"Yes," said Jeanne; "it seems that as I am now engaged it is not quite the thing; but I am going all the same, as Franz wants to see me arrayed in my ball-dress, and he wants to waltz with me, too; he waltzes very well, you know."
"Ah! and yet he looks so austere? Tell me, don't you mind in the least marrying a Protestant?"
"Not in the least! without being bigoted, I am a thorough Catholic, and he is a devoted Protestant, but not bigoted either. We shall each of us keep to our own religion, for we have no wish whatever to change; but neither of us has any idea of trying to convert the other."
Bijou did not speak, and Jeanne continued:
"I am not at all sorry that I am going to have a husband who is a Protestant, and I will confess that, for certain things, I feel more satisfied that it should be so. It's quite true, what you were saying yesterday—Protestants have certain ideas about the family, and about constancy; in fact, they have stricter principles about such things than Catholics."
"Yes; tell me, though, what dress are you going to wear for the race ball?"
"I don't know yet! I haven't one for it!"
"Why, how's that? what about the white one with the little bunches of flowers all over it?"
"Papa does not think it is nice enough; the race ball is to be at the Tourvilles, you know, this year; and it will all be very grand!"
"Oh, yes!"