me. Sit here, close
to me, quite close to me."

She hid herself like a child in the arms of her sister, caressing with
her burning brow Susie's fresh shoulders. Then she suddenly burst into
sobs, great sobs, which stifled, suffocated her.

"Bettina, my darling, what is the matter?"

"Nothing, nothing! it is nothing, it is joy--joy!"

"Joy?"

"Yes, yes, wait--let me cry a little, it will do me so much good. But do
not be frightened, do not be frightened."

Beneath her sister's caress, Bettina grew calm, soothed.

"It is over, I am better now, and I can talk to you. It is about Jean."

"Jean! You call him Jean?"

"Yes, I call him Jean. Have you not noticed for some time that he was
dull and looked quite melancholy?"

"Yes, I have."

"When he came, he went and posted himself near you, and stayed there,
silent, absorbed to such a degree, that for several days I asked
myself--pardon me for speaking to you with such frankness, it is my way,
you know--I asked myself if it were not you whom he loved, Susie; you are
so charming, it would have been so natural! But no, it was not you, it
was I!"

"You?"

"Yes, I. Listen, he scarcely dared to look at me, he avoided me, he fled
from me, he was afraid of me, evidently afraid. Now, in justice, am I a
person to inspire fear? I am sure I am not!"

"Certainly not!"

"Ah! it was not I of whom he was afraid, it was my money, my horrid
money! This money which attracts all the others and tempts them so much,
this money terrifies him, drives him desperate, because he is not like
the others, because he--"

"My child, take care, perhaps you are mistaken."

"Oh, no, I am not mistaken! Just now, at the door, when he was going
away, he said some words to me. These words were nothing. But if you had
seen his distress in spite of all his efforts to control it! Susie, dear
Susie, by the affection which I bear you, and God knows how great is that
affection, this is my conviction, my absolute conviction--if, instead of
being Miss Percival, I had been a poor little girl without a penny Jean
would then have taken my hand, and have told me that he loved me, and if
he had spoken to me thus, do you know what I should have replied?"

"That you loved him, too?"

"Yes; and that is why I am so happy. With me it is a fixed idea that I
must adore the man who will be my husband. Well! I don't say that I adore
Jean, no, not yet; but still it is beginning, Susie, and it is beginning
so swee