two. The first time she went down to the lower floor she heard her
father exclaim, "Then, madame, do you wish to kill your daughter?"

"My poor dear!" said Virginie, in tears, "papa takes your part."

"And what do they want to do to Theodore?" asked the innocent girl.

Virginie, inquisitive, went down again; but this time she stayed
longer; she learned that Joseph Lebas loved Augustine. It was written
that on this memorable day, this house, generally so peaceful, should
be a hell. Monsieur Guillaume brought Joseph Lebas to despair by
telling him of Augustine's love for a stranger. Lebas, who had advised
his friend to become a suitor for Mademoiselle Virginie, saw all his
hopes wrecked. Mademoiselle Virginie, overcome by hearing that Joseph
had, in a way, refused her, had a sick headache. The dispute that had
arisen from the discussion between Monsieur and Madame Guillaume,
when, for the third time in their lives, they had been of antagonistic
opinions, had shown itself in a terrible form. Finally, at half-past
four in the afternoon, Augustine, pale, trembling, and with red eyes,
was haled before her father and mother. The poor child artlessly
related the too brief tale of her love. Reassured by a speech from her
father, who promised to listen to her in silence, she gathered courage
as she pronounced to her parents the name of Theodore de Sommervieux,
with a mischievous little emphasis on the aristocratic _de_. And
yielding to the unknown charm of talking of her feelings, she was
brave enough to declare with innocent decision that she loved Monsieur
de Sommervieux, that she had written to him, and she added, with tears
in her eyes: "To sacrifice me to another man would make me wretched."

"But, Augustine, you cannot surely know what a painter is?" cried her