marriage portion. From this day forth I shall think only of providing
for your mother, who must not be sacrificed to her children. Emilie,
if I were to be taken from my family Madame de Fontaine could not be
left at anybody's mercy, and ought to enjoy the affluence which I have
given her too late as the reward of her devotion in my misfortunes.
You see, my child, that the amount of your fortune bears no relation
to your notions of grandeur. Even that would be such a sacrifice as I
have not hitherto made for either of my children; but they have
generously agreed not to expect in the future any compensation for the
advantage thus given to a too favored child."

"In their position!" said Emilie, with an ironical toss of her head.

"My dear, do not so depreciate those who love you. Only the poor are
generous as a rule; the rich have always excellent reasons for not
handing over twenty thousand francs to a relation. Come, my child, do
not pout, let us talk rationally.--Among the young marrying men have
you noticed Monsieur de Manerville?"

"Oh, he minces his words--he says Zules instead of Jules; he is always
looking at his feet, because he thinks them small, and he gazes at
himself in the glass! Besides, he is fair. I don't like fair men."

"Well, then, Monsieur de Beaudenord?"

"He is not noble! he is ill made and stout. He is dark, it is true.
--If the two gentlemen could agree to combine their fortunes, and the
first would give his name and his figure to the second, who should
keep his dark hair, then--perhaps----"