Is that it ?" Mathilde's lips trembled.
"O Mama," she cried, "you are so different from what you used to be!" Adelaide nodded.
"One changes," she said.

"One's life changes." She had meant this sentence to end the interview, but when she saw the girl still standing before her, she said to herself that it made little difference that she hadn't heard the plans of the Wayne boy, since Mathilde, her own tractable daughter, was still within her power.

She moved into the corner of the sofa.

"Sit down, dear," she said, and when Mathilde had obeyed with an almost imperceptible shrinking in her attitude, Adelaide went on, with a sort of serious ease of manner: "I've never been a particularly flattering mother, have I?
Never thought you were perfect just because you were mine?
Well, I hope you'll pay the more attention to what I have to say.

You are remarkable.