d on his
knee a girl younger than himself, whom he was trying to pacify, but who
struggled most violently and screamed incessantly, regardless of Madame
de Fleury, to whose questions she made no answer.

"Where are you hurt, my dear?" repeated Madame de Fleury in a soothing
voice. "Only tell me where you feel pain?"

The boy, showing his sister's arm, said, in a surly tone--"It is this
that is hurt--but it was not I did it."

"It was, it _was_!" cried the girl as loud as she could vociferate: "it
was Maurice threw me down from the top of the press."

"No--it was you that were pushing me, Victoire, and you fell
backwards.--Have done screeching, and show your arm to the lady."

"I can't," said the girl.

"She won't," said the boy.

"She cannot," said Madame de Fleury, kneeling down to examine it. "She
cannot move it; I am afraid that it is broken."

"Don't touch it! don't touch it!" cried the girl, screaming more
violently.

"Ma'am, she screams that way for nothing often," said the boy. "Her arm
is no more broke than mine, I'm sure; she'll move it well enough when
she's not cross."

"I am afraid," said Madame de Fleury, "that her arm is broken."

"Is it indeed?" said the boy, with a look of terror.

"Oh! don't touch it--you'll kill me; you are killing me," screamed the
poor girl, whilst Madame de Fleury with the greatest care endeavoured to
join the bones in their proper place, and resolved to hold the arm till
the arrival of the surgeon.

From the feminine appearance of this lady, no stranger would have
expected such resolution; but with all the natural sensibility and
graceful delicacy of her sex, she had none of that weakness or affection
which incapacitates from being useful in real distress. In most sudden
accidents, and in all domestic misfortunes, female resolution and
presence of mind are indispensably requisite: safety, health, and life
often depend upon the fortitude of women. Happy they who, like Madame de
Fleury, possess strength of mind united with the utmost gentleness of
manner and tenderness of disposition!

Soothed by this lady's sweet voice, the child's rage subsided; and no
longer struggling, the poor little girl sat quietly on her lap, sometimes
writhing and moaning with pain.

The surgeon at length arrived: her arm was set: and he said "that she had
probably been saved much future pain by Madame de Fleury's presence of
mind."

"Sir,--will it soon be well?" said Maurice to the