Cécile looked straight at Marie Josephine and suddenly she guessed. She knew that Rosanne had been hiding in the balcony. There was a twinkle in her blue eyes as she looked at Marie Josephine, but she would not have told her suspicions for anything in the world. “You are blushing. You have done something very naughty. I am sure of it!” Denise said this with a relish. She was tired, and she had always had a habit of keeping persistently at a subject. She and Marie Josephine did not get on very well. “Tell me what you meant when you said that about Hortense dancing at the ball, Marie Josephine,” she persisted. Marie Josephine’s eyes began to twinkle, too. She settled back comfortably against the pillows and called Flambeau’s attention to some black baby pigs which a woman in a scarlet petticoat was feeding at a moss-covered wooden trough. Denise kept her eyes on Marie Josephine, who held Flambeau’s paws as the dog looked interestedly at the pigs. Marie Josephine knew that Proté, who still sat on the little stool at her feet, was shaking in her shoes. It would be fun to tell in spite of the consequences, if it were not for Proté and for Rosanne! “You dare not look me in the eyes and say that you did not go to the ball,” persisted Denise, who was becoming more and more interested and excited. She had not at first really believed that her sister had gone to the ball and had kept on the subject because she felt in a teasing mood, but Marie Josephine’s telltale color betrayed her and Proté’s look of horror confirmed her suspicions. “Proté helped you, I know she did. Tell me, Proté, did you not aid Mademoiselle to go to the De Soignés’ to see the ball?” Denise, to do her justice, would not have kept up with the subject had their mother, the comtesse, been with them, but none of them were very much in awe of Madame le Pont. There was no need for Marie Josephine to reply for Proté clasped her hands and exclaimed: “Heaven be with us! I meant no harm. It was so wrong for Little Mademoiselle to have none of the pleasure!” All eyes were turned toward Madame le Pont who, to their unbounded surprise, did not seem in any way as horrified as they had expected! She looked at Marie Josephine and then at the others and said: “After all, now that so many things are happening, what does it matter!” Could it be true! Their governess saying, “What does it matter!” Madame le Pont, who, in spite of her being more indulgent than the governesses of their friends, had always been so fond of the conventions! She did not even seem to realize what Marie Josephine had done, and she said nothing at all to Proté, who sat looking the picture of fright and despair! Denise was so surprised at the attitude of the governess that she whispered to Cécile under cover of the rumbling of the coach: