ith presents,
which I was unwilling to take, only Madame Rupprecht seemed to consider
me an affected prude if I refused them. Many of these presents
consisted of articles of valuable old jewellery, evidently belonging to
his family; by accepting these I doubled the ties which were formed
around me by circumstances even more than by my own consent. In those
days we did not write letters to absent friends as frequently as is
done now, and I had been unwilling to name him in the few letters that
I wrote home. At length, however, I learned from Madame Rupprecht that
she had written to my father to announce the splendid conquest I had
made, and to request his presence at my betrothal. I started with
astonishment. I had not realized that affairs had gone so far as this.
But when she asked me, in a stern, offended manner, what I had meant by
my conduct if I did not intend to marry Monsieur de la Tourelle--I had
received his visits, his presents, all his various advances without
showing any unwillingness or repugnance--(and it was all true; I had
shown no repugnance, though I did not wish to be married to him,--at
least, not so soon)--what could I do but hang my head, and silently
consent to the rapid enunciation of the only course which now remained
for me if I would not be esteemed a heartless coquette all the rest of
my days?

There was some difficulty, which I afterwards learnt that my
sister-in-law had obviated, about my betrothal taking place from home.
My father, and Fritz especially, were for having me return to the mill,
and there be betrothed, and from thence be married. But the Rupprechts
and Monsieur de la Tourelle were equally urgent on the other side; and
Babette was unwilling to have the trouble of the commotion at the mill;
and also, I think, a little disliked the idea of the contrast of my
grander marriage with her own.

So my father and Fritz came over to the betrothal. They were to stay at
an inn in Carlsruhe for a fortnight, at the end of which time the
marriage was to take place. Monsieur de la Tourelle told me he had
business at home, which would oblige him to be absent during the
interval between the two events; and I was very glad of it, for I did
not think that he valued my father and my brother as I could have
wished him to do. He was very polite to them; put on all the soft,
grand manner, which he had rather dropped with me; and complimented us
all round, beginning with my father and Madame Rupprech