"And do you see nothing else in it?"
"What! mamma, that we ought not to be disobedient? this is a thing one scarcely needs to learn at my age."
"I am very glad," said Madame de Vallonay, smiling, with a slight tinge of sarcasm, "that this lesson has become quite useless to you. But cannot you see any others?"
"What others can there be?"
"As for that, my child, I will not point them out to you. You might then find that I was only repeating what all the world knows. Look for them yourself."
With these words, Madame de Vallonay went to her husband's study, as she wished to speak with him, and left Julia with her work, her books of history, and her sonata to practise. When she returned, it was ten o'clock, and as she opened the door, Julia screamed and started from her chair greatly frightened.
"What is the matter, my dear?" said her mother.
"Oh! nothing, mamma, I was only frightened."
"Frightened at what?"