nd I could not live with you suitably
without spending the little that remains to me. Whereas, if I go to
Lanstrac, I can take care of your property there and restore my fortune
by economy."

"You, mamma! _You_ practise economy!" cried Natalie, laughing. "Don't
begin to be a grandmother yet. What! do you mean to leave me for such
reasons as those? Dear mother, Paul may seem to you a trifle stupid, but
he is not one atom selfish or grasping."

"Ah!" replied Madame Evangelista, in a tone of voice big with
suggestions which made the girl's heart throb, "those discussions about
the contract have made me distrustful. I have my doubts about him--But
don't be troubled, dear child," she added, taking her daughter by the
neck and kissing her. "I will not leave you long alone. Whenever my
return can take place without making difficulty between you, whenever
Paul can rightly judge me, we will begin once more our happy little
life, our evening confidences--"

"Oh! mother, how can you think of living without your Natalie?"

"Because, dear angel, I shall live for her. My mother's heart will be
satisfied in the thought that I contribute, as I ought, to your future
happiness."

"But, my dear, adorable mother, must I be alone with Paul, here, now,
all at once? What will become of me? what will happen? what must I do?
what must I not do?"

"Poor child! do you think that I would utterly abandon you to your first
battle? We will write to each other three times a week like lovers.
We shall thus be close to each other's hearts incessantly. Nothing
can happen to you that I shall not know, and I can save you from all
misfortune. Besides, it would be too ridiculous if I never went to see
you; it would seem to show dislike or disrespect to your husband; I will
always spend a month or two every year with you in Paris."

"Alone, already alone, and with him!" cried Natalie in terror,
interrupting her mother.

"But you wish to be his wife?"

"Yes, I wish it. But tell me how I should behave,--you, who did what you
pleased with my father. You know the way; I'll obey you blindly."

Madame Evangelista kissed her daughter's forehead. She had willed and
awaited this request.

"Child, my counsels must adept themselves to circumstances. All men
are not alike. The lion and the frog are not more unlike than one man
compared with another,--morally, I mean. Do I know to-day what will
happen to you to-morrow? No; therefore I can only give you gener