Nothing seemed so nice; and the next morning, although her conscience told her she was doing wrong, she contrived to be as awkward as on the preceding day, dropped a piece, picked it up and ate it. Soon she took a handful, and it was not long before she began to fill her pockets.

One morning, while doing so, she felt some one touch her on the shoulder, and thought it was her papa; but was very much relieved, on finding that it was only Victoire, the servant.

Mrs. Dupont had often forbidden Emily to have any intercourse with her, or any other of the ser

vants, asserting that she had not a good opinion of her.

"Oh, oh !" said Victoire, in an impudent manner, "I have caught you at last; and this is the way you act when your mamma trusts her keys to you; but I have caught you, and she shall know all about it."

At this speech, the reader can guess Emily's indig nation; but what could she do? She had so disgraced herself, that she dare not express it; on the contrary, she assumed an air of humility, and used all her arts to bribe Victoire to say nothing to her

mamma about what had just happened. But Victoire was too cunning to grant her request, without making her pay dearly for it. Full of despair, and bathed in tears, she went on her knees before the servant.

"Oh! do not say anything, dear Victoire, I pray you; oh! Victoire, I have sixteen shillings and eightpence, and I will give you all-all, Victoire; but pray do not tell mamma. Oh! Victoire, my sixteen shillings and eightpence."

"Well! what good will that be to me?" replied the wicked girl. "It is not that that will clear you, miss."

"Oh! Victoire, do tell me what you wish for, and if I possibly can, I will give it you."

"Well," said Victoire sneeringly, "get up, wipe your eyes, and show me your money."

Emily did not wait to be told a second time. She ran out of the room, and soon returned with her treasure. Victoire received it, and having put it into her pocket, asked Emily for some tea.

"Some tea!" replied Emily, trembling. "I have no tea.'

"What, have you not the keys?" said Victoire, laughing. "Is there none in the tea-caddy?"

"But, Victoire, that is mamma's tea. I dare not take any to give to you."

"Dear me, really!" cried Victoire. "So now you wish to pass for an honest person. Your mamma shall know all now."

So saying, Victoire went out of the room. Emily ran after her, crying loudly, "Oh, no, no! Victoire, pray do not tell mamma!"

"Well, then, child, be reasonable, and give me some tea. I am sure your mamma has often given me half-a-pound for a present."

"And did mamma really give you some tea?" asked Emily, well knowing it was a falsehood. "What I say, I mean,' " said Victoire. "Come, give me the keys. I can take some myself; then the fault will not be yours."

Emily's hand trembled as she handed the keys to Victoire, for she well knew she was doing wrong. She dared not go near her mamma to bid her goodbye before going to school, and she passed the most miserable day possible; her mind was wandering all the while from her lessons, and she was thinking only of what she had done; but I fear she did not really repent. However, she returned home unhappy and humbled. The first person she met was Victoire. Emily shrunk back; she feared to meet her, lest some fresh temptation might be placed in her way; but Victoire was laughing, and whispered to her, "Look in your wardrobe, and you will see what I have put there for you."

Although her mamma had often forbidden her to receive anything from any of the servants, she found it difficult to refuse; so, as soon as she entered the room, she ran to her wardrobe, and saw there a large apple-pie, which Victoire had made with the sugar she had taken from Mrs. Dupont's store-room.

Thus it is, when one sin is committed, who can guess the end?

The next morning, scarcely had her papa left the breakfast table, when Victoire came and asked for some brandy and coffee for her cousin, who was ill. This fresh request was an unexpected blow for Emily. She thought that when she gave her her treasure, her sixteen shillings and eightpence, she had made ample reparation to Victoire. Emily burst into a flood of tears, and begged her not to ask her to add to the faults she had already committed.

"Oh! indeed," said Victoire, contemptuously. "I suppose you did not scruple to eat the pie I gave you yesterday; but do as you like."

"Alas!" cried Emily, "why have I been so dishonest? I never was so unhappy before." And, covering her face with her hands, she burst into tears.

Victoire went out, and Emily, hearing her go upstairs, ran after her and caught her at her mother's door, and told her that she readily would give her what she desired. If, instead of yielding to her fright, she had gone herself and confessed all to her mamma, what unhappiness it might have prevented!

However, Victoire came with fresh demands every day. At last, she asked her to leave the keys with her while she went to school, saying it was so tiresome when any one came in, to be obliged always to say she hadn't them; and besides, she often wanted some things out of the store-room, or one of the cupboards.

"But, Victoire," said Emily, mamma will know, if I do not take them to her as usual."

“Oh! well, if that is all, content yourself with rattling the keys on her table, she will never know. I will not do wrong; indeed, I will not. I have a pot of apricot jam; I would give it you; but as you cannot do as I ask you, I can keep it myself."

"What sort of jam, and how large is the jar?" "Oh! as large as that," said Victoire, putting her two hands together to show her.

"I should like that very much. It would be very nice!" said Emily.

"Nice! you never in your life tasted anything better. I intended to give you the whole jar for yourself; but I can eat it."