The widow of an Indian civil servant, who placed her daughter Lillian in a school at Le Puy while she and her youngest daughter, Mimmy, went to live at an hotel in the same city. She was courted by a kindly gentleman, M. Lacordaire, whom she had heard called a “marchand.” Although she considered her station in life something above one “in trade”, she accepted him, even after he had told her somewhat diffidently that he was a tailor.