leaf, which I had trained over a part of my window, it would not have been easy for the most penetrating eye to have detected me behind this natural screen, and thus as I was not within their view, neither was I in their thoughts at that period.

This pastime, of whatever tendency it might have been, had proceeded for some time, and each of the little people then present had presented her palm, and heard the prognostics of her future fate from the self elected prophetess, when suddenly a sort of demur arose among the party, and I saw every one turn to look around her; at length I heard the voice of Mademoiselle calling Aimée, and at the same time I perceived that the little girl had not been present. The next minute all the young party began to scatter themselves over the garden, as if in quest of the child, and the name of this little one proceeded from the various parts of the pleasure ground, and was returned by an echo, caused by an angle formed by the tower and the body of the church. Some minutes elapsed, it seems, before the little lost one was discovered; she was

(as I afterwards learned) at last detected in a bosquet formed of flowering shrubs, at the very bottom of the garden, cowering down under the shade of a laurustinus, and deeply engaged in reading a very small book. She

was instantly seized upon by Susette and Fanchon, who both sprang upon her at the same instant, and dragged her between them into the awful presence of Mademoiselle Victoire.

The little captive uttered no sound, and used but little resistance; but when brought

directly before Mademoiselle Victoire, she fell on her knees, and, pointing to Susette, seemed to be earnestly imploring some favour of the utmost importance. What this favour was I could not discover; but I was made to understand that, so far from having obtained it, she had only incurred more violent displeasure by the strength of her pleadings, for I saw Mademoiselle push her away several times, and then I heard my own name repeated, with an assurance that something, I knew not what, should not be concealed from me.

Being thus, as I considered, called upon, I arose, and putting my head out at the window, I called to Mademoiselle, and asked her what had happened, and wherefore my name was mentioned.

Mademoiselle, who had stood up to correct the child, turned hastily at the sound of my voice, and approaching as near to me as possible, My good father, she said, we have need of your advice and counsel, and we hope that you will insist that this child shall endure a severe penance-here she stopped to recover breath, of which her passion had

deprived her, and then proceeded. This wicked little heretic, she said, whom Madame has always upheld as a sort of saint amongst us, has it seems retained in her possession, ever since she came into this place, a volume of the Holy Scriptures in her native language, though she knows that children like herself are not competent to use these holy books to any advantage. She has actually been discovered, in a bosquet of this garden, deep in the study of this volume, using such art in so doing as shows the blackness and depravity of her heart. Thus speaking, she gave the child a push from her, with that sort of expression of abhorrence as one would use to a loathed animal.

And where is this book? I asked. It was immediately held up to my view by Susette, and I perceived that it was an abridgment only of the sacred Scriptures, being an exceedingly small volume, not above four inches square; it looked old and much worn; and it struck me that there was a malicious feeling shown towards the child in making so much of this insignificant matter, and not, as I

thought, much policy in it, as it related to the interests of the church to which I was then attached. I therefore said, Let the book be given to Madame, and to-morrow I will come over and speak to her on the subject.

I hoped by this that I should have satisfied all parties; but in this I was mistaken. No sooner did little Aimée understand that the tiny volume in question was to be given to Madame, than she dropped on her knees.