"Yes, to-day we must stay with papa, mustn't we? He is so kind!"

The two--mother and daughter--were silent a moment, occupied with the
same tender thoughts.

"And now we will persuade him to go out with us, shan't we, mother
dear?"

"That will be the very best thing for both of you," agreed Madame
Darbois, and she went to make her preparations.

Left alone, Esperance cast aside her blue dress and surveyed herself
in the long mirror. Her eyes were asking the questions that perplexed
her whole being. She raised herself lightly on her little feet. "Oh!
yes, surely I am going to be tall. I am only fifteen, and I am quite
tall for my age. Oh! yes, I shall be tall." She came very close to the
mirror and examined herself closely, hypnotizing herself little by
little. She beheld herself under a million different aspects. Her whole
life seemed passing before her, shadowy figures came and went--one of
them, the most persistent, seemed to keep stretching towards her long
appealing arms. She shivered, recoiled abruptly, and passing her hand
across her forehead, dispelled the dizzy visions that were gathering
there.

When her mother returned she found her quietly reading Victor Hugo,
studying "_Dona Sol_" in _Hernani_. She had not heard the opening
of the door, and she started at finding her mother close beside her.

"You see, I am not going to lose any time," she said, closing the
book. "Ah! mama, how happy I am, how happy!"