“MY DEAR MADAME DE FLEURY,

“I love you—­I wish you were here again—­I will be very very good whilst you are away.  If you stay away ever so long, I shall never forget you, nor your goodness; but I hope you will soon be able to come back, and this is what I pray for every night.  Sister Frances says I may tell you that I am very good, and Victoire thinks so too.”

This was the substance of several of their little letters.  Victoire’s contained rather more information:—­

“You will be glad to learn that dear Sister Frances is safe, and that the good chestnut-woman, in whose cellar she took refuge, did not get into any difficulty.  After you were gone, M. T—–­ said that he did not think it worth while to pursue her, as it was only you he wanted to humble.  Manon, who has, I do not know how, means of knowing, told me this.  Sister Frances is now with her abbess, who, as well as everybody else that knows her, is very fond of her.  What was a convent is no longer a convent—­the nuns are turned out of it.  Sister Frances’ health is not so good as it used to be, though she never complains.  I am sure she suffers much; she has never been the same person since that day when we were driven from our happy schoolroom.  It is all destroyed—­the garden and everything.  It is now a dismal sight.  Your absence also afflicts Sister Frances much, and she is in great anxiety about all of us.  She has the six little ones with her every day in her own apartment, and goes on teaching them as she used to do.  We six eldest go to see her as often as we can.  I should have begun, my dear Madame de Fleury, by telling you, that, the day after you left Paris, I went to deliver all the letters you were so very kind to write for us in the midst of your hurry.  Your friends have been exceedingly good to us, and have got places for us all.  Rose is with Madame la Grace, your mantua-maker, who says she is more handy and more expert at cutting out than girls she has had these three years.  Marianne is in the service of Madame de V—–­, who has lost a great part of her large fortune, and cannot afford to keep her former waiting-maid.  Madame de V—–­ is well pleased with Marianne, and bids me tell you that she thanks you for her.  Indeed, Marianne, though she is only fourteen, can do everything her lady wants.  Susanne is with a confectioner.  She gave Sister Frances a box of bonbons of her own making this morning; and Sister Frances, who is a judge, says they are excellent—­she only wishes you could taste them.  Annette and I (thanks to your kindness!) are in the same service with Madame Feuillot, the brodeuse, to whom you recommended us.  She is not discontented with our work, and, indeed, sent a very civil message yesterday to Sister Frances on this subject; but believe it is too flattering for me to repeat in this letter.  We shall do our best to give her satisfaction.  She is glad to find that we