Victoire begged her friend Annette to do the business of the shop， and stayed at work in the back parlour. Tracassier was much disappointed by her absence； but as he thought no great ceremony necessary in his proceedings， he made his name known in a haughty manner to Madame de Feuillot， and desired that he might be admitted into the back parlour， as he had something of consequence to say to Mademoiselle Victoire in private. Our readers will not require to have a detailed account of this tete-a-tete； it is sufficient to say that the disappointed and exasperated abbe left the house muttering imprecations. The next morning a note came to Victoire apparently from Manon： it was directed by her， but the inside was written by an unknown hand， and continued these words：-"You are a charming， but incomprehensible girl--since you do not like compliments， you shall not be addressed with empty flattery.
It is in the power of the person who dictates this， not only to make you as rich and great as your cousin Manon， but also to restore to fortune and to their country the friends for whom， you are most interested. Their fate as well as your own is in your power： if you send a favourable answer to this note， the persons alluded to will， to-morrow， be struck from the list of emigrants， and reinstated in their former possessions. If your answer is decidedly unfavourable， the return of your friends to France will be thenceforward impracticable， and their chateau， as well as their house in Paris， will be declared national property， and sold without delay to the highest bidder. To you， who have as much understanding as beauty， it is unnecessary to say more. Consult your heart， charming Victoire！ be happy， and make others happy.
This moment is decisive of your fate and of theirs， for you have to answer a man of a most decided character."Victoire's answer was as follows：-
"My friends would not， I am sure， accept of their fortune， or consent to return to their country， upon the conditions proposed；therefore I have no merit in rejecting them."Victoire had early acquired good principles， and that plain steady good sense， which goes straight to its object， without being dazzled or imposed upon by sophistry. She was unacquainted with the refinements of sentiment， but she distinctly knew right from wrong， and had sufficient resolution to abide by the right.
Perhaps many romantic heroines might have thought it a generous self-devotion to have become in similar circumstances the mistress of Tracassier； and those who are skilled "to make the worst appear the better cause" might have made such an act of heroism the foundation of an interesting， or at least a fashionable novel.
Poor Victoire had not received an education sufficiently refined to enable her to understand these mysteries of sentiment. She was even simple enough to flatter herself that this libertine patriot would not fulfil his threats， and that these had been made only with a view to terrify her into compliance. In this opinion， however， she found herself mistaken. M. Tracassier was indeed a man of the most decided character， if this form may properly be applied to those who act uniformly in consequence of their ruling passion. The Chateau de Fleury was seized as national property.
Victoire heard this bad news from the old steward， who was turned out of the castle， along with his son， the very day after her rejection of the proposed conditions.
"I could not have believed that any human creature could be so wicked！" exclaimed Victoire， glowing with indignation： but indignation gave way to sorrow.
"And the Chateau de Fleury is really seized？--and you， good old man， are turned out of the place where you were born？--and you too， Basile？--and Madame de Fleury will never come back again！--and perhaps she may be put into prison in a foreign country， and may die for want--and I might have prevented all this！"Unable to shed a tear， Victoire stood in silent consternation， whilst Annette explained to the good steward and his son the whole transaction. Basile， who was naturally of an impetuous temper， was so transported with indignation， that he would have gone instantly with the note from Tracassier to denounce him before the whole National Convention， if he had not been restrained by his more prudent father. The old steward represented to him， that as the note was neither signed nor written by the hand of Tracassier， no proof could be brought home to him， and the attempt to convict one of so powerful a party would only bring certain destruction upon the accusers. Besides， such was at this time the general depravity of manners， that numbers would keep the guilty in countenance.
There was no crime which the mask of patriotism could not cover.
"There is one comfort we have in our misfortunes， which these men can never have，" said the old man； "when their downfall comes， and come it will most certainly， they will not feel as we do， INNOCENT.
Victoire， look up！ and do not give way to despair--all will yet be well.""At all events， you have done what is right--so do not reproach yourself，" said Basile. "Everybody--I mean everybody who is good for anything--must respect， admire， and love you， Victoire."第一章
