to be living near the town where our home was for some years. Her
husband had an appointment there. They had only one child, a daughter
named Célestine like her mother, who died, and my mother helped to nurse
her in her last illness, which made Madame d'Ermont very fond of her.
Indeed, I think she was very fond of us all,' she added with a little
smile, 'and I think I was a special pet of hers. Through her kindness
I had many advantages in my education. But when she and Monsieur, as we
always called him, went back to France troublous times came on. We lost
sight of them altogether. Still, I have never forgotten the dear lady,
and I determined to give my little girl her name.'

Mrs. Vane listened with the greatest interest.

'"Madame d'Ermont," did you say?' she asked eagerly, and on Mrs.
Fairchild's answering 'Yes'--'It must be the same,' she went on; 'our
Madame d'Ermont's name was Célestine too. She was, or is, for I hope she
is still living, a great friend of ours too, Mrs. Fairchild. We spent
two winters in the south of France near her home, and we saw a great
deal of her. It is a pity for you not to have kept up writing to her;
she is very kind and very rich and childless--she might be a good friend
to her little name-daughter.'

Mrs. Fairchild's face flushed again: I rather think Biddy had inherited
something of her habit of hasty speech from her mother, kind-hearted and
good as Mrs. Vane was.

'It would not be from any motive of _that_ kind I should like to hear
from Madame d'Ermont again,' said Celestina's mother. 'It is true our
child has no one to look to but ourselves, and neither her father nor
I can boast of very strong health--but still----'