Page:Cerise, a tale of the last century (IA cerisetaleoflast00whytrich).pdf/178

 "I was never afraid of the wolf," answered the Marquise, laughing, "and lucky for me I was not, since the late king could not endure shy people, and if you showed the slightest symptoms of awkwardness or want of tact you were simply not asked again. But you are joking, my darling; you who need fear no criticism, with your youth, your freshness, the best dressmaker in Paris, and all that brown hair which Célandine talks of till the tears stand in her eyes."

"I hate my hair!" interrupted Cerise. "I think it's hideous! I wish it was black, like yours. A horrid man the other night at 'Madame's' took me for an English-*woman! He did, mamma! A Prince somebody, all over decorations. I could have run a pin into the wretch with pleasure. One of the things I like going out for is to watch my beautiful mamma, and the way to flatter me is to start back and hold up both hands, exclaiming, 'Ah! mademoiselle, none but the blind could take you for anything but the daughter of Madame la Marquise!' The Prince-Marshal does it every time we meet. Dear old man! that is why I am so fond of him."

The young lady illustrated this frank confession by an absurd little pantomime that mimicked her veteran admirer to the life, causing her mother to laugh heartily.

"I did not know he was such a favourite," said the Marquise. "You are in luck, my daughter. I expect him to pay us a visit this very evening."

Cerise made a comical little face of disgust.

"I shall go to bed before he catches me, then," she answered; "not that he is in the least out of favour; on the contrary, I love him dearly; but when he has been here five minutes I yawn, in ten I shut my eyes, and long before he gets to that bridge which Monsieur de Vendôme ought, or ought not, to have blown up—there—it's no use! The thing is stronger than I am, and I go fast asleep."

"And so my little rake is disappointed," said the elder lady, taking her child's pretty head caressingly between her hands. "She would like to have a ball, or a reception, or something that would make an excuse for a sumptuous toilet, and she finds it very wearisome to sit at home, even for one night, and take care of her old mother!"

"Very!" repeated the girl playfully, while her tone