She profited by it.
She had her sweetest smile upon her lips as she greeted Marie-Anne.
Still she was embarrassed; she did not know what excuse to give for her visit, and to gain time she pretended to be quite out of breath.
"Ah! it is not very easy to reach you, dear Marie-Anne," she said, at last; "you live _upon_ the summit of a veritable mountain." Mlle.

Lacheneur said not a word.

She was greatly surprised, and she did not attempt to conceal the fact.
"Aunt Medea pretended to know the road," continued Mlle.

Blanche, "but she led me astray; did you not, aunt ?" As usual, the impecunious relative assented, and her niece resumed: "But at last we are here.

I could not, my dearest, resign myself to hearing nothing from you, especially after all your misfortunes.