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Camilla looked after him and sighed deeply； then； drawing back the long leaves of the palm； she entered the grotto； she stepped hastily back when she saw that the green divan was occupied； and tried to withdraw； but her mother held her and greeted her kindly。 Camilla laughed aloud。 〃Ah； mother； it appears as if I am to be ever in your way； although I no longer dwell in your house； I still disturb your pleasures。 But I am discreet； let your friend withdraw； I will not see him； I will not know his name； and when my most virtuous husband returns； he will find only two modest gentlewomen。 Go； sir； I will turn away； that I may not see you。〃
〃I rather entreat you； my dear Camilla； to turn your lovely face toward me； and to greet me kindly；〃 said Major du Trouffle； stepping from behind the shadow of the palm； and giving his hand to Camilla。
She gazed at him questioningly； and when at last she recognized him； she burst out into a merry peal of laughter。 〃Truly；〃 said she； 〃my mother had a rendezvous with her husband； and I have disturbed an enchanting marriage chirping。 You have also listened to my married chirp； and know all my secrets。 Well； what do you say； dear stepfather； to my mother having brought me so soon under the coif； and made her wild； foolish little Camilla the wife of a lord？〃
〃I wish you happiness with my whole soul； dear Camilla； and rejoice to hear from your mother that you have made so excellent a choice； and are the wife of so amiable and intellectual a man。〃
〃So； does mamma say that Lord Elliot is all that？ She may be right； I don't understand these things。 I know only that I find his lordship unspeakably wearisome； that I do not understand a word of his intellectual essays； though my lord declares that I know every thing； that I understand every thing； and have a most profound intellect。 Ah； dear stepfather； it is a terrible misfortune to be so adored and worshipped as I am； I am supposed to be an angel； who by some rare accident has fallen upon the earth。〃
〃Truly a misfortune； for which all other women would envy you；〃 said the major； laughing。
〃Then they would make a great mistake；〃 sighed Camilla。 〃I for my part am weary of this homage； I have no desire to be； I will not consent to be an angel； I wish only to be a beautiful； rich young woman and to enjoy my life。 Do what I will； my husband looks at every act of folly from an ideal stand…point； and finds thus new material for worship； he will force me at last to some wild； insane act in order to convince him that I am no angel； but a weak child of earth。〃
〃You were almost in the act of committing such a folly this evening；〃 said her mother； sternly。
〃Ah； you mean that I wished to dance。 But only think； mamma； with whom I wished to dance； with my cousin； whom all the world calls 'the handsome Kindar；' and who dances so gloriously； that it is a delight to see him； and bliss to float about with him。 He only returned this evening； and he came at once to me and greeted me so lovingly； so tenderly； you know； mamma； we have always loved each other fondly。 When I told him I was married； he turned pale and looked at me so sorrowfully； and tears were in his eyes。 Oh； mamma； why was I obliged to wed Lord Elliot； who is so grave； so wise； so learned； so virtuous； and with whom it is ever wearisome？ Why did you not let me wait till Kindar returned； who is so handsome； so gay； so ignorant； before whom I should never have been forced to blush； no matter how foolish I had been； and with whom I should never have been weary？〃
〃But how did you know that the handsome Kindar wished to marry you？〃 said Louise； laughing。
〃Oh； yes； mamma； I knew it well； he has often told me so； even when I was a little girl and he was a cadet。 This dreadful war is the cause of all my misery； it led to his promotion； then he must join his regiment； then； alas！ I must marry another before his return。〃
〃Yes； but a noble； intellectual； and honorable cavalier； who does honor to your choice；〃 said Du Trouffle。
〃Lord Elliot has red hair； squints with both eyes； and is so long and meagre that he looks more like an exclamation…point than a man。 When he appears before me in his yellow…gray riding costume； I am always reminded of the great windspeil you gave me once； stepfather； who had such long； high legs； I used to creep under them； and when he lies like a windspeil at my feet； and squints at me； his eyes seem tied up in knots； and I never know if he is really looking at me； or is about to fall into a swoon。 Now； stepfather； do you not find that Lord Elliot does honor to my taste？〃
〃Certainly； and all the more because your choice proves that you appreciate the true dignity and beauty of a man； and his outward appearance seems to you comparatively insignificant。〃
〃Alas； alas！ now you begin also to attribute noble and exalted motives to me；〃 said Camilla pathetically。 〃No； no； stepfather； I am not so sublime as you think； and I should not have married Lord Elliot if mamma and myself had not both indulged the ardent wish to be released from each other。 Mamma is too young and too beautiful to be willing to have a grown…up daughter who is not ugly by her side； and I was too old to be locked up any longer in the nursery； so I stepped literally from the nursery to the altar； and became the wife of Lord Elliot； so mamma and myself were freed from the presence of each other； and I thought that a time of joy and liberty would bloom for me。 But； alas； I have only changed my cage； formerly I was confined in a nursery； now my prison is a temple； because my husband says I am too elevated； too angelic to come in contact with the pitiful world。 Ah。 I long so for the world； I am so thirsty for its pleasures； I would so gladly take full draughts of joy from its golden cup！ My husband comes and offers me a crystal shell； filled with heavenly dew and ether dust； which is； I suppose； angels' food； but he does not remark that I am hungering and thirsting to death。 Like King Midas； before whose thirsty lips every thing turned to gold； and who was starving in the midst of all his glory； I beseech you； stepfather； undertake the role of the barber； bore a hole and cry out in it that I have ass's earsears as long as those of King Midas。 Perhaps the rushes would grow again and make known to my lord the simple fact； which up to this time he refuses to believe； that I am indeed no angel； and he would cease to worship me； and allow me to be gay and happy upon the earth like every other woman。 But come； come； stepfather； I hear the earnest voice of my husband in conversation with my merry； handsome cousin。 Let us go to meet them； and grant me the pleasure of introducing Lord Elliot to younot here； but in the brilliantly lighted saloon。 Afterward I will ask you； on your word of honor； if you still find I have made a happy choice； and if my windspeil of a husband is of more value than my handsome cousin？〃
She took the arm of the major with a gay smile； and tried to draw him forward。
〃But your mother；〃 said Du Trouffle； 〃you forget your mother？〃
〃Listen now； mamma； how cruel he is； always reminding you that you are my mother； that is as much as to say to you； in other words； that you will soon