"
"No!" cried a voice at the door; "not if you went on your knees
to ask him."
Rose turned round with a scream. There stood her husband on the
threshold, scowling at her, with his hat on, and his hands thrust
doggedly into his pockets. Trudaine's servant announced him, with
an insolent smile, during the pause that followed the discovery.
"Citizen Superintendent Danville, to visit the citoyenne, his
wife," said the fellow, making a mock bow to his master.
Rose looked at her brother, then advanced a few paces toward the
door. "This is a surprise," she said, faintly; "has anything
happened? We--we didn't expect you." Her voice failed her as she
saw her husband advancing, pale to his very lips with suppressed
anger.
"How dare you come here, after what I told you?" he asked, in
quick, low tones.
She shrank at his voice almost as if he had struck her. The blood
flew into her brother's face as he noticed the action; but he
controlled himself, and, taking her hand, led her in silence to a
chair.
"I forbid you to sit down in his house," said Danville, advancing
still; "I order you to come back with me! Do you hear? I order
you."
He was approaching nearer to her, when he caught Trudaine's eye
fixed on him, and stopped. Rose started up, and placed herself
between them.
"Oh, Charles, Charles!" she said to her husband, "be friends with
Louis to-night, and be kind again to me.
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