Aglae insisted upon going everywhere, and delivered a running lecture as she went, impressing points with a straight dark finger, square-tipped. From the turret window she delivered herself of a lesson in geography, showing that she knew more about the vicinity of the Loire than those who dwelt there. She vowed it was a shame to have walled up the dungeons, for in one (unless she was misinformed) was a crucifix carved with reverent care out of the stone, by the broken knife blade of a despairing prisoner. Then, the survey over, she declared she had not seen the most interesting object of all. What was that? Why! the school-room of the prodigies; what else? Was she not here to teach their minds to shoot, and was it not most important that the scene of the operation should be selected with consummate care? There was no school-room--only a nursery! Then and there so crying a defect should be remedied. Madame would forgive her energy, recognizing the importance of the subject? Madame was so beautiful and indulgent to a poor stranger that there was no doubt of it. The darlings must have every advantage. Did not madame think so? Of course she did. Then off stumped Mademoiselle Brunelle, shaking the floor as though a colossal statue had been endowed with movement, and the big voice was heard in thunder presently, shouting out peremptory commands about curtains and chairs and tables. Who was to resist this interloper? Gabrielle, though she felt nettled at being taken despotically in hand, and thrust aside, was not prepared to interfere, for manifestly the arrangements were for the good of the darlings. The new broom was sweeping so very clean, that compunction invaded the maternal bosom, in that she had been remiss in not sufficiently considering the extent of the cherubic wants. Established in the best room on the ground floor to her satisfaction, surrounded with pictures and statuettes and ornamental nicknacks ravished from other chambers, Mademoiselle Brunelle let all and sundry know that here was her especial stronghold which none would invade with impunity. Nevertheless, the Marquise de Gange, who did not understand that such an _ukase_ could possibly refer to her, prepared herself to assist at the lessons of the dear ones and to watch the process of shooting, and she was no little taken aback at the arbitrary proceedings of the governess. At first she took no notice of sour smiles and head-tossings, whereupon mademoiselle thought fit to dot her _i_'s, and bluntly inform madame with that queer mixture of respect and independence, in which the latter was beginning to preponderate, that it was a troublesome matter to instruct youth in complicated subjects in the presence of an ignorant mother. "Do consider, madame," she observed, saucily, "how humiliating for you it will be, if they discover how little you know!"