“Of course you will if you don’t lie down. Now do, dear Franzchen.”
“Well, then, if I must,” said Franzchen, sighing as she turned away from the window.
Magda smiled as she saw her lie down and in a few minutes fall fast asleep, but without thinking of following her example, she was turning again to Lisette, when the baroness looked in.
“Do you not want to rest, my dear?”
“No, aunt; I never sleep in the day time.”
“Well, then, leave Lisette and come with me a moment, I want to have a talk with you.” So saying, she led the way to the balcony, and after a few compliments on her manners and appearance, she began. “Now, my dear child, who is this friend of yours, this Mademoiselle Deshalbens?”
“She is an orphan,” answered Magda. “Her father came to our neighborhood when she was very young, and purchased a house near to ours. When he died he left her, with a moderate fortune, to the guardianship of my father, who had taken a great deal of interest in her.”
“Who was her father? Were you acquainted with him before?”
“No, they were perfect strangers, but we liked Franzchen so much, that we would gladly have had her with us always. Monsieur Deshalbens was French. His health was very poor from the time we first became acquainted with him; his wife, who was a German, had died some time before.”
“A Frenchman! and nobody I suppose. My dear Magda, you must be careful what acquaintances you form. At your time of life it is very important. Now, don’t look so indignant, my dear, I’m not finding fault with your friend in the least, you know, for she seems to be a harmless little creature, and her manners are very pretty, only wanting in style of course. But how much better it would be if all your acquaintances were selected from high-life, and your intimate friend should be a baroness, or a lady something, at least.”