Although she had for
a while opposed the happiness and fortune awaiting her two eldest
girls, she yielded to those private considerations which husband and
wife confide to each other when their heads are resting on the same
pillow. Monsieur de Fontaine calmly pointed out to his wife, by exact
arithmetic that their residence in Paris, the necessity for
entertaining, the magnificence of the house which made up to them now
for the privations so bravely shared in La Vendee, and the expenses of
their sons, swallowed up the chief part of their income from salaries.
They must therefore seize, as a boon from heaven, the opportunities
which offered for settling their girls with such wealth. Would they
not some day enjoy sixty--eighty--a hundred thousand francs a year?
Such advantageous matches were not to be met with every day for girls
without a portion. Again, it was time that they should begin to think
of economizing, to add to the estate of Fontaine, and re-establish the
old territorial fortune of the family. The Countess yielded to such
cogent arguments, as every mother would have done in her place, though
perhaps with a better grace; but she declared that Emilie, at any
rate, should marry in such a way as to satisfy the pride she had
unfortunately contributed to foster in the girl's young soul.
Thus events, which ought to have brought joy into the family, had
introduced a small leaven of discord.
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