only me, if papa's second wife had to have so many. And so naughty! I
assure you, they were all devils; and no correction, no punishment, no
education--but you know Clementine! I tell you, sometimes on account
of those children I used to think myself in 'ell [making the Creole's
attempt and failure to pronounce the h], and Clementine had no pride
about them. If they had shoes, well; if they had not shoes, well
also.

[Illustration]

"'But Clementine!' I would expostulate, I would pray--

"'But do not be a fool, Mimi,' she would say. 'Am I God? Can I do
miracles? Or must I humiliate your papa?'

"That was true. Poor papa! It would have humiliated papa. When he had
money he gave; only it was a pity he had no money. As for what he
observed, he thought it was Clementine's negligence. For, it is true,
Clementine had no order, no industry, in the best of fortune as in the
worst. But to do her justice, it was not her fault this time, only she
let him believe it, to save his pride; and Clementine, you know, has a
genius for stories. I assure you, Louise, I was desperate. I prayed to
God to help me, to advise me. I could not teach--I had no education; I
could not go into a shop--that would be dishonoring papa--and _enfin_,
I was too pretty. 'And proclaim to the world,' Clementine would cry,
'that your papa does not make money for his family.' That was true. The
world is so malicious. You know, Louise, sometimes it seems to me
the world is glad to hear that a man cannot support his family; it
compliments those who can. As if papa had not intelligence, and honor,
and honesty! But they do not count now as in old times, 'before the