Valentine Read Online Free PDF Page B

belief that Mademoiselle Valentine will have the château and the farm for her dowry. Then what a kind mistress we should have !”
    â€œTo be sure, Valentine is a dear girl,” said Athénaïs, proud to be able to speak in that familiar tone of a person whose rank she envied. “Oh! she’s not proud; she hasn’t forgotten that we played together when we were little. And then she has the good sense to understand that money is the only distinguishing mark, and that our money’s as honorable as hers.”
    â€œI should say so !” rejoined Madame Lhéry; “for she has only had the trouble of being born, while we have earned our money by hard work and at our peril.But still there’s nothing to say against her ; she’s a good young lady and a pretty girl,
da!
Did you ever see her, Bénédict ?”
    â€œNever, aunt”
    â€œAnd then I’m attached to that family,” continued Madame Lhéry. “The father was such a good man! There was a real man for you ! and handsome ! A general, on my word, all covered with gold and crosses, and he asked me to dance on fête-days just as if I was a duchess. Madame didn’t like that much—”
    â€œNor I, either,” observed Père Lhéry, ingenuously.
    â€œThat Père Lhéry,” retorted his wife, “ must always have his joke. But all the same, what I mean to say is that, except for madame, who’s a little high and mighty, it’s a fine family. Can anyone find a better woman than the grandmother ?”
    â€œAh !” said Athénaïs, “ she’s the best of all. She always has something pleasant to say to you ; she never calls you anything but
my heart,
or
my beauty,
or
my pretty puss.”
    â€œAnd that always pleases you !” said Bénédict, mockingly. “Well, well, add that to the three thousand francs profit, which will buy a good many gewgaws——”
    â€œEh ! that isn’t to be despised, is it, my boy ?” said Pfere Lhéry. “Just tell her so ; she’ll listen to you.”
    â€œNo, no, I won’t listen to anything,” cried the girl. “I won’t let you alone tell you’ve left the farm. Your lease expires in six months; you mustn’t renew it, do you hear, papa ?”
    â€œBut what shall I do ?” said the old man, shaken by the wheedling yet imperious tone adopted by his daughter. “Must I fold my arms, I’d like to know ? I can’t amuse myself reading and singing, like you; ennui will kill me.”
    â€œBut, papa, haven’t you your property to look out for ?”
    â€œIt all takes care of itself so nicely ! there won’t be anything left for me to do. And another thing, where shall we live ? You don’t want to live with the tenant farmers, do you ?”
    â€œNo, certainly not! you must build; we’ll have a house of our own ; we’ll decorate it very differently from that nasty farm-house ; you shall see how well I understand such things !”
    â€œYes, no doubt, you understand all about eating up money,” retorted her father.
    Athénaïs began to sulk.
    â€œAll right,” she said spitefully, “do as you please; perhaps you’ll be sorry you didn’t listen to me ; but then it will be too late.”
    â€œWhat do you mean ?” queried Bénédict.
    â€œI mean,” she replied, “that, when Madame de Raimbault finds out who the person is whom we have been boarding for three weeks, she will be furious with us, and will turn us out at the end of the lease with all sorts of lawyer’s tricks and spiteful treatment. Wouldn’t it be better to have the honors of war on our side and retire before we are driven back ?”
    This reflection seemed to produce an impression on the Lhérys. They said nothing, and Bénédict, who was more and more disgusted with Athénaïs’s remarks, did not hesitate to put