Amélie let her face drop into her hands with a sigh.
“Then,” said she, “we are lost.”
“Why so? On various pretexts, your health above all, you can gain a year. Before the year is out Bonaparte will probably be forced to begin another war in Italy. A single defeat will destroy his prestige; in short, a great many things can happen in a year.”
“Did you read Roland’s postscript, Charles?”
“Yes; but I didn’t see anything in it that was not in your mother’s letter.”
“Read the last sentence again.” And Amélie placed the letter before him. He read:
I am leaving Paris for a few days; though you may not see me,
you will hear of me.
“Well?”
“Do you know what that means?”
“No.”