“I was not a very companionable child. I had few girl friends and fewer male acquaintances, but these latter were assiduous in their attempts to make me like them.
“The first man who asked me to marry him was a wealthy tanner’s son, a young fellow of twenty who was earning forty francs a week in his father’s establishment, but who expected to be rich one day.
“His father used to frequent my mother’s house and one day he brought his son with him. I was sent for to complete the party and, though I was haughty and kept the young fellow at a distance, I could see that I had made a conquest.
“He came again and again, and would waylay me on my journey to and from the art school, insisting on carrying my books. I did not dislike him, for he was a handsome, earnest young man, but neither did I like him particularly; and when he capped his attentions by asking me to marry him I laughed in his face. He went away vowing revenge.
“That night my mother came into my bedroom and asked me whether the tanner had not proposed that day.
“‘Yes, mother,’ I said.
“‘And you accepted him?’
“I gave her a look of horror. ‘Accept him?’ I cried. ‘But no, of course I did not accept him! I do not love him—that is one reason——’
“‘It is a poor reason,’ said my mother angrily. ‘Do you suppose I wish you on my hands for ever? Are you never going to marry? Your sisters are growing up and soon they will marry and you will be left, an ugly vieille fille! Love always comes after marriage!’
“‘I do not care,’ I persisted, ‘I will not marry your tanner! He has large ears and his teeth are bad and he cannot talk. I will not marry him, and if he comes here again I shall slap his face!’