The Pension Beaurepas

him going forth upon a desultory stroll, with a certain lonesomeness of demeanour that attracted my sympathy. I hastily overtook him, and passed my hand into his venerable arm, a proceeding wh

, on benches and little chairs, or strolling beside the blue water. We joined the strollers, we observed our companions, and conversed on obvious topics. Some of these last, of course, were the pretty women who embellished the scene

with the other." It was at the other I was looking, for the other, to my surprise, was our interesting fellow-pensioner, the daughter of a vigilant mother. M. Pigeonneau,

ung ladies, who, like ourselves, were wa

y friend even before I had recognised

ts," remarked this young lady, prese

of her companion. "You had better accept of M

head a little inclined, while, upon her shoulder, she made her open parasol revolve. "Which i

gic governs your co

nderstand him when he

I do understan

ventured to hope,

ouldn't be much loss," r

osed his society upon Miss Ruck with a respectful, elderly grace which was evidently unable to see anything in her reluctance but modesty, and was subl

delightfully improper. I don't say that as a compliment to you,

I answered, "but this do

do that is wrong, is there? En morale, you know, I mean. Ah,

hose things until after one has d

never been enlightened? You

n making one's self

then, with her charming smile, "That's on

" I inquired, smiling to

inctl

what

une fille; no American girl is a jeune fille; an American girl is an intelligent, res

be very innocent; you

it?-ver

pretence.

erican girl," I ve

ttle flush in her cheek. "Voila!" she said. "There's my fa

went on. "An American girl would

d Aurora Church, with

uld she

, but I think I can tell you the things she wouldn't say. S

e. She would be simpler. To do very simple things t

. "I don't know whether you are a French girl, o

rike false notes!" crie

nt to avoid. I wish yo

t of us, had evidently not become a close one. The young lady suddenl

rike false note

to the little green tables and chairs which were set out on the gravel; M. Pigeonneau, fluttering with a sense of dissipation, seconded the proposal, and we pres

all," she said. "I never believed I should come to a cafe with

ght to see your mother

a spade the apex of a pink ice. And then she returned to her idea of a moment before: "You must promise to

usy, and people will thi

? Is that a false note? Why haven't you been 'attentive?' That

ss Ruck was much occupied with a large vanilla cream. "Because you ar

mma; elle s'y perd. I don't like her particularly; je n'en suis pas folle. But she gives me information; she tells me about Americ

id, "but in future, when you want informat

y with her. You couldn't do that, could you?" And the young girl looked at me a mome

erican girl," I said. "Are you going

me. It's a real nostalgie. She says that in New York-in Th

oubt you wou

iberty to b

have a certain liber

I shall be punished by mamma, and I

e of the

pin. Going to see Madame Galopin- mamma calls that being in European society. European society! I'm so sick of that expression; I have heard it since I was six years

ung lady was excited, and had a charming little passion in her eye- -

there are plenty of people like that. Mamma thinks so much of them simply because they are foreigners. If I could tell you all the dull, stupid, second-rate people I have had to talk to, for no better reason than that they wer

minent form of Mr. Ruck. She had evidently come in quest of her daughter, and if she had commanded this gentleman's attendance, it had been on no softer ground than that of his unenvied paternity to her guilty child's accomplice. My movement had given the alarm, and Aurora Church and M. Pigeonneau got up; Miss Ruck alone did not, in the local phrase, derange h

you, dearest,"

dear m

own at the relics of our little feast. "I was obliged to ask

life!" said Mr. Ruck, with friendly jocosity. "But you came pre

ch went on, without heeding this pleasa

ng; she looked round at us all, and, as her eyes met mine, I thought sh

er; "it is five o'clock. We are to

," Aurora declared. "T

ist you to carry her b

u

ttle gaze. "Do you prefer, then, to leave your dau

his hat and scratched

ow. How would you

Sophy, as Mrs. Church mar