even help me this morning.  The Marquis looked and looked at me when I laughed, and then lifting his glass of vin ordinaire, he said:  “Les belles dents rendent gai.”  Wasn’t it nice of him?  I think it is hard he should be tied to Victorine.  He talked to me all the time after that, across Heloise, and considering she told me to be agreeable to him, I don’t see why she should have been annoyed.

After breakfast—­which we left as usual arm-in-arm—­we sat in the salon, while the Marquis and Jean went back to smoke.  It was appalling!  If Victorine had been a four-legged cat, she would have spit at me, but fortunately the two-legged ones can’t spit in drawing-rooms, so I escaped.  The Baronne, after a good deal of manoeuvring, got by me near the window, and then said in a distinct voice, “Ma petite cherie j’ai trop chaud, donnez-moi votre bras un instant;” and so we got outside on the terrace, where the huge orange trees in pots stand.

[Sidenote:  A Lecture on Duty]

As soon as we were out of earshot, she began to scold me.  Why had I attracted the Marquis? how naughty of me, when it was essential his debts should be paid, etc., etc.  If she had not been so nice, I should have been furious, and you can see, Mamma, how impossible to understand them it is; to be told one moment to be nice, and then, when one is, to be scolded!  I just said as respectfully as I could, that I had done nothing, and that Heloise had told me to do it, and the reason why.  That made the Baronne think a little.  I am sure she wished for the advice of Hippolyte; but the end of it was, that she asked me how much dot you were going to allow me!  I said I did not know, and that seemed to stump her.  At last she said she supposed, as we were people of consideration, and that I was the only child, it would be something considerable.  I do believe, Mamma, she was thinking that I might do for the Marquis!  It was only a question of having his debts paid—­any one who could do that would answer.  It did make me cross, just as if I would dream of marrying into a nation that eats badly, and doesn’t have a bath except to be smart.  Think of always having to shout across the table, day after day, and never to be able to do anything except by rules and regulations; and the stuffy rooms and the eight armchairs!  I saw myself! and probably ending up with a moustache, or an embonpoint, or something like that.

The Baronne at last patted my hand, and said:  Well, well, she supposed I had not meant anything, but that I must leave the Marquis alone, and turn my attention to “Gaston” (the Vicomte), who was really in love with me.  Then if I made him sufficiently miserable, he would be willing to fall in with another plan of hers, when I was gone, through sheer desoeuvrement.  So you see, Mamma, they look upon me as a regular catspaw, and I won’t put up with it.  I shall just talk to the Marquis or “Gaston” whenever I like, I was quite polite to the Baronne, because she is such a dear; but I am afraid, if Godmamma had said it all, I should have been impudent.