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myself and go into society。 I will not remain in the school…room with a governess while you are sparkling in the saloon and enchanting your followers by your beauty。 I will also have my worshippers； who pay court to me； I will write and receive love…letters as other maidens do； I will carry on my own little love…affairs as all other girls do； as you did； from the time you were twelve years old； and still do！〃
〃Silence； Camilla！ or I will make you feel that you are still a child！〃 cried Louise； raising her arm threateningly and approaching the divan。
〃Would you strike me； mother？〃 said she； with trembling lips。 〃I counsel you not to do it。 Raise your hand once more against me； but think of the consequences。 I will run away！ I will fly to my poor； dear father； whom you； unhappy one； have made a drunkard！ I will remain with himhe loves me tenderly。 If I were with him； he would no longer drink。〃
〃Oh； my God； my God！〃 cried Louise； with tears gushing from her eyes； 〃it is he who has planted this hate in her hearthe has been the cause of all my wretchedness！ She loves her father who has done nothing for her； and she hates her mother who has shown her nothing but love。〃 With a loud cry of agony； she clasped her hands over her face and wept bitterly。
Camilla drew close to her； grasped her hands and pulled them forcibly from her face； then looked in her eyes passionately and scornfully。 Camilla was indeed no longer a child。 She stood erect； pale； and fiercely excited； opposite to her mother。 Understanding and intellect flashed from her dark eyes。 There were lines around her mouth which betrayed a passion and a power with which childhood has nothing to do。
〃You say you have shown me nothing but love；〃 said Camilla； in a cold and cutting tone。 〃Mother； what love have you shown me？ You made my father wretched； and my childish years were spent under the curse of a most unhappy marriage。 I have seen my father weep while you were laughing merrilyI have seen him drunk and lying like a beast at my feet； while you were in our gay saloon receiving and entertaining guests with cool unconcern。 You say you have shown me nothing but love。 You never loved me； mother； never！ Had you loved me； you would have taken pity with my futureyou would not have given me a step…father while I had a poor； dear father； who had nothing in the wide world but me； me alone！ You think perhaps； mother； that I am not unhappy； while I am giddy and play foolish pranks； you believe me to be happy and contented。 Ah； mother； I have an inward horror and prophetic fear of the future which never leaves me； it seems to me that evil spirits surround meas if they enchanted me with strange； alluring songs。 I know they will work my destruction； but I cannot withstand themI must listen； I must succumb to them。 I would gladly be differentbe better。 I desire to be a virtuous and modest girl； but alas； alas； I cannot escape from this magic circle to which my mother has condemned me！ I have lived too fast； experienced too muchI am no longer a childI am an experienced woman。 The world and the things of the world call me with a thousand alluring voices； and I shall be lost as my mother was lost！ I am her most unhappy daughter； and her blood is in my heart！〃 Almost insensible； crushed by excitement and passion； Camilla sank to the earth。
Her mother looked at her with cold and tearless eyes； her hair seemed to stand erect； and a cold； dead hand seemed placed upon her heart and almost stilled its beatings。 〃I have deserved this；〃 murmured she； 〃God punishes the levity of my youth through my own child。〃 She bowed down to her daughter and raised her softly in her arms。
〃Come； my child；〃 she said； tenderly； 〃we will forget this hourwe will strive to live in love and harmony with each other。 You are right！ You are no longer a child； and I will think of introducing you to the world。〃
〃And you will dismiss Madame Brunnen；〃 said Camilla； gayly。 〃Oh； mamma； you have no idea how she tortures and martyrs me with her Argus…eyes； and watches me day and night。 Will you not dismiss her； mamma； and take no other governess？〃
〃I will think of it；〃 said her mother； sadly。 But now a servant entered and announced Count Ranuzi。 Madame du Trouffle blushed； and directed the servant to conduct him to the parlor。
Camilla looked at her roguishly； and said： 〃If you really think me a grown…up girl； take me with you to the parlor。〃
Madame du Trouffle refused。 〃You are not properly dressed； and besides； I have important business with the count。〃
Camilla turned her back scornfully； and her mother left the room； Camilla returned to the sofa and Madame du Trouffle entered the saloon。 In the levity and frivolity of their hearts they had both forgotten this sad scene in the drama of a demoralized family life； such scenes had been too often repeated to make any lasting impression。
Madame du Trouffle found Count Ranuzi awaiting her。 He came forward with such a joyous greeting； that she was flattered； and gave him her hand with a gracious smile。 She said triumphantly to herself that the power of her charms was not subdued； since the handsome and much admired Ranuzi was surely captivated by them。
The count had pleaded yesterday for an interview； and he had done this with so mysterious and melancholy a mien； that the gay and sportive Louise had called him the Knight of Toggenberg； and had asked him plaintively if he was coming to die at her feet。
〃Possibly；〃 he answered； with grave earnestness〃possibly； if you are cruel enough to refuse the request I prefer。〃
These words had occupied the thoughts of this vain coquette during the whole night； she was convinced that Ranuzi； ravished by her beauty； wished to make her a declaration； and she had been hesitating whether to reject or encourage him。 As he advanced so gracefully and smilingly to meet her； she resolved to encourage him and make him forget the mockery of yesterday。
Possibly Ranuzi read this in her glance； but he did not regard it； he had attained his aimthe interview which he desired。 〃Madame；〃 said he； 〃I come to make honorable amends； and to plead at your feet for pardon。〃 He bowed on one knee； and looked up beseechingly。
Louise found that his languishing and at the same time glowing eyes were very beautiful； and she was entirely ready to be gracious； although she did not know the offence。 〃Stand up； count；〃 said she； 〃and let us talk reasonably together。 What have you done； and for what must I forgive you？〃
〃You annihilate me with your magnanimity；〃 sighed Ranuzi。 〃You are so truly noble as to have forgotten my boldness of yesterday； and you choose to forget that the poor； imprisoned soldier； intoxicated by your beauty； carried away by your grace and amiability； has dared to love you and to confess it。 But I swear to you； madame； I will never repeat this offence。 The graceful mockery and keen wit with which you punished me yesterday has deeply moved me； and I assure you； madame； you have had more influence over me than any prude with her most eloquent sermon on virtue could have done。 I have seen my crime； and never again will my lips dare to confess what lives and glows in my heart。〃 He took her hand and kissed it most respectfully。
Louise was strangely surprised； and it seemed to her not at all necessary for the count to preserve so inviolable a silence as to his love； but she was obliged to appear pleased； and she did this with facility and grace。
〃I thank you；〃 she said； gayly； 〃that you have freed me from a lover whom； as the wife of Major du Trouffle； I should have been compelled to banish from my house。 Now I dare give a pleasant； kindly welcome； to Count Ranuzi； and be ready at all times to serve him gladly。〃
Ranuzi looked steadily at her。 〃Will you truly do this？〃 said he； sighing〃will you interest yourself for a poor prisoner； who has no one to hear and sympathize in his sorrows？〃
Louise gave him her hand。 〃Confide in me； sir count；〃 said she； with an impulse of her better nature； 〃make known your sorrows； and be assured that I will take an interest in them。 You are so prudent and reasonable as not to be my lover； and I will be your friend。 Here is my handI offer you my friendship； will you accept； it？〃