She would endeavour to have a true solicitude for his interests, and would take care, at any rate, that nothing was squandered that came into her hands.

Of what avail would it be to her that she should postpone for a few days the beginning of a friendship that was to last all her life?
Such postponement could only be induced by a dread of the man, and she was firmly determined that she would not dread him.

When they asked her, therefore, she smiled and said very little.

What did her aunt think?
Her aunt thought that the marriage should be settled for the earliest possible day,--though she never quite expressed her thoughts.

Madame Voss, though she did not generally obtain much credit for clear seeing, had a clearer insight to the state of her niece's mind than had her husband.