You lack confidence in life, my friend, and it is wrong at your age.

Do you think I do not see that my father has aged very much, that his eyesight fails, that we are much more cramped in circumstances in the house than formerly?
Are we any the more sad?
Mamma makes fewer little dishes and I teach in Paris, that is all.

We live nearly the same as before, and our dear Maria--she is the pet of us all, the joy and pride of the house-well, our Maria, all the same, has from time to time a new frock or a pretty hat.

I have no experience, but it seems to me that in order to feel really unhappy I must have nobody to love--that is the only privation worth the trouble of noticing.

Do you know that I have just had one of the greatest pleasures of my life?
I noticed that papa did not smoke as much as usual, in order to be economical, poor man! Fortunately I found a new pupil at Batignolles, and as soon as I had the first month's pay in my pocket I bought a large package of tobacco and put it beside his work.