be kept, by showing him that you are willing to accept his friendship, but will not encourage one step that leads toward the forfeiture of any obligation."
"I am sure, mother," she said, hastily lifting her head, "if he knew it he would not take such a step, however much encouragement I might give him."
"Is it possible you have left him in ignorance, Marie?"
Again she dropped her eyes, and was silent.
"Well, well, my daughter," she resumed, replacing the arm, which for a moment she had withdrawn, "I will not reproach you. It is not too late, I hope. Let him know your position without delay. It will be better for all parties. And now, I must go to your father. You will have some preparations to make, and"—after a pause—"I hope we may never have occasion to return to this subject."
She turned away as she spoke, and entered the sick-chamber of her husband, leaving her daughter occupied with reflections the most unhappy her young life had yet known.
The "circumstances" referred to by the mother are essential to our story.
Among the French customs which the shifting of population and consequent change of social manners had not entirely abrogated, was that of affiancing children in their infancy—a blind, pernicious system of anticipation, which mortgages the Future to the mercenary wants or conveniences of the Present, and plants the seeds of superfluous immorality, whereof spontaneous growth is sure to yield a sufficient harvest. In accordance with this custom, Marie had been, in her sixth year, affianced to young Napoleon Le Vert, then a youth of ten summers, the son of M. Lefrette's partner in business. During the eleven years which had since elapsed, each had been reared and taught to look upon the other as the companion of the future; and though, after reaching those years which gave them a place in society, neither had shown much attachment to the other, the only effect of this indifference had been to conceal the knowledge of their fiançailles from their acquaintance, or to let it die to their remembrance; for the parents of both still viewed the contract as irrevocable.
This arrangement had been ratified—perhaps suggested—by
