ances which might well have troubled a mind less innocent than hers.
She went to Mme. de la Vaudraye, in the afternoon, and begged her to reconsider her decision.
"It is no use asking me," cried Mme. de la Vaudraye. "I admit that, in writing to those two gentlemen, I did no more than my duty; but it was my son who pointed out to me how imperative that duty was."
She was in a bad temper and, when all is said, with reason. No mistress of a house lightly gives up two individuals of the undoubted merit of M. Beaufrelant and M. le Hourteulx. She called out:
"Guillaume, Mme. Armand wants to talk to you!"
And, when her son entered the room, she went out.
Gilberte, who was always frightened by Guillaume's obvious coldness and his excessive reserve, blushed as she made her request. Ought so much importance to be attached to
