Valentine smiled sadly as she replied: "It so happened that the sister of M. d'Infreville's steward was my mysterious neighbour's only servant. Informed by her brother, this woman had told her employer of this apartment and garden. One day, my curiosity so far got the better of me that I asked our steward if he knew who had just leased the ground floor in the next house, and he told me several things that excited my curiosity still more." "Indeed, and what were these things, my dear Valentine?" "He said that this new neighbour was the best and most generous-hearted man in the world,--for instance, when, after the death of an uncle who left him quite a handsome fortune, he wanted to hire several servants, and live in a rather more luxurious fashion, this same old woman whom I have spoken of, and who used to be his nurse, told him, with tears in her eyes, that she could not endure the thought of seeing other servants in his house. In vain he promised her that she should have authority over them all, act as a sort of confidential servant or housekeeper in short, but she would not listen to him. In his kindness of heart, he did not insist, so, in spite of his newly acquired wealth, he kept in his service only this old servant. This may seem a trivial incident to you, my dear Florence, but--" "On the contrary, I think the delicate consideration he displayed extremely touching, and not unfrequently these apparent trifles enable one to judge very accurately of a person's character." "I think so, too. In fact, from that time, I felt sure that my neighbour was both kind-hearted and generous. I soon discovered, too, that his name was Michel Renaud." "Michel Renaud? Good Heavens!" exclaimed Madame de Luceval. "Yes; but what is the matter, Florence?" "How strange, how passing strange that--" "Pray go on." "Is he the son of General Renaud, who was killed in the last war of the Empire?" "Yes. Do you know him?" "He is M. de Luceval's cousin." "Michel, M. de Luceval's cousin?" "And hardly a day passes that my husband does not speak of him." "Of Michel?" "Yes, but I have never seen him. Possibly he took offence on account of M. de Luceval's marriage, like nearly all the members of the family, for he has never called to see us. That doesn't surprise me much, however, for my husband has never been on particularly friendly terms with any of his relatives." "What you say amazes me! Michel, your husband's cousin? But how does M. de Luceval happen to speak of Michel so often?" "Alas! my poor Valentine, it is on account of a grievous fault of which M. Michel Renaud and I are both guilty, it seems,--a fault which is my chief happiness, and, to speak plainly, my husband's greatest safeguard; but men are so blind!" "Explain, I beg of you." "You know I was considered incorrigibly indolent at the convent. How many remonstrances, how many punishments I received on account of that fault!" "True."