"
"Ah! you should go to my shop and try a certain cask, filled with
a particular vintage."
"What shop? Which vintage?"
"I can't stop to tell you now; but we shall most likely meet
again to-day. I expect to be at the prison this afternoon. Shall I
ask for you? Good! I won't forget!" With those farewell words he
went out, and never so much as looked back at the prisoners
before he closed the door.
Trudaine returned to his sister, fearful lest his face should
betray what had passed during the extraordinary interview between
Lomaque and himself. But, whatever change there might be in his
expression, Rose did not seem to notice it. She was still
strangely inattentive to all outward things. That spirit of
resignation, which is the courage of women in all great
emergencies, seemed now to be the one animating spirit that fed
the flame of life within her.
When her brother sat down by her, she only took his hand gently
and said: "Let us stop together like this, Louis, till the time
comes. I am not afraid of it, for I have nothing but you to make
me love life, and you, too, are going to die. Do you remember the
time when I used to grieve that I had never had a child to be
some comfort to me? I was thinking, a moment ago, how terrible it
would have been now, if my wish had been granted. It is a
blessing for me, in this great misery, that I am childless.
Pages:
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223