For the first time in her life Mademoiselle de Fontaine felt
pleasure in a young girl's triumph. She lavished on Clara in all
sincerity the gracious petting and little attentions which women
generally give each other only to excite the jealousy of men. Emilie,
had, indeed, an object in view; she wanted to discover some secrets.
But, being a girl, Mademoiselle Longueville showed even more
mother-wit than her brother, for she did not even look as if she were
hiding a secret, and kept the conversation to subjects unconnected with
personal interests, while, at the same time, she gave it so much charm
that Mademoiselle de Fontaine was almost envious, and called her "the
Siren." Though Emilie had intended to make Clara talk, it was Clara,
in fact, who questioned Emilie; she had meant to judge her, and she
was judged by her; she was constantly provoked to find that she had
betrayed her own character in some reply which Clara had extracted
from her, while her modest and candid manner prohibited any suspicion
of perfidy. There was a moment when Mademoiselle de Fontaine seemed
sorry for an ill-judged sally against the commonalty to which Clara
had led her.
"Mademoiselle," said the sweet child, "I have heard so much of you
from Maximilien that I had the keenest desire to know you, out of
affection for him; but is not a wish to know you a wish to love you?"
"My dear Clara, I feared I might have displeased you by speaking thus
of people who are not of noble birth.
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