"And what would you do?" asked my uncle, whose face became animated again, for the indignation of the old woman gave him internal pleasure. "I would load my horse-pistols," ex-wise, Richter and all the low people of Anclaimed Lisbeth; "I would say to them out statt would be there early the next morning of the window, Keep off, you robbers! to see Madame Thérèse's departure and to Beware how you come in! And the first enjoy our humiliation. She understood it who passed the door should be laid out very well, and promised that she would restiff! Oh, the scoundrels!" strain her tongue. Then my uncle went to see the mole-catcher. “Yes, yes,” said my uncle; "that is the way such people ought to be received; but we are not so strong as they." Then he began to walk again, and Lisbeth, really trembling, put on the dishes. Madame Thérèse said nothing. The table being set, we took our dinner very soberly. Toward the end of it my uncle went to get a bottle of old Burgundy from the cellar, and on returning he said, sadly, "Let us cheer our hearts a little, and fortify ourselves against these great sorrows which oppress us. Before your departure, Madame Thérèse, let this old wine, which restored your strength and which enlivened us on a day of happiness, shine again among us like a ray of the sun and dissipate for a few minutes the clouds which surround | who regards us from on high knows, however, that we do not deserve to suffer thus; that wicked beings have distressed us; but He knows also that power, true power is in His hand, and that He can make us happy as soon as He wills it. For this reason He permits these iniquities, for He knows there will be separation. Let us then be calm and let us trust in Him. To the health of Madame Thérèse!" And we all drank, our cheeks covered with tears. Lisbeth, on hearing the power of God spoken of, had calmed herself a little; for she had pious sentiments, and she thought that things must be as they were for the greatest good of all in eternal life. But she continued no less to curse the Prussians from the bottom of her soul, and all those who resembled them. After dinner my uncle specially charged the old servant not to spread the report of these events in the village; for other us." It was only at the moment when he spoke thus that we felt our courage revive a little. But some minutes afterward, when addressing Lisbeth, he told her to get a glass, to touch glasses with Madame Thérèse, and the poor old woman burst into tears, her apron over her face; then our firmness vanished and we began to sob all together. "Yes, yes," said my uncle; we have been happy together; this is human history, -the moments of happiness pass quickly; grief endures for a very long period. He 66 All that afternoon I did not leave the house. Madame Thérèse continued her preparations for her departure. Lisbeth assisted her and wanted to stuff a crowd of useless things into her bag, saying that everything was needed on a journey; that one was pleased to find what they had put in a corner; that having one day gone to Pirmasens she had much regretted her comb and her plaited ribbons. Madame Thérèse smiled. 66 'No, Lisbeth," said she, "only remember that I shall not travel in a carriage, and that all this will be upon my back; three good chemises, three handkerchiefs, two pairs of shoes, and several pairs of stockings, will be sufficient. At all the halts, when we stop for an hour or two near some spring, we have a wash. You do not know about the soldiers' washing. Heavens ! how many times have I done it! We French people like to be neat, and we always are so with our little bundles." She seemed cheerful, only now and then, when she spoke some kindly words to Scipio, her voice became quite sad, I did not know why; but I knew afterward, when my uncle returned. The day passed on; about four o'clock it began to grow dark, and now everything was ready; the bag holding all Madame Thérèse's things hung upon the wall. She sat down at the corner of the stove, drawing me upon her knees in silence. Lisbeth went back into the kitchen to prepare supper, and from that time no word was exchanged; the poor woman no doubt was thinking of the future which awaited her upon the road to Mayence in the midst of her companions in misfortune. She said nothing; I felt her gentle breathing on my cheek. This continued for half an hour, and night had come, when my uncle opened the door, asking, Are you there, Madame Thérèse ? " "Very good. I have seen my patients, I have told Koffel, the mole-catcher, and old Schmidt; all is right; they will be here this evening to receive your adieux." His voice had become firm. He went himself to get a light from the kitchen, and when he saw us together when he came back he seemed to be much pleased. 66 "He Fritzel is a good boy," said he. is going to lose your good lessons now; but I hope he will practice reading French by himself, and that he will always remember that a man's worth is in proportion to his knowledge. I depend upon that." Then Madame Thérèse made him look at her little parcel in detail; she smiled, and my uncle said, of the stove; I took my Scipio, I drew him toward me, I plunged my great red hands into his thick fleece; a perfect deluge of tears inundated my cheeks. It seemed to me that all the good things of earth and of heaven, which I had lost, were restored to me. My uncle looked at me much surprised; he no doubt comprehended what I had suffered in thinking that I must be separated from Scipio, for instead of making any remark upon the sacrifice she imposed upon herself, he simply said, "I accept, Madame Thérèse; I accept for Fritzel, that he may remember how much you have loved him, that he may always recollect that in the greatest trouble you left him, as a mark of your affection, a good, faithful creature, not only your own companion, but also that of little Jean, your brother; may he never forgot it, and may he love you also." Then, speaking to me, "Fritzel," said he, "will you not thank Madame Thérèse ? " Then I rose, and unable to speak one word because of my sobs, I went to throw myself into the arms of that excellent woman, and I quitted her no more. I stood close to her, my arm over her shoulder, seeing Scipio at my feet through my big tears, and touching him with the ends of my fingers with a feeling of inexpressible pleasure. It took some time to quiet me. Thérèse, embracing me, said, Madame he at "This child has a good heart, taches himself readily. That is good," which again redoubled my tears. She brushed my hair from my forehead, and seemed moved. After supper, Koffel, the mole-catcher, and old Schmidt came in gravely, their caps under their arms. They expressed to Madame Thérèse their regret at seeing her ahout to go, and their indignation toward the scoundrel Richter, whom every one suspected of being the informer, for he only was capable of such a part. We were seated around the stove; Madame Thérèse seemed touched by the sorrow of these good people; but yet her firm, decided character did not fail "What now, Madame Thérèse ? " "It is that you will keep my poor Scipio | her. with you, keep him in remembrance of me. Let him be Fritzel's companion as he he has been mine, and let him not have to bear the new trials of my life as a prisoner." As she said this I felt my heart swell, and I trembled with happiness and tenderness even to the depths of my soul. I was squatting upon my little low chair, in front "Listen, my friends," she said; "if the world were strewn with roses, and if we everywhere found warm-hearted people to celebrate law and justice, what merit should we have in maintaining these principles ? Frankly, it would not be worth while to live. It is our fortune to exist at a time when great deeds are done, when liberty is fought for. We shall, at least, be spoken of, and our existence will not have been useless; all our miseries, all our sufferings, all our blood poured out, will form a sublime spectacle for future generations; mean spirits will tremble at the thought that they might have stood in our path and that we should have swept them away; and great souls will regret not to have taken part in our labours. This is the truth of things. Do not pity me, then; I am proud, I am happy, to suffer for France, who represents to the world liberty, justice, and right. You think, perhaps, that we are beaten; that is a mistake. We retreated one step yesterday, we will go forward twenty tomorrow. And if, unhappily, some day France no longer represents this great cause which we defend, other peoples will take our place and will continue our work; for justice and liberty are immortal, and all the despots of the world can never succeed in destroying them. As to myself, I shall go to Mayence and perhaps to Prussia escorted by the soldiers of Brunswick; but remember what I say to you: the Republicans are yet only at their first haltingplace, and I am sure that before the end of this next year they will come to deliver me." Thus spoke this intrepid woman, smiling, and with flashing eyes. It was easy to see that suffering was as nothing to her, and every one thought, If such are the Republican women, what then must the men be?" 66 together for an instant in a low tone on the threshold of the house. It was splendid moonlight; everything was white upon the earth; the sky, of a dark blue, swarmed with stars. Madame Thérèse, Scipio, and I went out to contemplate this magnificent spectacle which manifests the pettiness and vanity of human affairs, and which overwhelms the soul by its illimitable grandeur. Then the mole-catcher went away, again pressing my uncle's hand; we saw him walk through the deserted street, as plainly as if it were mid-day. At last he disappeared at the corner of Nettle lane, and the cold being very sharp we all went in, bidding each other good-night. And every one rose with a sort of emotion. They embraced each other like old acquaintances, promising never to forget each other. Koffel and Schmidt went out first; my uncle and the mole-catcher talked My uncle on the threshold of my chamber embraced me, and pressing me to his heart said in a peculiar tone, "Fritzel, take pains; take pains and behave well, my dear child!” He went to his own room full of emotion. I thought only of the happiness of keeping Scipio. Once in my chamber I made him lie down at my feet between the warm coverlet and the wood of the bedstead, his head between his paws. I felt his sides gently expand at each respiration, and I would not have changed my fortune with that of the emperor of Germany. Until past ten o'clock it was impossible for me to sleep, thinking of my felicity. My uncle moved about in his room. I heard him open his secretary, then make a fire in the stove in his chamber for the first time that winter. I thought he was preparing to sit up all night, and at last I fell soundly asleep. XVI. THE church clock was striking nine when I was awakened by the clang of iron in front of our house. Horses were stamping on the hard ground; people were talking at our door. I at once thought that the Prussians had come to take Madame Thérèse, and I hoped with all my heart that Uncle Jacob had not slept as long as I had. Two minutes afterward I went down-stairs, and I saw at the end of the passage five or six hussars wrapped up in their pelisses, their large sabretaches hanging down quite below their stirrups, and their sabres in their hands. The officer, a small, thin, fair man, with hollow ruddy cheeks and with thick tawny red moustaches, was sitting upon a great black horse at the entrance of the alley, while Lisbeth, broom in hand, was answering his questions half out of her wits with terror. Beyond was a circle of people openmouthed, leaning forward one upon another, "At what time? "Between five and six o'clock, monsieur Commandant; it was still dark; I hitched the lantern myself on to the pole of the sleigh." "Had you then received notice of our coming?" said the officer, darting at her a piercing glance. Lisbeth looked at the mole-catcher, who came out from the circle and replied for her without any embarrassment. 66 Saving your presence, I saw the doctor last evening; he is one of my friends. That poor old woman knows nothing. For a long time the doctor has been weary of the Frenchwoman. He wanted to get rid of her, and when he saw that she could bear the journey he took advantage of the first moment. 99 "How is it then that we did not meet them on the road?" exclaimed the Prussian, looking at the mole-catcher from head to foot. "Ah! you must have taken the valley road; while the doctor must have gone by the Waldeck and the mountains; there is more than one road to Kaiserslautern." The officer, without replying, jumped from his horse, went into our room, pushed open the kitchen door, made a pretense of looking to right and left; then he came out, and said as he got again into his saddle, "Well, our business here is done; the rest does not concern us." He went toward the Crock of Gold; his men followed him, and the crowd dispersed, talking of these extraordinary events. Richter seemed puzzled and somewhat indignant. Spick observed us with a doubtful eye. They went up the steps of the inn together; and then Scipio, who had been sitting on the stairs, came out barking with all his might. The hussars refreshed themselves at the Crock of Gold, then we saw them pass again in front of our house upon the road to Kaiserslautern, and after that we heard nothing more of them. return at night, but when the whole day passed by, then the next day, and the day after that, without our even receiving a letter, our anxiety may be imagined. Scipio went up and down in the house, putting his nose at the bottom of the door from morning to night, calling Madame Thérèse, sniffing and crying in a lamentable tone. His distress affected us; a thousand ideas of misfortunes passed through our minds. The mole-catcher came to see us every evening, and said to us, 66 "Bah! all this is nothing; the doctor wanted to recommend Madame Thérèse; he could not let her go with the prisoners; there would have been no sense in that. He may have asked an audience of Fieldmarshal Brunswick to endeavour to get admittance for her to the hospital at Kaiserslautern. All these steps take time. Be tranquil; he will come back." These words reassured us a little; for the mole-catcher seemed quite easy as he sat smoking his pipe at the corner of the stove, with his legs outstretched and a look of thought on his face. As ill luck would have it, the forest-ranger, Roedig, who lived in the woods on the road to Pirmasens, where the French then were, came to bring a report to the mayoralty of Anstatt, and having stopped a few minutes at Spick's tavern, he said that three days before, about eight o'clock in the morning, Uncle Jacob had passed the forester's house, and had indeed stopped there with Madame Thérèse that they might warm themselves and to drink a glass of wine. He said also that my uncle appeared very gay, and that he had two long horse-pistols in the pocket of his great-coat. Then the report spread that Doctor Jacob, instead of going to Kaiserslautern, had carried the prisoner to the Republicans, and this inade a great scandal; Richter and Spick said everywhere that he deserved to be shot, that it was an abominable outrage, and that his property ought to be confiscated. The mole-catcher and Koffel replied that the doctor had doubtless missed his road on account of the heavy snows; that instead of turning to the right he had gone to the left on the mountain; but then everybody knew that Uncle Jacob was as well acquainted with the country as a smuggler, and the indignation increased from day to day. I could not go out without hearing my comrades say that Uncle Jacob was a JaLisbeth and I thought my uncle would cobin; I was obliged to fight to defend him, for. We shall, at least, be spoken of, and our existence will not have been useless; all our miseries, all our sufferings, all our blood poured out, will form a sublime spectacle for future generations; mean spirits will tremble at the thought that they might have stood in our path and that we should have swept them away; and great souls will regret not to have taken part in our labours. This is the truth of things. Do not pity me, then; I am proud, I am happy, to suffer for France, who represents to the world liberty, justice, and right. You think, perhaps, that we are beaten; that is a mistake. We retreated one step yesterday, we will go forward twenty tomorrow. And if, unhappily, some day France no longer represents this great cause which we defend, other peoples will take our place and will continue our work; for justice and liberty are immortal, and all the despots of the world can never succeed in destroying them. As to myself, I shall go to Mayence and perhaps to Prussia escorted by the soldiers of Brunswick; but remember what I say to you: the Republicans are yet only at their first haltingplace, and I am sure that before the end of this next year they will come to deliver me." Thus spoke this intrepid woman, smiling, and with flashing eyes. It was easy to see that suffering was as nothing to her, and every one thought," If such are the Republican women, what then must the men be ?" Koffel turned pale with pleasure as he heard her speak; the mole-catcher winked at my uncle and said to him in a very low voice, "I have known all this for a long time; it is written in my book. These things must come to pass, it is written!" Old Schmidt, having asked permission to light his pipe, sent forth great whiffs one after another, and muttered between his teeth, "What a pity I'm not twenty years old! I would go to serve with these people! that would have suited me. What would have hindered me from becoming a great general as well as anybody? What a pity! At last, upon the stroke of nine, my uncle said, "It grows late; we must start before day. I think we should do well to go to take a short rest." And every one rose with a sort of emotion. They embraced each other like old acquaintances, promising never to forget each other. Koffel and Schmidt went out first; my uncle and the mole-catcher talked together for an instant in a low tone on the threshold of the house. It was splendid moonlight; everything was white upon the earth; the sky, of a dark blue, swarmed with stars. Madame Thérèse, Scipio, and I went out to contemplate this magnificent spectacle which manifests the pettiness and vanity of human affairs, and which overwhelms the soul by its illimitable grandeur. Then the mole-catcher went away, again pressing my uncle's hand; we saw him walk through the deserted street, as plainly as if it were mid-day. At last he disappeared at the corner of Nettle lane, and the cold being very sharp we all went in, bidding each other good-night. My uncle on the threshold of my chamber embraced me, and pressing me to his heart said in a peculiar tone, 66 Fritzel, take pains; take pains and behave well, my dear child! He went to his own room full of emotion. I thought only of the happiness of keeping Scipio. Once in my chamber I made him lie down at my feet between the warm coverlet and the wood of the bedstead, his head between his paws. I felt his sides gently expand at each respiration, and I would not have changed my fortune with that of the emperor of Germany. Until past ten o'clock it was impossible for me to sleep, thinking of my felicity. My uncle moved about in his room. I heard him open his secretary, then make a fire in the stove in his chamber for the first time that winter. I thought he was preparing to sit up all night, and at last I fell soundly asleep. XVI. THE church clock was striking nine when I was awakened by the clang of iron in front of our house. Horses were stamping on the hard ground; people were talking at our door. I at once thought that the Prussians had come to take Madame Thérèse, and I hoped with all my heart that Uncle Jacob had not slept as long as I had. Two minutes afterward I went down-stairs, and I saw at the end of the passage five or six hussars wrapped up in their pelisses, their large sabretaches hanging down quite below their stirrups, and their sabres in their hands. The officer, a small, thin, fair man, with hollow ruddy cheeks and with thick tawny red moustaches, was sitting upon a great black horse at the entrance of the alley, while Lisbeth, broom in hand, was answering his questions half out of her wits with terror. Beyond was a circle of people openmouthed, leaning forward one upon another, |