costume of
her country; and I am sure it don't lay in my power to provide her with
others; and, besides, it would not be worth while, since we have merely
called to thank you for having allowed Madame Seraphin to say you would
see Cecily, in consequence of the favourable character I had given her.
Still, sir, I don't think, after all, she would suit you.'"

"Capital, Madame Pipelet; go on."

"'And why so?' inquired the notary, who had established himself by the
warmest corner of the fire, and seemed to be looking very attentively at
us from over his green spectacles, 'why should you suppose your niece
not likely to suit me?' 'Because, sir, Cecily is already quite homesick;
she has only been here three days and yet she wants to go back; and so,
she says, she will, too, if she is obliged to beg her way, or sing songs
and sell little brooms, like the rest of her countrywomen.' 'But bless
me!' answered M. Ferrand, 'do you, who are her principal relation, mean
to allow of that?' 'I don't see how I am to hinder her, sir,' said I.
'Certainly, I am the nearest relation she has, for the poor thing is an
orphan, as I told good Madame Seraphin; but then she is twenty years of
age, and, of course, mistress of her own actions.' 'Stuff and nonsense!'
interrupted he, quite impatiently; 'don't tell me about being her own
mistress; at her time of life she is bound to obey her relations, and
take their advice in all things.' Upon which Cecily began to cry and to
creep up to me, all of a tremble, as if she was quite afraid of the
notary."

"And what said Jacques Ferrand further?"

"Oh, he kept muttering in a grumbling tone, 'A young creature at that
age left to her own guidance! Why, it would be the ruin of her! And, as
for begging her way back to Germany--a pretty idea! And you mean to call
yourself her aunt, and say that you would sanction such conduct?' 'All
right,' says I to myself; 'you are falling into the trap as neat as
ninepence, you miserly old hunks, and if I do not saddle you with
Cecily, my name is not what it is!' 'Yes,' cried I, in a discontented
voice, 'I'm her aunt, sure enough, and worse luck to me for having such
an encumbrance; I have difficulty enough to earn my bread, without
having a great overgrown girl like that, to take it out of my mouth; and
I would much rather she went back to her own country than stop here to
be a burthen to me. The deuce take people who can't manage to maintain
their own children, but j