a few moments, and then, without smile or kiss, or endearing syllable, rise and lead it back to Trinette.
Her demeanor to the oldest girl was equally characteristic in another way. This was a vicious child. "Quelle peste que cette Désirée! Quel poison que cet enfant là!" were the expressions dedicated to her, alike in kitchen and in school-room. Amongst her other endowments she boasted an exquisite skill in the art of provocation, sometimes driving her bonne and the servants almost wild. She would steal to their attics, open their drawers and boxes, wantonly tear their best caps and soil their best shawls; she would watch her opportunity to get at the buffet of the salle à manger, where she would smash articles of porcelain or glass—or to the cupboard of the storeroom, where she would plunder the preserves, drink the sweet wine, break jars and bottles, and so contrive as to throw the onus of suspicion on the cook and the kitchen-maid. All this when madame saw, and of which, when she received report, her sole observation, uttered with matchless serenity, was:
"Désirée a besoin d'une surveillance toute particulière". Accordingly she kept this promising olive-branch a good deal on her side. Never once, I believe, did she tell her faithfully of her faults, explain the evil of such habits, and show the results which must then ensue. Surveillance must work the whole cure. It failed of course. Désirée was kept in some measure from the servants, but she teased and pillaged her mamma instead. Whatever, belonging to madame's work-table or toilet, she could lay her hands on, she stole and hid. Madame saw all this, but she still pretended not to see: she had not rectitude of soul to confront the child with her vices. When an article disappeared whose value rendered restitution necessary, she would profess to think that Désirée had taken it away in play, and beg her to restore it. Désirée was not to be so cheated: she had learned to bring falsehood to the aid of theft, and would deny having touched the brooch, ring, or scissors. Carrying on the hollow system, the mother would calmly assume an air of belief, and afterwards ceaselessly watch and dog the child till she tracked her to her hiding places—some hole in the garden wall—some chink or cranny in garret or out-house. This done, madame would send Désirée out for a walk with her bonne, and profit by
