The children had never sat down before to a regular dinner, and they told Sidonia 50. Their confession added a zest to the repast. He gave them occasional instructions, and they listened as if they were receiving directions for a new performance. They were so quick and so tractable, that their progress was rapid; and at the second course Josephine was instructing Michel, and Alfred guiding the rather helpless but always self-composed Carlotta. After dinner, while Sidonia helped them to sugar-plums, he without effort extracted from each their master wish. Josephine desired to be an actress, while Adele confessed that, though she sighed for the boards, her secret aspirations were for the grand opera. Carlotta thought the world was made to dance. ‘For my part,’ said Francis, the eldest son, ‘I have no wish to be idle; but there are two things which I have always desired: first, that I should travel; and, secondly, that nobody should ever know me.’ ‘And what would Alfred wish to be?’ said Sidonia. ‘Indeed, sir, if it did not take me from my brothers and sisters, I should certainly wish to be a painter.’ ‘Michel has not yet found out what he wishes,’ said Sidonia. ‘I wish to play upon the horn,’ said Michel, with great determination. When Sidonia embraced them before their departure, he gave each of the girls a French shawl; to Francis he gave a pair of English pistols, to guard him when he travelled; Alfred received a portfolio full of drawings of costume. It only arrived after dinner, for the town was too poor to supply anything good enough for the occasion, and Sidonia had sent a special messenger, the day before, for it to Lille. Michel was the guardian of a basket laden with good things, which he was to have the pleasure of dividing among the Baroni family. ‘And if your papa come back to-night,’ said Sidonia to Josephine, ‘tell him I should like to have a word with him.’ V.