"The next day our marriage was decided, perfectly decided. Our waltz had
caused scandal. That was just what I wanted."

"There, Aunt Louise, is the history of our marriage, and I want to-day
to draw this conclusion: it is that I was the first to begin to love,
and I shall have, consequently, one day, when it pleases me, the right
to stop the first."

"Ah, no, indeed; tell her, Aunt Louise, that she will never have that
right--"

A new quarrel threatened to break out.

"This, my children," said the old aunt, "is all I have to say: she did,
in truth, start the first to love; but it seems to me, Gontran, that you
started all at once at such a great pace that you must have caught up
with her."

"Passed her, Aunt Louise."

"Oh no!" exclaimed Marceline.

"Oh yes--"

"Oh no--"

"Well," continued Aunt Louise, "try never to have any other quarrels
than that one. Try to walk always in life step by step, side by side,
and heart to heart. I have seen many inventions since I was born, and
the world is no longer what it was then. But there is one thing to which