very hard to be thwarted in anything on this
day. Caliste, Lisette, my fair rival Rosieres, speak, urge your uncle to
stay to see our family triumphant."

"Monsieur D'Elsac, you must remain for the fete," exclaimed one of the
neighbours, "we could not let you leave us on any account; well may
Margoton call this the proudest day of her life, for no native of Salency
has been so fortunate, so favoured, as she is now, from the day the
sister of St. Medard was proclaimed Rosiere even to the present year."

Lisette then addressed Dorsain, taking his hand, and looking up into his
face, "Uncle," she said, "we wish you to remain, surely you will not vex
us by a refusal to-day?"

The speaking eyes of Caliste and Victorine seemed to request his
presence, and the little Mimi, hanging upon him playfully, held her
finger on his lips, that he should not thwart their wishes. What could
Dorsain do? He did not intend to go, but it happily struck him, that he
might answer them, as if their over persuasion had prevailed against his
past arrangements, and that, without their suspecting his intention, he
would have plenty of time given him to study the characters of the three
sisters. Moving the hand of Mimi, he inquired, "what had been the result
of the meeting that morning."

"Is it possible, it cannot have reached you?" exclaimed the mother,
proudly. "Why, Dorsain, never such a thing has been known at Salency in
the memory of man. My own two girls, Caliste and Lisette, have been
chosen, with Felicie Durand, and the Seigneur will make his election as
it pleases him. Two out of one family, Dorsain, only think, two sisters
from one family; ought I not to be proud of my girls? But, alas!" and
she sighed, casting a look of displeasure on Victorine, "alas! we have
all our troubles. Why should the elder and younger daughter be chosen,
and the second past over as a shame, rather than an honour, to an hon