e advantageously pursued by the
parents of the present day, who may happen to cast their eyes over these
memoirs. It was the custom for the children of the officers who lived
in the palace, that is, the girls, to club together occasionally, that
they might have a little _fete_ in the garden of the palace. It was a
sort of pic-nic, to which every one contributed; some would bring cakes,
some fruit; some would bring money (a few sous) to purchase bon-bons, or
anything else which might be agreed upon.

On those occasions, my grandmother invariably gave me fruit, a very
liberal allowance of apples and pears, from the store-room; for we had
plenty from the orchard of the farm. But one day, one of the elder
girls told me that they had plenty of fruit, and that I must bring some
money. I asked my grandmother, but she refused me; and then this girl
proposed that I should steal some from my grandfather. I objected; but
she ridiculed my objections, and pressed me until she overcame my
scruples, and I consented. But when I left her after she had obtained
my promise, I was in a sad state. I knew it was wicked to steal, and
the girl had taken care to point out to me how wicked it was to break a
promise. I did not know what to do: all that evening I was in such a
state of feverish excitement, that my grandmother was quite astonished.
The fact was, that I was ashamed to retract my promise, and yet I
trembled at the deed that I was about to do. I went into my room and
got into bed. I remained awake; and about midnight I got up, and
creeping softly into my grandfather's room, I went to his clothes, which
were on a chair, and rifled his pockets of--two sous!

Having effected my purpose, I retired stealthily, and gained my own
room. What my feelings were when I was again in bed I cannot well
describe--they were horrible--I could not shut my eyes for the remainder
of the night and the next morning I made my appearance, haggard, pale,
and trembling. It proved, however, that my grandfather who was awake,
had witnessed the theft in silence, and informed my grandmother of it.
Before I went to school, my grandmother called me in to her, for I had
avoided her.

"Come here, Valerie," said she, "I have had a dream--a most dreadful
dream--it was about a little girl, who, in the middle of the night,
crept into her grandfather's room--"

I could bear no more. I threw myself on the floor, and, in agony,
screamed out--

"Yes, grandma