I felt as if I should lose my reason.
'There now, dear Maud, we have heard enough; it is, I do believe, a
delusion. Madame de la Rougierre will be your companion, at the utmost, for
three or four weeks. Do exercise a little of your self-command and
good sense--you know how I am tortured. Do not, I entreat, add to my
perplexities. You may make yourself very happy with Madame if you will, I
have no doubt.'
'I propose to Mademoiselle,' said Madame, drying her eyes with a gentle
alacrity, 'to profit of my visit for her education. But she does not seem
to weesh wat I think is so useful.'
'She threatened me with some horrid French vulgarism--_de faire baiser le
babouin a moi_, whatever that means; and I know she hates me,' I replied,
impetuously.
'Doucement--doucement!' said my uncle, with a smile at once amused and
compassionate. 'Doucement! ma chere.'
With great hands and cunning eyes uplifted, Madame tearfully--for her tears
came on short notice--again protested her absolute innocence. She had never
in all her life so much as heard one so villain phrase.
'You see, my dear, you have misheard; young people never attend.
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