第145章

At these words, pronounced harshly before strangers, with a severity which did not seem at all justified by circumstances, Adrienne tossed her head proudly; but, restraining herself, she answered with a smile: "You say, aunt, that I shall change.I should not be astonished at it.We hear of such odd conversions."

The princess bit her lips.

"A sincere conversion can never be called odd, as you term it, madame,"

said Abbe d'Aigrigny, coldly."It is, on the contrary, meritorious, and forms an excellent example."

"Excellent?" answered Adrienne: "that depends! For instance, what if one converts defects into vices?"

"What do you mean, madame?" cried the princess.

"I am speaking of myself, aunt; you reproach me of being independent and resolute--suppose I were to become hypocritical and wicked? In truth, I prefer keeping my dear little faults, which I love like spoiled children.

I know what I am; I do not know what I might be."

"But you must acknowledge, Mdlle.Adrienne," said Baron Tripeaud, with a self-conceited and sententious air, "that a conversion--"

"I believe," said Adrienne, disdainfully, "that M.Tripeaud is well versed in the conversion of all sorts of property into all sorts of profit, by all sorts of means--but he knows nothing of this matter."

"But, madame," resumed the financier, gathering courage from a glance of the princess, "you forget that I have the honor to be your deputy guardian, and that--"

"It is true that M.Tripeaud has that honor," said Adrienne, with still more haughtiness, and not even looking at the baron; "I could never tell exactly why.But as it is not now the time to guess enigmas, I wish to know, aunt, the object and the end of this meeting?"

"You shall be satisfied, madame.I will explain myself in a very clear and precise manner.You shall know the plan of conduct that you will have henceforth to pursue; and if you refuse to submit thereto, with the obedience and respect that is due to my orders, I shall at once see what course to take."

It is impossible to give an idea of the imperious tone and stern look of the princess, as she pronounced these words which were calculated to startle a girl, until now accustomed to live in a great measure as she pleased: yet, contrary perhaps to the expectation of Madame de Saint-

Dizier, instead of answering impetuously, Adrienne looked her full in the face, and said, laughing: "This is a perfect declaration of war.It's becoming very amusing."

"We are not talking of declarations of war," said the Abbe d'Aigrigny, harshly, as if offended by the expressions of Mdlle.de Cardoville.

"Now, M.l'Abbe!" returned Adrienne, "for an old colonel, you are really too severe upon a jest!--you are so much indebted to `war,' which gave you a French regiment after fighting so long against France--in order to learn, of course, the strength and the weakness of her enemies."

On these words, which recalled painful remembrances, the marquis colored;

he was going to answer, but the princess exclaimed: "Really, madame, your behavior is quite intolerable!"