This album was intended for Mme. Styvens, and the girls worked at it
lovingly. Maurice would sometimes assist them with his advice or make
them a sketch which they could copy as carefully as their beautiful
materials would admit. Mlle. Frahender devoted infinite patience to
gluing the tiniest fibres of the sea plants. Some were bright pink,
suggesting in formation and colour the little red fishing boats.
Others were gold with their slender little flowers rising in clusters.
The long supple green algaes, swelling along their stems into little
round beads, like beads of jade, looked as though they wore some
Chinese costume. As the album grew it gave promise of wonderful
surprises.
On the first of September Francois Darbois received a letter from
Count Styvens, asking permission to come and submit to him a
philosophical work that he had just finished. He begged to present his
compliments to Mme. and Mlle. Darbois. The professor read the letter
aloud after dinner.
"I hardly think," he queried, "that I can well refuse this pleasure to
my favourite pupil?"
Maurice, Jean, the old Mademoiselle and Mme. Darbois seemed very happy
at the prospect of a visit from the Count.
"He is a very good musician...." "He can row splendidly...." "He has a
heart of gold...." concluded the philosopher.
A dispatch was sent to Albert Styvens, telling him they would all be
delighted to see him. Only Esperance showed some reserve, and Maurice
cried out, "My cousin is in dread of musical evenings, I see!"
They all laughed at this quip, which had a very close resemblance to
the truth.
Pages:
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134