"My cousin," he said (Madame du Castellet was a distant relative of the Tour-d'Adams), "combat these tendencies, I implore you; pleasures and distractions, they are the remedy! I do not understand why this ball should sadden our darling Eve, why meeting her friends and her partners should make her melancholy. Eve does not know how to be untruthful, she hides nothing from us; but she is ignorant herself why she suffers. Discover this secret, I implore you, that she may be happy."
"Eve's happiness is my only desire," replied the governess. "You know that I love her as my own daughter. I never contradict her; indeed, she never desires anything that is not praiseworthy. She plans to do good with an admirable perseverance and delicacy."
The old marquis at this moment recognized the martial air which Eve was playing for him; he was deeply affected:
"She forgets nothing," he murmured.
Then noticing the flowers the young girl wore:
"Always jasmine," he said to the governess.
"She forgets nothing," said Madame du Castellet, in her turn.
"It is then impossible to overcome the pride of those unfortunate Mirefonts?" replied the marquis.
"My nephew, Gaston, cannot get anything accepted," respondent the governess; "but we will save them in spite of themselves."
"Heaven preserve me," said the marquis immediately, "from blaming their susceptibility; unfortunately, the secret means which Eve has so long employed scarcely suffice; it is necessary to do more."