miled.

"I'm ready," said Rogron, coming in and carrying off the colonel, who
bowed in a lover-like way to the old maid.

Gouraud determined to press on his marriage with Sylvie, and make
himself master of the house; resolving to rid himself, through his
influence over Sylvie during the honeymoon, of Bathilde and Celeste
Habert. So, during their walk, he told Rogron he had been joking the
other day; that he had no real intention of aspiring to Bathilde; that
he was not rich enough to marry a woman without fortune; and then he
confided to him his real wishes, declaring that he had long chosen
Sylvie for her good qualities,--in short, he aspired to the honor of
being Rogron's brother-in-law.

"Ah, colonel, my dear baron! if nothing is wanting but my consent you
have it with no further delay than the law requires," cried Rogron,
delighted to be rid of his formidable rival.

Sylvie spent the morning in her own room considering how the new
household could be arranged. She determined to build a second storey for
her brother and to furnish the rest for herself and her husband; but she
also resolved, in the true old-maidish spirit, to subject the colonel to
certain proofs by which to judge of his heart and his morals before she
finally committed herself. She was still suspicious, and wanted to make
sure that Pierrette had no private intercourse with the colonel.

Pierrette came down before the dinner-hour to lay the table. Sylvie had
been forced to cook the dinner, and had sworn at that "cursed Pierrette"
for a spot she had made on her gown,--wasn't it plain that if Pierrette
had done her own work Sylvie wouldn't have got that grease-spot on her
silk dress?

"Oh, here you are, _peakling_? You are like the dog of the marshal who
woke up as soon as the saucepans rattled. Ha! you want us to think you
are ill, you little liar!"

That idea: "You did not tell the truth about what happened in the square
this morning, therefore you lie in everything," was a hammer with
which Sylvie battered the head and also the heart of the poor girl
incessantly.

To Pierrette's great astonishment Sylvie sent her to dress in her best
clothes after dinner. The liveliest imagination is never up to the level
of the activity which suspicion excites in the mind of an old maid. In
this particular case, this particular old maid carried the day against
politicians, lawyers, notaries, and all other self-interests. Sylvie
determined to consult Vinet,