But Julius on his side described in glowing colors, the “world beyond,” dwelling with enthusiasm upon the great advantages it possessed for her own advancement, and above all, for that of her beloved son Frivole. He also fired the mind of the boy with a vehement desire to tread those unknown shores. And between the eloquence of her patron, and the importunity of her son, poor Madeleine became resigned, if not reconciled to depart. Mr. Luxmore also voluntarily promised to take the mother and son to New York, and to procure for them suitable employment. And Julius kept his word—being quite willing to put himself to thus much inconvenience, for the sake of separating the nurse from her charge, and ingratiating himself with Etoile. For, though the young creature sadly lamented the loss of her “Maman,” yet having been persuaded by Mr. Luxmore, that it was all for Madeleine’s good, she was not only reconciled to her departure, but even grateful to him for taking her away. “You are going to the beautiful world beyond, Maman,” she said, “and some day I, too, shall follow you.” And unwilling to cloud the departure of her nurse with a single complaint, the girl had heroically abstained from expressing the keen regret she felt at losing her. When the sail that wafted Madeleine and her son away, was lost to view, Etoile abandoned herself to weeping for a while, but on recovering she took herself to task, saying— “How selfish I am to weep, because Maman has gone to the beautiful world beyond! I ought to be glad, because I myself wanted to go there so much.” And she repelled grief as a sin of selfishness, and went and got her drawing materials, and occupied herself with painting from memory a portrait of “Maman.” Mr. Luxmore performed his promise, that is to say, he conveyed the mother and son to New York, procured for Madeleine the place of chambermaid, and for Frivole that of waiter, in a third-class hotel, and abandoned them to their fate. Now, whether this change of fortune was considered “favorable” by the servants of the late Monsieur Henri De L’Ile, remains an open question. CHAPTER XXXVI. ETOILE COMES INTO HER ESTATE. “But what are these grave thoughts to thee? For restlessly, impatiently, Thou strivest, strugglest to be free: Thy only dream is liberty.”—_Longfellow._ Mr. Luxmore returned early in November, bringing many rare presents for Etoile, consisting of costly books and pictures, an elegant paint-box, furnished with drawing materials, model plaster casts and marble statuettes, an exquisitely sweet-toned lute, and a collection of fine music. It was in Etoile’s boudoir that these attractive presents were displayed to her delighted eyes. “Ah, how beautiful! how glorious! how heavenly! must be that world, whence all these charming things come!” she exclaimed. Mr. Luxmore smiled at her hallucination.