order not to vex the faithful companion who lived, thought, and felt for
him alone; and Dame Neforis knew or guessed all this, and said to herself
that it would cost him his night's rest if he were to be told at once
what a concession Orion had made.

With Paula it was different. The sooner she learnt that she had nothing
to expect from their son, the better for her.

That very morning she and Orion had greeted each other like a couple of
lovers and just now they had parted like a promised bride and bridegroom.
She would not again be witness to such vexatious doings; so she went to
the young girl's room and confided to her with much satisfaction the
happy prospects her son had promised them,--only Paula must say nothing
about it till the day after to-morrow.

The moment she entered the room Paula inferred from her beaming
expression that she had something to say unpleasant to herself, so she
preserved due composure. Her face wore a look of unmoved indifference
while she submitted to the overflow of a too-happy mother's heart; and
she wished the betrothed couple joy: but she did so with a smile that
infuriated Neforis.

She was not on the whole spiteful; but face to face with this girl, her
nature was transformed, and she rather liked the idea of showing her,
once more in her life, that in her place humility would beseem her. All
this she said to herself as she quitted Paula's room; but perhaps this
woman, who had much that was good in her, might have felt some ruth, if
in the course of the next few hours she could but have looked into the
heart of the orphan entrusted to her protection. Only once did Paula sob
aloud; then she indignantly dried her tears, and sat for a long time