She looked down with disdain on the calm, uninterrupted activity of the sweet girl, which every one had observed and admired; and when something was said of the care which Ottilie took of the garden and of the hot-houses, she not only spoke scornfully of it, in affecting to be surprised, if it were so, at there being neither flowers nor fruit to be seen, not caring to consider that they were living in the depth of winter, but every faintest scrap of green, every leaf, every bud which showed, she chose to have picked every day and squandered on ornamenting the rooms and tables, and Ottilie and the gardener were not a little distressed to see their hopes for the next year, and perhaps for a longer time, destroyed in this wanton recklessness.

As little would she be content to leave Ottilie to her quiet work at home, in which she could live with so much comfort.  Ottilie must go with them on their pleasure-parties and sledging-parties; she must be at the balls which were being got up all about the neighborhood.  She was not to mind the snow, or the cold, or the night-air, or the storm; other people did not die of such things, and why should she?  The delicate girl suffered not a little from it all, but Luciana gained nothing.  For although Ottilie went about very simply dressed, she was always, at least so the men thought, the most beautiful person present.  A soft attractiveness gathered them all about her; no matter whereabouts in the great rooms she was, first or last, it was always the same.  Even Luciana’s bridegroom was constantly occupied with her; the more so, indeed, because he desired her advice and assistance in a matter with which he was just then engaged.

He had cultivated the acquaintance of the Architect.  On seeing his collection of works of art, he had taken occasion to talk much with him on history and on other matters, and especially from seeing the chapel had learnt to appreciate his talent.  The Baron was young and wealthy.  He was a collector; he wished to build.  His love for the arts was keen, his knowledge small.  In the Architect he thought that he had found the man he wanted; that with his assistance there was more than one aim at which he could arrive at once.  He had spoken to his bride of what he wished.  She praised him for it, and was infinitely delighted with the proposal.  But it was more, perhaps, that she might carry off this young man from Ottilie (for whom she fancied she saw in him a kind of inclination), than because she thought of applying his talents to any purpose.  He had shown himself, indeed, very ready to help at any of her extemporized festivities, and had suggested various resources for this thing and that.  But she always thought she understood better than he what should be done, and as her inventive genius was usually somewhat common, her designs could be as well executed with the help of a tolerably handy domestic as with that of the most finished artist.  Further than to an altar on which something was to be offered, or to a crowning, whether of a living head or of one of plaster of paris, the force of her imagination could not ascend, when a birthday, or other such occasion, made her wish to pay some one an especial compliment.