certain overtures relating to Simon and Cecile. After telling his wife
of Charles Keller's death, Phileas asked her opinion with an artless
"What do you think of that, wife?" which fully pictured his habit of
deferring to Severine's opinion in all things. Then he sat down in an
arm-chair and awaited her reply.

In 1839, Madame Beauvisage, then forty-four years old, was so
well-preserved that she might, in that respect, rival Mademoiselle
Mars. By calling to mind the most charming Celimene that the
Theatre-Francais ever had, an excellent idea of Severine Grevin's
appearance will be obtained. The same richness of coloring, the same
beauty of features, the same clearly defined outlines; but the hosier's
wife was short,--a circumstance which deprived her of that noble grace,
that charming coquetry _a la_ Sevigne, through which the great actress
commends herself to the memory of men who saw both the Empire and the
Restoration.

Provincial life and the rather careless style of dress into which, for
the last ten years, Severine had allowed herself to fall, gave a
somewhat common air to that noble profile and those beautiful
features; increasing plumpness was destroying the outlines of a figure
magnificently fine during the first twelve years of her married life.
But Severine redeemed these growing imperfections with a sovereign,
superb, imperious glance, and a certain haughty carriage of her head.
Her hair, still black and thick and long, was raised high upon her
head, giving her a youthful look. Her shoulders and bosom were snowy,
but they now rose puffily in a manner to obstruct the free movement of
the neck, which had grown too short. Her plump and dimpled arms ended
in pretty little hands that were, alas, too fat. She was, in fact, so
overdone with fulness of life and health that her flesh formed a