mpliments she expected, and which she felt she deserved. Four or five
times she asked impatiently, "Isn't that good?" and as the only reply
was a scarcely enthusiastic "Very good," she vowed she would never again
waste so much care and talent upon such unappreciative people.

Madame Ferailleur was as silent as her son, and seemed equally anxious
to finish with the repast. She evidently wanted to get rid of Madame
Vantrasson, and in fact as soon as the simple dessert had been placed
on the table, she turned to her, and said: "You may go home now. I will
attend to the rest."

Irritated by the taciturnity of these strange folks, the landlady of the
Model Lodging House withdrew, and they soon heard the street door close
behind her with a loud bang as she left the house. Pascal drew a long
breath as if relieved of a heavy weight. While Madame Vantrasson had
been in the room he had scarcely dared to raise his eyes, so great was
his dread of encountering the gaze of this woman, whose malignity was
but poorly veiled by her smooth-tongued hypocrisy. He really feared he
should not be able to resist his desire to strangle her. However, Madame
Ferailleur must have understood her son's agitation, for as soon as
they were alone, she said: "So you have not forgiven me for my plain
speaking?"

"How can I be angry with you, mother, when I know that you are thinking
only of my happiness? But how sorry I shall be if your prejudices----"

Madame Ferailleur checked him with a gesture. "Let us say no more on the
subject," she remarked. "Mademoiselle Marguerite will be the innocent
cause of one of the greatest disappointments of my life; but I have no
reason to hate her--and I have always been able to show justice even to
the persons I loved the least. I have done so in this instance, and I am
going perhaps to give you a convincing proof of it."

"A proof?"

"Yes."

She reflected for a moment and then she asked: "Did you not tell me,
my son, that Mademoiselle Marguerite's education has not suffered on
account of her neglected childhood?"

"And it's quite true, mother."

"She worked diligently, you said, so as to improve herself?"

"Marguerite knows all that an unusually talented girl can learn in four
years, when she finds herself very unhappy, and study proves her only
refuge and consolation."

"If she wrote you a note would it be written grammatically, and be free
from any mistakes in spelling?"

"Oh, certainly!" exclaimed Pa