The Delavie family was cultivated for the time. French had been
brought home as a familiar tongue, though _Telemaque_, Racine, and
_Le Grand Cyrus_ were the whole library in that language; and there
was not another within thirty miles. On two days in the week the
sisters became Mesdemoiselles Elisabeth, Henriette, and Aurelie, and
conversed in French over their spinning, seams, lace, or embroidery;
nor was Aurelia yet emancipated from reciting Racine on alternate
days with Milton and Shakespeare.
Betty could likewise talk German with the old Austrian maid, Nannerl,
who had followed the family from Vienna; but the accomplishment was
not esteemed, and the dialect was barbarous. From the time of her
mother's death, Betty had been a strict and careful, though kind, ruler
to her sisters; and the long walk was a greater holiday to Aurelia than
to Eugene, releasing her from her book and work, whereas he would soon
have been trundling his hoop, and haunting the steps of Palmer, who was
gardener as well as valet, butler, and a good deal besides, and moreover
drilled his young master. Thus Eugene carried his head as erect as any
Grenadier in the service, and was a thorough little gentleman in
miniature; a perfect little beau, as his sisters loved to call the
darling of their hearts and hopes.
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