"I help Madame Marcelle a little while I am learning of the French tongue, _si belle_--that is all. Thou wilt not forbid it. Thy Ninon, _ma belle_ grand'mère, is crying her eyes out at the thought of hurting thee, but it was done by those wicked girls. Behold I was in the _établissement_, and I have got--ah, the taste _magnifique!_ and the farmers' wives--some very red, some very thin, came in to be suited with robes. Ah, but they were of the most superb that I did show them, and I suited the taste of each. I made the fat, red one to look thin and pale and elegant, ah _oui_, and the thin one I gave her a good figure and I chose chapeaux the most suitable. And I put into the pocket of Madame Marcelle three thousand francs this morning. For they are rich, these wives of farmers, and they pay as they go. But Dorothy, _la petite chatte_, and Hébé, they came in and they wanted me to leave my farmers' wives and attend to them. They meant, doubtless, grandpère, to run up a long bill and keep it going--going--going, so I said I would have nothing to do with them because I love them not and I do love the wives of the farmers. Then they were angry and they came here to see thee, _mon_ grandpère, and behold, Dorothy, she was stung by thy bees. It served her right, didn't it, grandpère?" "Was she stung?" said grandpère. "I offered her a peach, which she deserved not. I did not know that she was stung. _Mon enfant_, thou art faithful and so are _mes chères abeilles_." "And thou wilt see thy Ninon who weeps outside?" said Margot. "Of a verity I will see my Ninon. What care I how many _établissements_ Madame Marcelle keeps?" CHAPTER XI. THUNDER STORM. Margot had been brought up by severe and much-detested Aunt Priscilla, and by that dearly loved and holy man, Uncle Jacko, to dread a lie beyond anything in the world. Aunt Priscilla scolded her and told her of the awful fate of little girls who told lies. Uncle Jacko pursued a far gentler and more effective way. Uncle Jacko's way prevailed. He talked of the holy children who lived in the New Jerusalem. He talked of the smiling Christ, and God, the Father, and of the Holy Spirit, who entered into the heart of the child who tried to be good. He talked very beautifully and little Margot thought _him_ very beautiful when he did talk on this subject, and never up to the present moment had she broken her solemn word to Uncle Jacko that she would at all costs and under every circumstance keep to the truth. Nevertheless, here was she now, having broken that solemn word, having made _cher_ grandpère St. Juste imagine that the _établissement_ was kept by Madame Marcelle and that _la belle_ grand'mère had nothing whatever to do with it.