I thought the slight color which usually adorned the fair oval cheeks of
Adrienne deepened a little at this remark, and I certainly felt a little
tremor in the hand which held me; but it could not have been shame, as
the sweet girl often alluded to her poverty in a way so simple and
natural, as to prove that she had no false feelings on that subject. And
why should she? Poverty ordinarily causes no such sensations to those
who are conscious of possessing advantages of an order superior to
wealth, and surely a well-educated, well-born, virtuous girl need not
have blushed because estates were torn from her parents by a political
convulsion that had overturned an ancient and powerful throne.



CHAPTER IV.

>From this time, the charming Adrienne frequently visited the bleaching
grounds, always accompanied by her grandmother. The presence of
Georges was an excuse, but to watch the improvement in our
appearance was the reason. Never before had Adrienne seen a fabric
as beautiful as our own, and, as I afterwards discovered, she was laying
by a few francs with the intention of purchasing the piece, and of
working and ornamenting the handkerchiefs, in order to present them to
her benefactress, the dauphine. Mad. de la Rocheaimard was pleased
with this project; it was becoming in a de la Rocheaimard; and they
soon began to speak of it openly in their visits. Fifteen or twenty
napoleons might do it, and the remains of the recovered trousseau
would still produce that sum. It is probable this intention would have
been carried out, but for a severe illness that attacked the dear girl,
during which her life was even despaired of. I had the happiness of
hearing of her gradual recovery, however, before we commenced our