comfortable income of--it matters not how many pounds, but
constituting quite a sufficiency to enable her to live at her ease
and educate her daughters.

Her children had been sent home to England before her husband's
death, and after that event she had followed them; but there, though
she was possessed of moderate wealth, she had no friends and few
acquaintances, and after a little while she had found life to be
rather dull. Her customs were not those of England, nor were her
propensities English; therefore she had gone abroad, and having
received some recommendation of this school at Le Puy, had made her
way thither. As it appeared to her that she really enjoyed more
consideration at Le Puy than had been accorded to her either at
Torquay or Leamington, there she remained from day to day. The
total payment required at the Hotel des Ambassadeurs was but six
francs daily for herself and three and a half for her little girl;
and where else could she live with a better junction of economy and
comfort? And then the gentleman who always sat next to her was so
exceedingly civil!

The gentleman's name was M. Lacordaire. So much she knew, and had
learned to call him by his name very frequently. Mimmy, too, was
quite intimate with M. Lacordaire; but nothing more than his name
was known of him. But M. Lacordaire carried a general letter of
recommendation in his face, manner, gait, dress, and tone of voice.
In all these respects there was nothing left to be desired; and, in
addition to this, he was decorated, and wore the little red ribbon
of the Legion of Honour, ingeniously twisted into the shape of a
small flower.