must make themselves neat for breakfast, and we all went upstairs together, meeting Madame Boussin in an elegant morning toilette hastening down to take her place at the table.

The husband and wife came into the diningroom arm in arm, and during the whole of the meal (which lasted a considerable time) Monsieur paid all sorts of attention to Madame, who received them with a careless indifference that I thought it wonderful he did not notice. Very little conversation took place, as Madame Boussin ate of every dish at table, and had consequently no time for talking, and my own imperfect knowledge of the language and increasing awe of the master of the chateau, obliged me to answer in monosyllables every question he condescended to address me. As for Madame la Comtesse, she only spoke a few words from time to time with the children, or when compelled to

refuse her husband's earnest solicitations that she would partake more freely of the various dishes which she had to choose from.

I was thankful when it was over, and the family, separating for awhile, gave me an opportunity of going to my room to write letters to England. Madame Boussin told me the children would be taken out to walk for a couple of hours if they did not drive with their mamma, and that if I felt disposed to see the grounds she should be ready to accompany me at two o'clock. As the sun was shining brightly, in spite of the continued cold, I accepted this offer, and my love of nature found ample satisfaction in the wild romantic character of the woods and gardens through which my companion led me. The absence of that elaborate cultivation which in a similar place we should see in England was rather a charm than the reverse; and although Madame la Comtesse was a Frenchwoman, I wondered

that with such beauties around her, she should be unable to extract from them at least some little enjoyment to atone for the want of society and amusement.

After our walk, the children resumed their lessons till dinner time, which, with the exception of a greater variety of dishes and some addition to the toilettes of all the party, was an exact transcript of the breakfast.

In the evening Monsieur and Madame again played at chess, she doing this, and indeed everything else while in her husband's presence, like a machine that has been set in motion by the master who is watching calmly the success of his experiment. Madame Boussin dozed in an easy chair over a piece of embroidery that the children had to pick up from the ground every five minutes. They, poor things, looked at some English picture books I had brought with me, and I, in obedience to a request from

Monsieur, played several French operas on their grand piano. And so the heavy time went by till ten o'clock, when we all separated, without much apparent regret, till the next morning.

And in this manner, with very little variation, were spent all the winter evenings at Chateau Morin.

CHAPTER XXI.

MONSIEUR AND MADAME.

"I CONGRATULATE you, mademoiselle," said the Comtesse one afternoon, as I went into the dressing room to give my usual lesson; "you have had letters from England, and I see by your face that they have been pleasant ones."

"I believe," I replied, "that the mere fact of receiving a letter at all at this distance from home would make me supremely happy; but those I have had this morning are from very