intelligence, but of my attention I certainly am very sure; but since
it is solely for my own good that I am doing my best to apply myself to
this work, there is no reason why you should compliment me on it."

With these words I bowed to him and withdrew to my room, where I
immediately did the French exercise that he had set me.

When I went down to luncheon, I saw that Edmee was already aware of the
execution of the promise I had made the previous evening. She at once
greeted me with outstretched hand, and frequently during luncheon called
me her "dear cousin," till at last M. de la Marche's face, which was
usually expressionless, expressed surprise or something very near it. I
was hoping that he would take the opportunity to demand an explanation
of my insulting words of the previous day; and although I had resolved
to discuss the matter in a spirit of great moderation, I felt very much
hurt at the care which he took to avoid it. This indifference to an
insult that I had offered implied a sort of contempt, which annoyed
me very much; but the fear of displeasing Edmee gave me strength to
restrain myself.

Incredible as it may seem, my resolve to supplant him was not for one
moment shaken by this humiliating apprenticeship which I had now to
serve before I could manage to obtain the most elementary notions of
things in general. Any other than I, filled like myself with remorse
for wrongs committed, would have found no surer method of repairing them
than by going away, and restoring to Edmee her perfect independence and
absolute peace of mind. This was the only method which did not occur
to me; or if it did, it was rejected with scorn, as a sign of apostasy.
Stubbornness, allied to temerity, ran through my veins with the blood
of the Mauprats. No sooner had I imagined a means of winning her whom