Monsieur, Madame and Bebe, Complete

of P---

te-S

llege. How well I remember our long talks under the great trees, the pious pilgrimages we daily made to the Father Superior's Calvary, our charming readings, the darting forth of our two souls toward the eternal

learned to love still more the innocent ignorance of my past existence. Wiser than myself, you have remained in the service of the Lord; you have understood the divine mission which had been reserved for you; you have been unwilling to step over the profane threshold and to enter the world, that cavern, I ought to s

ay, to submit to the exigencies imposed by the name I bear, and also to the will of my father, who destined me for a military career in o

do not fear for my own salvation, but I am shocked when I think of the future of our modern society, and I pray the Lord fervently, from a heart untainted by sin, not to turn away His countenance in wrath from our unhappy country. Even here, at the seat of my cousin, the Marchioness K---de C---, where I am at the present moment, I can discover nothing but frivolity among the men, and dangerous coquetry among the women. The pernicious atmosphere of the period seems to pervade even the highest rank of the F

base depravity, but I have heard with poignant grief men with

, distinguished by a frivolity and a faculty for being carried away with allurements which are shocking in th

that, in this hot weather, all those staying at the house go at the same time, together, and, without distinction of sex, bathe in it? A simple garment of thin stuff, and very tight, somewhat imperfectly screens the strangely daring modesty of the ladies. Forgive me,

esented it with a species of disgust easy to understand, while I positively refused to take part in them. To speak the

rchioness sent for me, and managed the affair so neatly

g costumes both of the Marchioness and

me of your abilities has reached us here from your co

ry physical acquirements, cousin," I

ing aroma with which her hair was impregnated. You

sical advantages are not

d besides, it denoted a familiarity which I did not care for. It was, on the part of the Marchioness, one of the consequences of tha

make a very handsome cavalier, my dear Robert, and that which you now lack is easy to acquire. For instance, yo

met these advances with a frigidity of man

irm and icy look. Then only, for I had not before cast my eyes on her, did I notice the peculiar elegance of her toil

e too slight fabric of a transparent gauze; in short, the desire to please was displayed in her by all the details of

on, in the language of society, denotes that prominence of the cranium which is to be seen at the back of ladies' heads. It is produced by making coils or plaits of their long hair. I have cause to believe, from ce

tremble every moment in such weather lest Monsieur de Beaurenard's nose

ch she, no doubt, took for approbation, for she then launched out into conversation-an indescribable flow of chatter, blending the most profane sentiments with the strangest religious ideas, the quiet of the c

ot, this charming li

y, my dea

t their battered trunks! How strange, too, that young foliage, so elegant, so silvery, those branches so slender

curse a vegeta

obate of the bank there is expiating and suffering, that old Quasimodo of the fields. What would you that I should do about it, my cousin, for that is th

of faith, that I am obliged, in order to explain their coming fro

ar Robert. You are not a baby, you know! Come, go and get read

f the sides of the tent, with unmistakable coquet

this conventional garment. How many times have you not helped me to execute this little task about which I was so awkward. Briefly, I entered the water and was about to strike out when the sound of the marchioness

y any more about that frightful waterproof cap. The water gets inside and

ip's hair wi

ue dress this evening; blond powder will go with it exactly. My child, you are becoming foolish. I

ladyship would find it

ches just here? See how it wrinkles up; it is ridic

sin was somewhat impatiently assuming the costume in questi

reedom of action. You can not get it into your head, Julie, that this material will

ind these preoccupations to be so frivolous that I was pained at being even the involuntary recipient of them, a

d yet?" said my cousin, raising her voice; then softly, and addressing

n the fine sand, drawing from her fingers as she did so, the gold rings she was accustomed to wear; then she stopped, handed them to Julie, and, with a moveme

e me to remark the singularity of her gait. She walked w

e was a comical-looking young man, at once slender yet afflicted by an unnatural plumpness, one of those beings who appear to us in dreams, and

thinking? Give me your hand and

f her arched foot int

o be delightful to-day," said she. "But what is the matter w

air went to my head, and with my delicate nerves you will readily understand that I was about to faint. I mastered this sensation, however. S

broke out into ringing bursts of laughter, and drew closer and closer to me. Finally, she stopped, and turning she looked straight into my eyes. I felt then

obert. Legs straight and extended, arms cl

, and move your hand

-off! Oh, what a little goose I am, I'm afra

upport coquettes, and I will not." But I did not dare say that; my tongue remained silen

mistake; perhaps

the blood in my body rushed back to my heart-a deadly thrill ran through every limb-from shame and indignation, no doubt; my vision became obscu

neck, her clenched fingers sink deep into my fl

bathing-dress, which was streaming with water, was holding a vinaigrette to my nose. She looked at me se

great baby!

bestow on me the favor of your counsel, and thank

eart a

incere

DE K---