Jacqueline -- Volume 2

twenty-four hours was in great danger, and when the crisis was past, which M. de Talbrun treated very indifferently, as a matter

dulged in at the convent, which were never to be realized. She kissed his little purple face, his closed eyelids, his puckered mouth, with a sort of respectful awe. She was forbidden to fatigue herself. The wet-nurse, who had been brought from Picardy, drew n

r tanned face, her bovine features, her shapeless figure, who seemed as if Nature had predestined her to give milk

aid in answer t

idea, of all it would entail on you-what slavery, what fat

he will have to have English nurses, and when he is older h

began

much astonished, "all this fuss ab

had for the first time come to her-the love that she could not feel for her husband awoke in her for her son. She was ennobled-she was t

ntation of the Virgin Mother. She would say, as she exhibited him: "Is he not superb?" Every one said: "Yes, indeed!" out of politeness, bu

er friend was able to sit up and be prettily dressed, as became the mother of such a little gentleman as the heir of all the Talbruns. When Jacqueli

s face is all the colors of the rainbow; who would have imagined it? And he crumples up his little face like t

rl, who did not care for children, could be a proper wife for Fr

ing," and profiting by her first tete-a-tete with Jacqueline's

ut what it costs to be a mother! How good of you, my dear Giselle! So you support Fred as a

s but her own. When the adroit Clotilde was at a loss, she was likely to

can do anything y

er woman

etains as much influence over her husband as you have kept ove

rmured Giselle, who knew hers

tter. You are

ere not talking

think about it. I will try to b

standing all that Madame de Villegry was at pains to tell her about his serious intentions. On the other hand, she wou

well if you, dear, were

s. You may not f

how well he loves her? Oh, then, I

line, as soon as she began to speak

in the flowery meads of Lizerolles, and browse where he would place me. Such a life would be an end of everything-an end to my life, and I should not like it at all. I should prefer to grow old in Paris, or some other capital, if my husband happened to be en

say you see too mu

n tell you, than all that you can do as mistress of a household. You don't think so? Oh! I know Enguerrand's first tooth, his first steps, his first gleams of intelligence, and all that. Such things are not in my line, you know. Of course I

"but you will give great pain to a g

ng. One does not know what to do with them. Can't he-po

elle; "liberty to ruin your l

up in another-that is the fate of many birds, I know, but there are others who like to use their wings to soar into the air. I like that e

ered with a

hort, its griefs and joys. You can not understand that now, but you will some day. You, too, will gaze upon the horizon as I do. I am ready to suffer; I am ready for self-sacrifice. I know now whither my life leads me. I am led, as it were, by

t the charm was broken by its ending with the tremendously long name of Enguerrand, which always made

ut one thing I see, and that is that you are not so perfectly happy as you would have us believe

un," said the young wife, for

mean t

u married Fred you would have had t

d idea. But I am gett

prett

" cried Giselle, with indign

ome and hear me play the castanets, if Monsieur Enguerrand can spare you? There is a young Polish pianist who is to play our accompaniment. Ah, there is nothing like a Polish pianist to play Chopin! He is charming, poo

dow-but some say

shall charity take refuge in this world if not in your heart? I

de Talbrun, turn

uld not tell him what was false; but by eluding the truth with that ability which kind-hearted women can always show