an that of housekeeper; for the count was known to be a gallant
gentleman. I was rather pleased that none of them could be found to
suit; I was always too particular, and none of them did things as I
liked to have them done. And so we had nearly forgotten that we had
wanted one, when one afternoon, in comes a tall slight young woman, in
deep mourning, with very weary eyes. She had come two days' journey
from a town where her father and mother, one after the other, had
lately died, and left her entirely unprovided for. Her father had been
a functionary of some importance, and had lived upon his pay. Her only
brother was an engineer, and was now employed in England on a railway,
which he could not leave without the sacrifice of all his prospects.
She had therefore written to him not to mind her; she had found a
situation in a noble family, and was well provided for; meaning if she
were not accepted here, to take even a lower place.

"Although everything I could learn about the poor child was entirely
satisfactory, and though she passed the severest examination I could
think of in household matters, I felt a something in my heart, that
warned me not to take her. I told her plainly I thought it might not be
for her good. I said she was too young, and what more I could think of.
And just as she was going, quite submissively, without any prayers or
tears, I called her back, and kept her after all. In fact I was only
afraid she might please the count too well, for she was as fine a girl
as you could see, with a splendid figure, and a high-bred face like
nobody else's; and then such a weight of long brown hair, that could
reach three times round her head. But I found that she had a grave
decided way with her, and that she was not easily to be put upon. And
besides, Count Henry was just then over head and ears in love, as Mr.
Pierre had whispered, with a singer he had met in London, and had only
broken from her chains for a short time, to hasten back to them as fast
as ever he could. So he did not take much notice of the stranger, when
she took her place at the servants' table for the first time; he just
glanced at her from head to foot, gave an approving nod, and sat all
the evening alone, at the master's table, playing with his ring, and
letting the beautiful green stone glitter at the light, and Mr. Pierre
told us it was a present from his London friend. And I suppose it was
true, for when he came back next year, the ring was