saidtheyounglady;butitwasalreadydone."thatisourfamousoldtree.iloveitverymuch.theyoftenlaughatmeathomeaboutit,butthatdoesnotmatter.thereisastoryattachedtothistree."andnowshetoldhimallthatwealreadyknowaboutthetree-theoldmansion,thepedlarandthegoose-girlwhohadmetthereforthefirsttime,andhadbecometheancestorsofthenoblefamilytowhichtheyoungladybelonged.

"theydidnotliketobeknighted,thegoodoldpeople,"shesaid;"theirmottowas'everythingintherightplace,'anditwouldnotberight,theythought,topurchaseatitleformoney.mygrandfather,thefirstbaron,wastheirson.theysayhewasaverylearnedman,agreatfavouritewiththeprincesandprincesses,andwasinvitedtoallcourtfestivities.theothersathomelovehimbest;but,idonotknowwhy,thereseemedtometobesomethingabouttheoldcouplethatattractsmyheart!howhomely,howpatriarchal,itmusthavebeenintheoldmansion,wherethemistresssatatthespinning-wheelwithhermaids,whileherhusbandreadaloudoutofthebible!"

"theymusthavebeenexcellent,sensiblepeople,"saidthepastor'sson.andwiththistheconversationturnednaturallytonoblemenandcommoners;fromthemannerinwhichthetutorspokeaboutthesignificanceofbeingnoble,itseemedalmostasifhedidnotbelongtoacommoner'sfamily.

"itisgoodfortunetobeofafamilywhohavedistinguishedthemselves,andtopossessasitwereaspurinoneselftoadvancetoallthatisgood.itisasplendidthingtobelongtoanoblefamily,whosenameservesasacardofadmissiontothehighestcircles.nobilityisadistinction;itisagoldcointhatbearsthestampofitsownvalue.itisthefallacyofthetime,andmanypoetsexpressit,tosaythatallthatisnobleisbadandstupid,andthat,onthecontrary,theloweronegoesamongthepoor,themorebrilliantvirtuesonefinds.idonotsharethisopinion,foritiswrong.intheupperclassesoneseesmanytouchinglybeautifultraits;myownmotherhastoldmeofsuch,andicouldmentionseveral.onedayshewasvisitinganobleman'shouseintown;mygrandmother,ibelieve,hadbeenthelady'snursewhenshewasachild.mymotherandthenoblemanwerealoneintheroom,whenhesuddenlynoticedanoldwomanoncrutchescomelimpingintothecourtyard;shecameeverysundaytocarryagiftawaywithher.

"'thereisthepooroldwoman,'saidthenobleman;'itissodifficultforhertowalk.'

"mymotherhadhardlyunderstoodwhathesaidbeforehedisappearedfromtheroom,andwentdownstairs,inordertosaveherthetroublesomewalkforthegiftshecametofetch.ofcoursethisisonlyalittleincident,butithasitsgoodsoundlikethepoorwidow'stwomitesinthebible,thesoundwhichechoesinthedepthofeveryhumanheart;andthisiswhatthepoetoughttoshowandpointout-moreespeciallyinourowntimeheoughttosingofthis;itdoesgood,itmitigatesandreconciles!butwhenaman,simplybecauseheisofnoblebirthandpossessesagenealogy,standsonhishindlegsandneighsinthestreetlikeanarabianhorse,andsayswhenacommonerhasbeeninaroom:'somepeoplefromthestreethavebeenhere,'therenobilityisdecaying;ithasbecomeamaskofthekindthatthespiscreated,anditisamusingwhensuchapersonisexposedinsatire."

suchwasthetutor'sspeech;itwasalittlelong,butwhilehedeliveredithehadfinishedcuttingtheflute.

therewasalargepartyatthemansion;manyguestsfromtheneighbourhoodandfromthecapitalhadarrived.therewereladieswithtastefulandwithtastelessdresses;thebighallwasquitecrowdedwithpeople.theclergymenstoodhumblytogetherinacorner,andlookedasiftheywerepreparingforafuneral,butitwasafestival-onlytheamusementhadnotyetbegun.agreatconcertwastotakeplace,andthatiswhythebaron'syoungsonhadbroughthiswillowflutewithhim;buthecouldnotmakeitsound,norcouldhisfather,andthereforetheflutewasgoodfornothing.

therewasmusicandsongsofthekindwhichdelightmostthosethatperformthem;otherwisequitecharming!