Free Finding Emilie by Laurel Corona Page B

“Mademoiselle de Bercy,” he said with an officiousness negated by the pimples on his chin. “You are free to stay, but not to disturb us.” When he turned his back, Delphine stuck out her tongue and Lili suppressed a giggle. “I can explain, Mademoiselle du Châtelet,” he said. “Newton’s first law says that every object will remain in its current, uniform state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.”
    “Well, why didn’t he just say that?” Lili demanded. She rolled her pencil across the table. “And look—it doesn’t even seem to be true. The pencil is obviously going to stop moving at some point.” It fell off the table onto the intricately patterned Savonnerie carpet, and Lili heard Delphine snicker.
    “But you see, the table is creating friction,” the tutor said. “If the pencil were moving through space unimpeded, it would never stop. And if it weren’t moving, it would never start unless something hit it.”
    “All right,” Lili said. “I can understand that, but—” She ran her finger across the next line. “Nisi quatenus a viribus impressis cogitur statum illum mutare? Latin is hard enough without someone so strange writing it.” She pushed the book toward him. “You translate!”
    Monsieur Nohant’s eyes flitted. “I’m afraid I can’t explain better than I have.”
    “Well, why not?” Lili had grown exasperated with this new tutor, who seemed to know little more than she did.
    The door to the library opened and Julie entered. Both girls stood up. “Bonjour, Maman!” they chirped.
    “Bonjour, mes chéries,” she said, coming over to give each of them a light caress on the shoulder. “My goodness,” she said, looking at Delphine’s sketch. “That’s a very good likeness!” She looked more closely. “But why did you erase Lili’s mouth?” Delphine shot an annoyed glance at Lili as Maman came over to her.
    “What’s wrong,” she asked, seeing Lili’s knit brow.
    “I can’t understand this!” Lili’s voice was husky with frustration.
    The tutor shifted his feet. “I’m not able to explain it using the Latin,” he said.
    Julie picked up the book. “This is—” She looked at Lili. “You’re already reading Newton?”
    “Oui, Maman. And I really want to understand, but I can’t seem to manage.” Maman’s eyes were oddly bright against her suddenly pale cheeks. “What?” Lili asked. “Did I do something wrong?”
    “I said nothing to her,” the tutor insisted.
    Lili looked back and forth between the two of them. “What are you talking about?” she demanded. “Said nothing about what?”
    Julie de Bercy looked away, her lips disappearing into a thin line as she pondered what to say. “I think it’s best if you leave us for the day,” she said to the tutor. “And you too, for a little while, ma chérie,” she said to Delphine. “I need some time with Lili alone.”
    “ WHAT DO YOU know about your mother?” Julie asked when the others had left.
    “Nothing but the little you’ve told me,” Lili replied. She thought for a moment. “I’ve always sensed I wasn’t supposed to ask. There were a few girls at the convent whose mothers were dead, but since they never mentioned them, I thought maybe there was something improper about bringing it up.”
    Julie took a deep breath as she settled back onto the couch. “I was with your mother more than anyone else in her last days. Ihelped her into bed when she felt her first pains with you. I knew she was gone even before your father did.” She shut her eyes to gather her thoughts. The clock ticked and a carriage went by on the Place Royale while Lili waited for her to continue.
    Suddenly Julie stood up. “This is the best way to show you who your mother was.” She walked over to the desk to pick up the Principia. “It’s not just you who has trouble with this Latin. No one here could comprehend what Newton was saying until Emilie translated it into French.”
    “My mother