ily, thanks to the less intellectual blood of her mother, who came of a family of provincial countryfolk. Zola has accustomed us so thoroughly to examining the hereditary problems of the persons whom we evoke in literature that we novelists, writers of short stories, and painters of cruel portraits can never lose sight of them. And so Marie Delestre did not look in the least like the decadent offshoot of a family of teachers who had overdone her studies. She was a short, bright, lively, sonsy little woman, with a wealth of dark, curly hair; and, as her certificates showed, she had sufficient intelligence to teach young people French and the first principles of music. She herself played the piano very well. She was absolutely likable, in spite of a touch of professional pedantry which she had inherited on her father's side. She was a pleasant, capable girl of nineteen, who intended to make her way in the world and cherished a dutiful and affectionate feeling for her old people. No one, painting her portrait as a young girl, could have introduced any cruel emphasis, however much he might have wished to do so.
III
Marie Delestre arrived at Bucharest. She was tired after her long journey, just a little nervous, and, now that she had come so far, frightened of this foreign princely family. She would be fetched at the station, they had written to tell her; and her eyes were looking out for a footman, for the face of a clean-shaven footman, when a charming young man came up to her, hat in hand, and asked:
"Are you Mlle Delestre?"
Marie said yes. And the young fellow introduced himself as Prince Basile Chalcondylas, who had come to meet the new governess at the station. Marie was surprised and did not understand; and Prince Basile had to explain that, besides the two sons and the daughter whom she was to teach, there was also an eldest son, who of course had not been mentioned in the letters. He, Basile, was this eldest son. He led her to his little car, which he drove himself, and took her home, where Marie was received by the parents, the prince and princess, and made the acquaintance of her three pupils, two big, unruly boys and a naughty girl who put out her tongue at her.
