, that she was neither a fool nor a prude, nor even an ignoramus
like girls brought up in convents. Her education, which was begun by her
mother, had been completed by two or three respectable old professors
selected by M. Renault, who was her guardian. She had a sound heart, and
a quick mind. But I may reasonably ask myself why I have so much to say
about her, for she is still living; and, thank God! not one of her
perfections has departed.

CHAPTER II.

UNPACKING BY CANDLE-LIGHT.

About ten o'clock in the evening, Mlle. Virginie Sambucco said it was
time to think of going home: the ladies lived with monastic regularity.
Leon protested; but Clementine obeyed, though not without pouting a
little. Already the parlor door was open, and the old lady had taken her
hood in the hall, when the engineer, suddenly struck with an idea,
exclaimed:

"You surely won't go without helping me to open my trunks! I demand it
of you as a favor, my good Mademoiselle Sambucco!"

The respectable lady paused: custom urged her to go; kindness inclined
her to stay; an atom of curiosity swayed the balance.

"I'm so glad!" cried Clementine, replacing her aunt's hood on the rack.

Mme. Renault did not yet know where they had put Leon's baggage. Gothon
came to say that everything had been thrown pell-mell into the
sorcerer's den, to remain there until Monsieur should point out what he
wanted taken to his own room. The whole company, armed with lamps and
candles, betook themselves to a vast room on the ground floor, where
furnaces, retorts, philosophical instruments, boxes, trunks, clothes
bags, hat boxes and the famous steam-engine, formed a confused and
entertaining spectacle. The light played about this interior, as it
appears to in certain pictures of the Dutch school. It glanced upon the
great yellow cylinders of the electric machine, struck upon the long
glass bottles, rebounded from two silver reflectors, and rested, in
passing, upon a magnificent Fortin barometer. The Renaults and their
friends, grouped in the midst of the boxes--some sitting, some standing,
one holding a lamp, another a candle--detracted nothing from the
picturesqueness of the scene.

Leon, with a bunch of little keys, opened the boxes one after another.
Clementine was seated opposite him on a great oblong box, and watched
him with all her eyes, more from affection than curiosity. They began by
setting to one side two enormous square boxes which contained n