“But I wish to know, mademoiselle, whether you have anything very particular to say to me?” said Mrs. Marston.

“You wish to know!—­and why, pray madame?” asked Mademoiselle de Barras, sharply.

“Because, unless it is something very urgent, I should prefer your talking to me some other time; as, at present, I desire to be alone with my daughter.”

“Oh, ho!  I ought to ask pardon again,” said mademoiselle, with the same glance, and the same smile.  “I find I am de trop—­quite in the way.  Helas!  I am very unfortunate today.”

Mademoiselle de Barras made not the slightest movement, and it was evident that she was resolved to prolong her stay, in sheer defiance of Mrs. Marston’s wishes.

“Mademoiselle, I conclude from your silence that you have nothing very pressing to say, and, therefore, must request that you will have the goodness to leave me for the present,” said Mrs. Marston, who felt that the spirit of the French girl’s conduct was too apparent not to have been understood by Rhoda and the servant, and that it was of a kind, for example sake, impossible to be submitted to, or tolerated.

Mademoiselle de Barras darted a fiery and insolent glance at Mrs. Marston, and was, doubtless, upon the point of precipitating the open quarrel which was impending, by setting her authority at defiance; but she checked herself, and changed her line of operations.

“We are not alone madame,” she said, with a heightened color, and a slight toss of the head.  “I was about to speak of Mr. Marston.  I had something, not much, I confess, to say; but before servants I shan’t speak; nor, indeed, now at all.  So, madame, as you desire it, I shall no further interrupt you.  Come, Miss Rhoda, come to the music-room, if you please, and finish your practice for today.”

“You forget, mademoiselle, that I wish to have my daughter with me at present,” said Mrs. Marston.

“I am very sorry, madame,” said the French lady, with the same heightened color and unpleasant smile, and her finely-penciled brows just discernibly knit, so as to give a novel and menacing expression to her beautiful face—­“I am very sorry, madame, but she must, so long as I remain accountable for her education, complete her allotted exercises at the appointed hours; and nothing shall, I assure you, with my consent, interfere with these duties.  Come, Miss Rhoda, precede me, if you please, to the music-room.  Come, come.”

“Stay where you are, Rhoda,” said Mrs. Marston, firmly and gently, and betraying no symptom of excitement, except in a slight tremor of her voice, and a faint flush upon her cheek—­“Stay where you are, my dear child.  I am your mother, and, next to your father, have the first claim upon your obedience.  Mademoiselle,” she continued, addressing the Frenchwoman, calmly but firmly, “my daughter will remain here for some time longer, and you will have the goodness to withdraw.  I insist upon it, Mademoiselle de Barras.”