“Of course we remember our obligations to your Lamartine during our Revolution, and the other brave Frenchmen who helped us.”

“You mean Lafayette, dear,” whispered Jenny quickly, as the lady smiled and bowed bewildered by the queerly pronounced French, but catching the poet’s name.

“I know what I mean; you needn’t trouble yourself to correct and interrupt me when I’m talking,” answered Ethel, in her pert way, annoyed by a smile on the face of the girl opposite, and Jenny’s blush at her rudeness and ingratitude.  She regretted both when Jane explained the matter afterward, and wished that she had at once corrected what would then have passed as a slip of the tongue.  Now it was too late; but she kept quiet and gave Miss Cholmondeley no more chances to smile in that aggravatingly superior way, though it was very natural, as she was a highly educated girl.

Thinking of this, and many other mistakes of her own from which Jane tried to save her, Ethel felt a real remorse, and walked silently on, wondering how she could reward this kind creature who had served her so well and was so anxious to get on in her hard, humble way.  The orders were all given now, the shopping nearly done, and Mademoiselle Campan, the elderly French lady who boarded at their Pension, was always ready to jaunt about and be useful; so why not give Jane a holiday, and let her grub and study for the little while left them in Paris?  In a fortnight Uncle Sam was to pick up the girls and take them home, while the Homers went to Rome for the winter.  It would be well to take Miss Bassett back in a good humor, so that her report would please Mamma, and appease Papa if he were angry at the amount of money spent by his extravagant little daughter.  Ethel saw now, as one always does when it is too late to repair damages, many things left undone which she ought to have done, and regretted living for herself instead of putting more pleasure into the life of this good girl, whose future seemed so uninviting to our young lady with her first season very near.

It was a kind plan, and gratified Jenny very much when it was proposed and proved to her that no duty would be neglected if she went about with the Homers and left her charge to the excellent lady who enjoyed chiffons as much as Ethel did, and was glad to receive pretty gifts in return for her services.

But alas for Ethel’s good resolutions and Jenny’s well-earned holiday!  Both came to nothing, for Ethel fell ill from too much pastry, and had a sharp bilious attack which laid her up till the uncle arrived.

Every one was very kind, and there was no danger; but the days were long, the invalid very fretful, and the nurse very tired, before the second week brought convalescence and a general cheering and clearing up took place.  Uncle Sam was amusing himself very comfortably while he waited for his niece to be able to travel, and the girls were beginning to pack by degrees, for the accumulation of Ethel’s purchases made her share a serious task.