‘To take care of you—that is all,’ said Lachaussée. ‘Paris is a dangerous place for youth and beauty like yours; besides, you will find companions to cheer your solitude.’
Louise looked round, and shuddered at the unpromising countenances about her. Some were laughing, others gazing in stupid curiosity; but none seemed to sympathise with her. She covered her face with her hands to shut them from her sight. One of the women, an Amazonian creature, who was near her, pulled them away, as she said—
‘We have an altar, if you wish to pray; you will find nothing omitted in our cour souterrain. Only do not hide your face, for you will be married to-morrow; and it is right your future husband should see something of you.’
Louise was too frightened to reply. She looked wildly about her, and drew back trembling to Lachaussée; loathing him, yet he appeared the most human of this fearful company. The woman who had addressed her pointed to the altar she had spoken of. It was indeed there, at the end of the room, cut out from the gypsum, and surrounded by a few rough ornaments of the same material.
‘Why not marry her at once,’ continued the woman; ‘Jerôme Barbier has no wife. A la noce! à la noce!’
‘A la noce!’ chorussed all the others.
‘Look here, ma’amselle,’ cried the Amazon, leading a man forward. ‘Is he not a proper bridegroom? Will you have him? We have the cruche ready to be broken.’
The man advanced, and was about to offer some rude salutation, when Louise darted from the side of Lachaussée, and hurrying along the vault threw herself upon the highest step of the altar, clasping the crucifix that surmounted it with her hands. No one had time to arrest her progress; the movement had been too sudden.
‘Asile!’ she cried. ‘A sanctuary! If you have any respect for this holy sign, and it is not set up here in mockery, I claim it. I throw myself on the protection of the cross!’
Superstition, rather than religion, had a powerful hold upon these lawless people. Even Bras d’Acier was silent, and the remainder appeared undecided how to act.