the pearly dew. Ah, happy hour! ah, happy days of youth and innocence
and first love!

Trouble loves to intrude on these halcyon days.

The usually quiet Josephine came flying from the house, pale and
agitated, and clung despairingly to Rose, and then fell to sobbing and
lamenting piteously.

I shall take leave to relate in my own words what had just occurred
to agitate her so. When she entered her mother's room, she found the
baroness and Perrin the notary seated watching for her. She sat down
after the usual civilities, and Perrin entered upon the subject that had
brought him.

He began by confessing to them that he had not overcome the refractory
creditor without much trouble; and that he had since learned there was
another, a larger creditor, likely to press for payment or for sale of
the estate. The baroness was greatly troubled by this communication: the
notary remained cool as a cucumber, and keenly observant. After a pause
he went on to say all this had caused him grave reflections. "It seems,"
said he with cool candor, "a sad pity the estate should pass from a
family that has held it since the days of Charlemagne."

"Now God forbid!" cried the baroness, lifting her eyes and her quivering
hands to heaven.

The notary held the republican creed in all its branches. "Providence,
madame, does not interfere--in matters of business," said he. "Nothing
but money can save the estate. Let us then be practical. Has any means