and francs a month, and now they wanted to dine with him.
Ah! that was the last stroke. Terror seized him at the thought of having
to do the honors of his leg of mutton and his custard to these two
absurdly rich Americans. He murmured:

"Dine!-you would like to dine here?"

Jean thought he must interpose again. "It would be a great pleasure
to my godfather," said he, "if you would kindly stay. But I know what
disturbs him. We were going to dine together, just the two of us, and
you must not expect a feast. You will be very indulgent?"

"Yes, yes, very indulgent," replied Bettina; then, addressing her
sister, "Come, Susie, you must not be cross, because I have been a
little--you know it is my way to be a little--Let us stay, will you? It
will do us good to pass a quiet hour here, after such a day as we have
had! On the railway, in the carriage, in the heat, in the dust; we had
such a horrid luncheon, in such a horrid hotel. We were to have returned
to the same hotel at seven o'clock to dine, and then take the train back
to Paris, but dinner here will be really much nicer. You won't say no?
Ah! how good you are, Susie!"

She embraced her sister fondly; then turning toward the Cure:

"If you only knew, Monsieur le Cure, how good she is!"

"Bettina! Bettina!"

"Come," said Jean, "quick, Pauline, two more plates; I will help you."

"And so will I," said Bettina, "I will help, too. Oh! do let me; it will
be so amusing. Monsieur le Cure, you will let me do a little as if I
were at home?"

In a moment she had taken off her mantle, and Jean could admire, in all
its exquisite perfection, a figure marvellous for suppleness and grace.
Miss Percival then removed her hat, but with a little too much haste,
for this was the signal for a charming catastrophe. A whole avalanche
descended in torrents, in long cascades, over Bettina's shoulders. She
was standing before a window flooded by the rays of the sun, and this
golden light, falling full on this golden hair, formed a delicious
frame for the sparkling beauty of the young girl. Confused and blushing,
Bettina was obliged to call her sister to her aid, and Mrs. Scott had
much trouble in introducing order into this disorder.

When this disaster was at length repaired, nothing could prevent Bettina
from rushing on plates, knives, and forks.

"Oh, indeed," said she to Jean, "I know very well how to lay the cloth.
Ask my sister. Tell him, Susie, when I was a little girl in New Y