f the swing in
a swoon, her large eyes wide open, fixed in a vacant stare; at another
time she had fallen to the ground, stiff, like a swallow struck by a
shot.

"Oh, mamma!" she implored again. "Only a little, a very, very little!"

In the end her mother, in order to win peace, placed her on the seat.
The child's face lit up with an angelic smile, and her bare wrists
quivered with joyous expectancy. Helene swayed her very gently.

"Higher, mamma, higher!" she murmured.

But Helene paid no heed to her prayer, and retained firm hold of the
rope. She herself was glowing all over, her cheeks flushed, and she
thrilled with excitement at every push she gave to the swing. Her
wonted sedateness vanished as she thus became her daughter's playmate.

"That will do," she declared after a time, taking Jeanne in her arms.

"Oh, mamma, you must swing now!" the child whispered, as she clung to
her neck.

She took a keen delight in seeing her mother flying through the air;
as she said, her pleasure was still more intense in gazing at her than
in having a swing herself. Helene, however, asked her laughingly who
would push her; when she went in for swinging, it was a serious
matter; why, she went higher than the treetops! While she was speaking
it happened that Monsieur Rambaud made his appearance under the
guidance of the doorkeeper. He had met Madame Deberle in Helene's
rooms, and thought he would not be deemed presuming in presenting
himself here when unable to find her. Madame Deberle proved very
gracious, pleased as she was with the good-natured air of the worthy
man; however, she soon returned to a lively discussion with Malignon.

"_Bon ami_[*] will push you, mamma! _Bon ami_ will push you!" Jeanne
called out, as she danced round her mother.

[*] Literally "good friend;" but there is no proper equivalent for the
expression in English.

"Be quiet! We are not at home!" said her mother with mock gravity.

"Bless me! if it will please you, I am at your disposal," exclaimed
Monsieur Rambaud. "When people are in the country--"

Helene let herself be persuaded. When a girl she had been accustomed
to swing for hours, and the memory of those vanished pleasures created
a secret craving to taste them once more. Moreover, Pauline, who had
sat down with Lucien at the edge of the lawn, intervened with the
boldness of a girl freed from the trammels of childhood.

"Of course he will push you, and he will swing me after you. Won