"To virtue wake the pulses of the heart, And bid the tear of emulation start."ROGERS.
Victoire, who gave constant exercise to the benevolent feelings of the amiable nun, became every day more dear to her. Far from having the selfishness of a favourite, Victoire loved to bring into public notice the good actions of her companions. "Stoop down your ear to me, Sister Frances," said she, "and I will tell you a secret--I will tell you why my friend Annette is growing so thin--Ifound it out this morning--she does not eat above half her soup every day. Look, there's her porringer covered up in the corner--she carries it home to her mother, who is sick, and who has not bread to eat."Madame de Fleury came in whilst Sister Frances was yet bending down to hear this secret; it was repeated to her, and she immediately ordered that a certain allowance of bread should be given to Annette every day to carry to her mother during her illness.
"I give it in charge to you, Victoire, to remember this, and I am sure it will never be forgotten. Here is an order for you upon my baker: run and show it to Annette. This is a pleasure you deserve; I am glad that you have chosen for your friend a girl who is so good a daughter. Good daughters make good friends."By similar instances of goodness Victoire obtained the love and confidence of her companions, notwithstanding her manifest superiority. In their turn, they were eager to proclaim her merits; and, as Sister Frances and Madame de Fleury administered justice with invariable impartiality, the hateful passions of envy and jealousy were never excited in this little society. No servile sycophant, no malicious detractor, could rob or defraud their little virtues of their due reward.
"Whom shall I trust to take this to Madame de Fleury?" said Sister Frances, carrying into the garden where the children were playing a pot of fine jonquils, which she had brought from her convent.--"These are the first jonquils I have seen this year, and finer Inever beheld! Whom shall I trust to take them to Madame de Fleury this evening?--It must be some one who will not stop to stare about on the way, but who will be very, very careful--some one in whom Ican place perfect dependence."
"It must be Victoire, then," cried every voice.
"Yes, she deserves it to-day particularly," said Annette eagerly;"because she was not angry with Babet when she did what was enough to put anybody in a passion. Sister Frances, you know this cherry-tree which you grafted for Victoire last year, and that was yesterday so full of blossoms--now you see, there is not a blossom left!--Babet plucked them all this morning to make a nosegay.""But she did not know," said Victoire, "that pulling off the blossoms would prevent my having any cherries.""Oh, I am very sorry I was so foolish," said Babet; "Victoire did not even say a cross word to me.""Though she was excessively anxious about the cherries," pursued Annette, "because she intended to have given the first she had to Madame de Fleury.""Victoire, take the jonquils--it is but just," said Sister Frances.
"How I do love to hear them all praise her!--I knew what she would be from the first."With a joyful heart Victoire took the jonquils, promised to carry them with the utmost care, and not to stop to stare on the way.
