Jacqueline -- Volume 1

seek this friend's society when she was happy and in a humor for amusement, for she thought her a little straightl

r, as Jacqueline would sometimes call her, making fun of her somewhat dull intellect

sprouted here and there among the cobblestones. There were no street- lamps and no policemen. Profound silence reigned there. The petals of

lessons, and was striving to put off as long as possible any intercourse with Fraulein Schult, who had known of her foolish fancy, and who might perhaps renew the odious subject. Walking with Modeste, on the contrary, seemed like going back to the days of her

s, from whom they were separated by a grille, whose black bars gave to those within the appearance of captives, and mad

h frock than when she wore an ordinary walking-costume. Her fair hair was drawn back 'a la Chinoise' from a white forehead resembling that of

for the chocolate, exclaimed at once: "Mo

rsations were to be carried on in a low tone, so as not to interfe

ther the nun, who was discreetly keeping watch, walking to and fro behind the grille, might chance to be listening. "Oh,

s were somewhat assuaged. There was undoubtedly a certain pleasure in letting s

elle, and had resolved beforehand to give her no a

I, too, am very unhap

! what can have ha

ear I am to leave the convent -and I thin

great presence of mind, spoke louder on indifferent subjects till she had pas

randmother and Madame d'Argy, she had found ou

ppy," said Jacqueline, "unless h

mma has several times spoken in my presence of the advantage of uniting our two estates-they touch each other-oh! I know her ideas! she wants a man well-born, one who has a posi

ly-this Monsie

handsome. But, just thi

this speech a reflection on

e my age," s

ere now thirty-five, he would be seventy, and a hundred and twenty when you reached your sixtieth

hey broke off with a laugh, but it was only one of those laughs 'au bout des levres',

me. I tremble to think of taking his arm, of talking to him

on't say thou to each

"it is consi

to call him by h

ur de Talbrun's

sc

ould get over the difficulty-you could say 'mon a

Giselle, her soft hazel

ade a horrible discovery, that it would be wicked to te

you could tell

r mamma once, but she would enter less than any one into my sorrows; and as to my father-it would make

reet voice of the nu

ree by Wal

w horrid that nun is, she stops always as she comes near us! Why

said, gently: "We, too, shall all grieve to lose you, my dearest child; but remember one can serve God anywhere, and save one's soul-in the world as well as in a convent." And she passed on, giving a kind smile to Jacqueline, whom

k of nothing but a future life," said

ers me I never shall dare to object, even if-But you must think me very selfish, my poor Jacqueline! I am talking only of myself. Do you know what you ought to do as you go away? You should go into the chapel, and pray with all your heart for me, that I may be brought in safety through my troubles about which I

much moved. "It has done me good

le, giving her a little illuminated

ay, have you ever

ed Giselle,

est-You are right, I w

some ex

f their cage noted the brilliant plumage of this bird who was at liberty. She crossed the courtyard, and, followed by Modeste, entered the chapel, where she sank upon her knees. The mystic half-light of

ard. The worshipers might have fancied themselves a hundred leagues from all the

ittle card Giselle had given her. It was a symbolical picture, and very ugly; but the wo

sure it would be! All was vanity! As she gazed at the grille, behind which so many women, whose worldly lives had been cut short, now lived, safe from the sorrows and temptations of this world, Jacqueline seemed for the first time to understand why Giselle regretted that she might not share forever the blessed peace

ueline continued to imagine herself a Benedictine sister, under the soothing influence of her surroundings, just as she had mistaken the effects of physical weakness when she was ill for a desire to die. Such feelings were the result of a void which the whole universe, as she thought, never could fill, but it was really a tem

d Modeste, touching

ou know, Modeste," she went on, when they got out of doors, "that I

cried the old nur

d," replied her

how. It would be

only appearances. Don't you think that a linen band over my forehe

, with the practical good-sense that never forsook her. "You would be beautiful for yourself alone. You would not even b

, thought in his heart that he had been too severe with his daughter for some time past. As he recalled what had taken place, the anger of Madame de Nailles in the matter of the picture seemed to him to have been extreme and unnecessary. Jacqueline was just at an a

about to throw off my authority, and hurt when I found she was capable of keeping up a concealment-when I believed she was

h a little more consideration for the future; and, with your permiss

ything." So M. de Nailles, with his daughter's ar

t sea-bathing will change all that. Would

ed with a little

rtainly

n the first place, where shall we go?

t she wishes," replied Ja

hat would you like? What

much, because there we sho

riend of her own mother-her own dead mother, too long forgotten. The chateau of Madame d'Argy, cal

thing, then!" s

ight ride on horseback with him. He is going to enjoy a holiday, poo

," said Jacqueline, still

ld take you nine or ten times to the riding-school. And I will go with you the first time," added M. de Nailles, in despair

er eyes sparkled. She gave one more proof, that to every Parisienne worthy of the name, the two pleasures in riding are, fir

o to Blackf

moment, if

cqueline's eyes. Her heart beat with pleasure when she thought how Belle and Dolly would envy her when she told them: "I have a myrtle-green r

could be put upon their shoulders, from the ugliest to the most extravagant. Deceived by the unusual elegance of these beautiful figures, ladies who are neither young nor well-shaped allow themselves to be beguiled and cajoled into buying things not suited to them. Very seldom does a hunchbacked dowager hesi

work of temptation. They fascinated Jacqueline's father by their graces and their glances, while at the same time

for the tailor, chose two costumes quite as original as those of Mademoiselle d'Etaples, which delighted Jacqueline all the more, because she thought it probable they would displease her stepmother. At last the magnificent personage, his face adorned with luxuriant whiskers, appeared with t

certain corset of a special cut, with elastic material over the hips covered by satin that matched the riding-habit, but at Mademoiselle's age, and so supple as she was, the corset was not necessary. In short, the habit was fashioned to perfection, and fitted like her skin to her little flexible figure. In her close-fitting petticoat, her riding-trousers and nothing else, Jacqueline felt herself half naked, though she was buttoned up to her

ITOR'S B

etween a dream a

dangerous to ma

least thirt

elf to please any on

ought not

ng, never having he

ve ties over t

a thing that nobod

thirty-five sh