We must suppose that an interval of a year and a half has passed since the events happened which I related in the last chapter. The family of de Roisel are staying at Paris, as usual during the winter; and this chapter opens on a certain day, soon after Christmas, when they had guests to dinner. Eusèbe, and his father and mother, were there; also Adrienne Fallachon, accompanied by her father and her English governess. Maurice had met Adrienne again in the Luxembourg gardens, and at length the two families had become acquainted.
The dinner was in the middle of the day on account of the children, and afterwards, to amuse them as they sat round the fire, a singular sort of game was introduced. All were to confess in turn such faults or follies as they were conscious of in themselves, and to relate what bad, or silly, or ridiculous actions these faults had led them into,—it being understood that the grown-up people were only to speak of the faults and follies of their childhood.
They had just settled down to the game when Mr. Duberger came in. He joined in it at once, and related, with great goodnature and perfect candour and simplicity, a multitude of absurdities and mistakes which he had committed in complete innocence, but through negligence and absence of mind. He made every one laugh heartily at his stories.
Eusèbe was the only one of the party who had nothing to relate, for he knew of no imperfection in himself. Some of those present tried to help his memory a little; but no! he could remember no fault he had ever committed. He recollected, and related, only deeds of heroism, which did not fail to cause a slight astonishment in his hearers.
Adrienne, who, under the watchful care of her governess, had much improved in character since we knew her before, spoke of her own caprice and selfishness; and said she always should consider she had caused the misfortunes which befell Cressida, through refusing to give her ten pieces of gold to the poor woman.
“And what did you do at last with those ten napoleons?” asked Mr. Duberger.
Miss Henriette, the English governess, replied for Adrienne: “To tell you that, sir,” she said, “would not be keeping to our game.”
“But I can tell you what she did with them,” said Maurice. “When she went home that day, she had such a scolding from Miss Henriette for her hardness of heart, that she was very sorry indeed, and I have heard she cried a good deal. Well, a day or two afterwards a poor workman was killed, in falling from the scaffolding of a house, that was being built close by. Adrienne heard that he had left a widow and children in the greatest distress; and what do you think she did? She asked Miss Henriette to take her to see this poor woman, and gave her the ten napoleons. I know too that she has often been kind to poor people since, and given away her pocket-money.”
“It is all quite true,” said Adrienne’s father. “I should have told you of it long ago, but Adrienne made me promise that I would not.”