I had not long to wait for that matter. Two days after, while I was in

my room, I saw a carriage drive up. Its only occupant was a lady, who

seemed to me to be very handsome and very elegantly dressed. On the box,

by the coachman's side, sat a lady's maid; behind were two men-servants

of superior style in their travelling livery. The carriage stopped. At

the sound of the wheels on the gravel, my uncle's window opened.

"Hoi! is that you?" he shouted. "How are you, my dear!"

"How are you, captain!" replied the lady. "You see you have not been

forgotten, you ungrateful wretch!"

"Thanks for that. Nor am I any more forgetful on my side."

"That's all right," replied the lady; "but why don't you come down and

give me a hand? You're very gallant!"

"Well, my dear, I'm coming as fast as I can!" said my uncle.

I must confess I still remained somewhat puzzled at the sight of this

fair traveller, whose appearance did not recall to me any of my aunts.

Could Barbassou-Pasha have contracted another marriage since the date of

his will? Out of delicacy I kept out of the way, in order not to disturb

their affectionate greetings, but as my uncle passed my door on his way

out, he said to me, "André, aren't you coming?" I followed him. We arrived just as the lady

was stepping briskly up the doorsteps.

"Too late, captain!" she said, "I could not stay there, penned up in

that carriage."

This reproach did not prevent them from shaking hands very heartily.

Then as I came up, my uncle said in his quick way, "Kiss your aunt Eudoxia!"

At this injunction I forthwith embraced my aunt, and I must admit that

as I kissed her I could not repress a smile, recollecting this

sacramental phrase of my uncle's.

"My goodness! is that André?" she exclaimed, "Oh! excuse me, sir," she

continued rapidly; "this familiar name slipped from my tongue, at

remembrance of the bonny boy of old times."

"Pray take it for granted, madam!" I answered.

"Then don't call me madam!"

"What does that matter, my aunt; to obey you I shall be delighted to

return to old times."

"Very well then, my nephew," she added; "see that my servants are

looked after, and then let us come in!"

All this was said in that free-and-easy tone which denotes aristocratic

breeding, and with so much of the assurance of a woman accustomed to the

best society, that I was for a moment almost taken aback by it. My early

impressions of her had only left in my mind confused recollections of an

amiable and fascinating young woman (so far as I could judge at that

age), and now my aunt suddenly appeared in a character which I had not

at all anticipated. Assuredly I should never have recognised her,

although time had not at all impaired the beauty of her face.




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