M. de Nidemerle laughed, and said the good lady had brought with her
a fair share of Calvinist severity. In fact, it was reported that
her conversion had been stimulated by the hope that she should be
endowed with her family property, and bestowed in marriage on the
young d'Aubepine, the father of the present youth, and that
disappointment in both these expectations had embittered her life. I
was filled with pity for my poor little sister-in-law, who evidently
was under her yoke; and all the more when, a day or two later, the
tow ladies came in great state to pay me a visit of ceremony, and I
saw how pale and thin was the little Countess, and how cowed she
seemed by the tall and severe duenna.

Little Gaspard was trotting about. The Marquis was delighted with
the child, and already loved him passionately; and the little fellow
was very good, and could amuse himself without troubling any one.

He took refuge with me from Mademoiselle de Gringrimeau; but as I
held him to kiss his aunt, her eyes filled with tears; and when I
asked whether her little girl could walk as well as he did, she
faltered so that I was startled, fearing that the child might have
died and I not have heard of it.

'She is out at nurse,' at last she murmured.

'Children are best at farms,' said Mademoiselle de Gringrimeau;
'Madame la Comtesse Douariere is not to be incommoded.' The old man
held out his arms to my little boy, and said something of his being a
pleasure instead of an inconvenience; but though the lady answered
politely, she looked so severe that my poor child hid his face on my
bosom and began to cry, by way of justifying her.