them　as　they　played　about　her　with　a　sense　of　contentment　which
  renewed　her　strength　and　refreshed　her　heart；　the　poor　woman　was
  called　upon　to　bear　the　sharp　sarcasms　and　attacks　of　an　angry
  opposition。　The　count；　alarmed　at　the　plans　she　proposed；　denied　with
  stolid　obstinacy　the　advantages　of　all　she　had　done　and　the
  possibility　of　doing　more。　He　replied　to　conclusive　reasoning　with　the
  folly　of　a　child　who　denies　the　influence　of　the　sun　in　summer。　The
  countess；　however；　carried　the　day。　The　victory　of　commonsense　over
  insanity　so　healed　her　wounds　that　she　forgot　the　battle。　That　day　we
  all　went　to　the　Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere；　to　decide　upon　the
  buildings。　The　count　walked　alone　in　front；　the　children　went　next；
  and　we　ourselves　followed　slowly；　for　she　was　speaking　in　a　low；
  gentle　tone；　which　made　her　words　like　the　murmur　of　the　sea　as　it
  ripples　on　a　smooth　beach。
  She　was；　she　said；　certain　of　success。　A　new　line　of　communication
  between　Tours　and　Chinon　was　to　be　opened　by　an　active　man；　a　carrier；
  a　cousin　of　Manette's；　who　wanted　a　large　farm　on　the　route。　His
  family　was　numerous；　the　eldest　son　would　drive　the　carts；　the　second
  could　attend　to　the　business；　the　father　living　half…way　along　the
  road；　at　Rabelaye；　one　of　the　farms　then　to　let；　would　look　after　the
  relays　and　enrich　his　land　with　the　manure　of　the　stables。　As　to　the
  other　farm；　la　Baude；　the　nearest　to　Clochegourde；　one　of　their　own
  people；　a　worthy；　intelligent；　and　industrious　man；　who　saw　the
  advantages　of　the　new　system　of　agriculture；　was　ready　to　take　a　lease
  on　it。　The　Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere　need　give　no　anxiety；　their　soil
  was　the　very　best　in　the　neighborhood；　the　farm…houses　once　built；　and
  the　ground　brought　into　cultivation；　it　would　be　quite　enough　to
  advertise　them　at　Tours；　tenants　would　soon　apply　for　them。　In　two
  years'　time　Clochegourde　would　be　worth　at　least　twenty…four　thousand
  francs　a　year。　Gravelotte；　the　farm　in　Maine；　which　Monsieur　de
  Mortsauf　had　recovered　after　the　emigration；　was　rented　for　seven
  thousand　francs　a　year　for　nine　years；　his　pension　was　four　thousand。
  This　income　might　not　be　a　fortune；　but　it　was　certainly　a　competence。
  Later；　other　additions　to　it　might　enable　her　to　go　to　Paris　and
  attend　to　Jacques'　education；　in　two　years；　she　thought；　his　health
  would　be　established。
  With　what　feeling　she　uttered　the　word　〃Paris！〃　I　knew　her　thought；
  she　wished　to　be　as　little　separated　as　possible　from　her　friend。　On
  that　I　broke　forth；　I　told　her　that　she　did　not　know　me；　that　without
  talking　of　it；　I　had　resolved　to　finish　my　education　by　working　day
  and　night　so　as　to　fit　myself　to　be　Jacques'　tutor。　She　looked　grave。
  〃No；　Felix；〃　she　said；　〃that　cannot　be；　any　more　than　your　priesthood。
  I　thank　you　from　my　heart　as　a　mother；　but　as　a　woman　who　loves　you
  sincerely　I　can　never　allow　you　to　be　the　victim　of　your　attachment　to
  me。　Such　a　position　would　be　a　social　discredit　to　you；　and　I　could
  not　allow　it。　No！　I　cannot　be　an　injury　to　you　in　any　way。　You；
  Vicomte　de　Vandenesse；　a　tutor！　You；　whose　motto　is　'Ne　se　vend！'　Were
  you　Richelieu　himself　it　would　bar　your　way　in　life；　it　would　give　the
  utmost　pain　to　your　family。　My　friend；　you　do　not　know　what　insult
  women　of　the　world；　like　my　mother；　can　put　into　a　patronizing　glance；
  what　degradation　into　a　word；　what　contempt　into　a　bow。〃
  〃But　if　you　love　me；　what　is　the　world　to　me？〃
  She　pretended　not　to　hear；　and　went　on：
  〃Though　my　father　is　most　kind　and　desirous　of　doing　all　I　ask；　he
  would　never　forgive　your　taking　so　humble　a　position；　he　would　refuse
  you　his　protection。　I　could　not　consent　to　your　becoming　tutor　to　the
  Dauphin　even。　You　must　accept　society　as　it　is；　never　commit　the　fault
  of　flying　in　the　face　of　it。　My　friend；　this　rash　proposal　of〃
  〃Love；〃　I　whispered。
  〃No；　charity；〃　she　said；　controlling　her　tears；　〃this　wild　idea
  enlightens　me　as　to　your　character；　your　heart　will　be　your　bane。　I
  shall　claim　from　this　moment　the　right　to　teach　you　certain　things。
  Let　my　woman's　eye　see　for　you　sometimes。　Yes；　from　the　solitudes　of
  Clochegourde　I　mean　to　share；　silently；　contentedly；　in　your
  successes。　As　to　a　tutor；　do　not　fear；　we　shall　find　some　good　old
  abbe；　some　learned　Jesuit；　and　my　father　will　gladly　devote　a　handsome
  sum　to　the　education　of　the　boy　who　is　to　bear　his　name。　Jacques　is　my
  pride。　He　is；　however；　eleven　years　old；〃　she　added　after　a　pause。
  〃But　it　is　with　him　as　with　you；　when　I　first　saw　you　I　took　you　to　be
  about　thirteen。〃
  We　now　reached　the　Cassine；　where　Jacques；　Madeleine；　and　I　followed
  her　about　as　children　follow　a　mother；　but　we　were　in　her　way；　I　left
  her　presently　and　went　into　the　orchard　where　Martineau　the　elder；
  keeper　of　the　place；　was　discussing　with　Martineau　the　younger；　the
  bailiff；　whether　certain　trees　ought　or　ought　not　to　be　taken　down；
  they　were　arguing　the　matter　as　if　it　concerned　their　own　property。　I
  then　saw　how　much　the　countess　was　beloved。　I　spoke　of　it　to　a　poor
  laborer；　who；　with　one　foot　on　his　spade　and　an　elbow　on　its　handle；
  stood　listening　to　the　two　doctors　of　pomology。
  〃Ah；　yes；　monsieur；〃　he　answered；　〃she　is　a　good　woman；　and　not
  haughty　like　those　hussies　at　Azay；　who　would　see　us　die　like　dogs
  sooner　than　yield　us　one　penny　of　the　price　of　a　grave！　The　day　when
  that　woman　leaves　these　parts　the　Blessed　Virgin　will　weep；　and　we
  too。　She　knows　what　is　due　to　her；　but　she　knows　our　hardships；　too；
  and　she　puts　them　into　the　account。〃
  With　what　pleasure　I　gave　that　man　all　the　money　I　had。
  A　few　days　later　a　pony　arrived　for　Jacques；　his　father；　an　excellent
  horseman；　wishing　to　accustom　the　child　by　degrees　to　the　fatigues　of
  such　exercise。　The　boy　had　a　pretty　riding…dress；　bought　with　the
  product　of　the　nuts。　The　morning　when　he　took　his　first　lesson
  accompanied　by　his　father　and　by　Madeleine；　who　jumped　and　shouted
  about　the　lawn　round　which　Jacques　was　riding；　was　a　great　maternal
  festival　for　the　countess。　The　boy　wore　a　blue　collar　embroidered　by
  her；　a　little　sky…blue　overcoat　fastened　by　a　polished　leather　belt；　a
  pair　of　white　trousers　pleated　at　the　waist；　and　a　Scotch　cap；　from
  which　his　fair　hair　flowed　in　heavy　locks。　He　was　charming　to　behold。
  All　the　servants　clustered　round　to　share　the　domestic　joy。　The　little
  heir　smiled　at　his　mother　as　he　passed　her；　sitting　erect；　and　quite
  fearless。　This　first　manly　act　of　a　child　to　whom　death　had　often
  seemed　so　near；　the　promise　of　a　sound　future　warranted　by　this　ride
  which　showed　him　so　handsome；　so　fresh；　so　rosy；what　a　reward　for
  all　her　cares！　Then　too　the　joy　of　the　father；　who　seemed　to　renew　his
  youth；　and　who　smiled　for　the　first　time　in　many　long　months；　the
  pleasure　shown　on　all　faces；　the　shout　of　an　old　huntsman　of　the
  Lenoncourts；　who　had　just　arrived　from　Tours；　and　who；　seeing　how　the
  boy　held　the　reins；　shouted　to　him；　〃Bravo；　monsieur　le　vicomte！〃all
  this　was　too　much　for　the　poor　mother；　and　she　burst　into　tears；　she；
  so　calm　in　her　griefs；　was　too　weak　to　bear　the　joy　of　admiring　her
  boy　as　he　bounded　over　the　gravel；　where　so　often　she　had　led　him　in
  the　sunshine　inwardly　weeping　his　expected　death。　She　leaned　upon　my
  arm　unreservedly；　and　said：　〃I　think　I　have　never　suffered。　Do　not
  leave　us　to…day。〃
  The　lesson　over；　Jacques　jumped　into　his　mother's　arms；　she　caught　him
  and　held　him　tightly　to　her；　kissing　him　passionately。　I　went　with
  Madeleine　to　arrange　two　magnificent　bouquets　for　the　dinner…table　in
  honor　of　the　young　equestrian。　When　we　returned　to　the　salon　the
  countess　said：　〃The　fifteenth　of　October　is　certainly　a　great　day　with
  me。　Jacques　has　taken　his　first　riding　lesson；　and　I　have　just　set　the
  last　stitch　in　my　furniture　cover。〃
  〃Then；　Blanche；〃　said　the　count；　laughing；　〃I　must　pay　you　for　it。〃
  He　offered　her　his　arm　and　took　her　to　the　first　courtyard；　where
  stood　an　open　carriage　which　her　father　had　sent　her；　and　for　which
  the　count　had　purchased　two　English　horses。　The　old　huntsman　had
  prepared　the　surprise　while　Jacques　was　taking　his　lesson。　We　got　into
  the　carriage；　and　went　to　see　where　the　new　avenue　entered　the　main
  road　towards　Chinon。　As　we　returned；　the　countess　said　to　me　in　an
  anxious　tone；　〃I　am　too　happy；　to　me　happiness　is　like　an　illness；it
  overwhelms　me；　I　fear　it　may　vanish　like　a　dream。〃
  I　loved　her　too　passionately　not　to　feel　jealous；I　who　could　give
  her　nothing！　In　my　rage　against　myself　I　longed　for　some　means　of
  dying　for　her。　She　asked　me　to　tell　her　the　thoughts　that　filled　my
  eyes；　and　I　told　her　honestly。　She　was　more　touched　than　by　all　her
  presents；　then　taking　me　to　the　portico；　she　poured　comfort　into　my
  heart。　〃Love　me　as　my　aunt　loved　me；〃　she　said；　〃and　that　will　be
  giving　me　your　life；　and　if　I　take　it；　must　I　not　ever　be　grateful　to
  you？
  〃It　was　time　I　finished　my　tapestry；〃　she　added　as　we　re…e