Under promise of absolute secrecy, Hortense repeated the upshot of her various conversations with her Cousin Betty. Then, when they got home, she showed the much-talked-of-seal to her father in evidence of the sagacity of her views. The father, in the depth of his heart, wondered at the skill and acumen of girls who act on instinct, discerning the simplicity of the scheme which her idealized love had suggested in the course of a single night to his guileless daughter. "You will see the masterpiece I have just bought; it is to be brought home, and that dear Wenceslas is to come with the dealer.--The man who made that group ought to make a fortune; only use your influence to get him an order for a statue, and rooms at the Institut----" "How you run on!" cried her father. "Why, if you had your own way, you would be man and wife within the legal period--in eleven days----" "Must we wait so long?" said she, laughing. "But I fell in love with him in five minutes, as you fell in love with mamma at first sight. And he loves me as if we had known each other for two years. Yes," she said in reply to her father's look, "I read ten volumes of love in his eyes. And will not you and mamma accept him as my husband when you see that he is a man of genius? Sculpture is the greatest of the Arts," she cried, clapping her hands and jumping. "I will tell you everything----" "What, is there more to come?" asked her father, smiling. The child's complete and effervescent innocence had restored her father's peace of mind. "A confession of the first importance," said she. "I loved him without knowing him; and, for the last hour, since seeing him, I am crazy about him." "A little too crazy!" said the Baron, who was enjoying the sight of this guileless passion. "Do not punish me for confiding in you," replied she. "It is so delightful to say to my father's heart, 'I love him! I am so happy in loving him!'--You will see my Wenceslas! His brow is so sad. The sun of genius shines in his gray eyes--and what an air he has! What do you think of Livonia? Is it a fine country?--The idea of Cousin Betty's marrying that young fellow! She might be his mother. It would be murder! I am quite jealous of all she has ever done for him. But I don't think my marriage will please her." "See, my darling, we must hide nothing from your mother." "I should have to show her the seal, and I promised not to betray Cousin Lisbeth, who is afraid, she says, of mamma's laughing at her," said Hortense. "You have scruples about the seal, and none about robbing your cousin of her lover." "I promised about the seal--I made no promise about the sculptor." This adventure, patriarchal in its simplicity, came admirably _a propos_ to the unconfessed poverty of the family; the Baron, while praising his daughter for her candor, explained to her that she must now leave matters to the discretion of her parents.