SCENES IX., X., AND XL

One morning when Blanche was going to market, she met one of her neighbours, who asked her to dinner that evening. She said that she had been thinking of getting married for a long time, and that now a good match had turned up, whom she had accepted. The dinner was to celebrate the occasion.

When Blanche was returning home, she saw an old woman sitting under an apricot-tree. Her hat was full of holes and she was poorly dressed. She had matches to sell, but she seemed to be embarrassed and to feel some reluctance in asking anyone to buy. Blanche spoke to her and gave her some pennies.

On reaching home she found her father in great joy. He was digging in his garden and was ail in a perspiration, when a dealer in old iron came along and sold him an old Roman shield and sword, which he had. Blanche told him about the invitation, and as the family was an important and influential one, it was agreed that they should go. In the evening, after Blanche had dressed, they took the carriage and set ont.

On their arrivai they found the guests assembled, and in great excitement. Some one had circulated a report that the young man had killed his rival. It was quite false, and some of his friends thought that he should reply to such an insuit only by silence and contempt, but the young man preferred to have a certificate saying that his rival had died before he saw him. Without this, he said that his réputation would be ruined and he should be obliged to leave the country. So some one sat down at the table and scrawled off a few lin es to that effect. He had a bad pen, and mad e a great many blots ; but the young man said that with such a paper he would be quite easy.