“I know so little about it,” she replied gravely, “only that we are proud of being French. But the poor King and Queen, and—papa!”
“Honoré and I were thankful mamma died in prison, though we do not know what she suffered. And that is the whole of the sad story, madame. I am young and can work for my bread, surely, and it will not be so lonely since I have found you.”
Her tender heart went out to him. “Monsieur Robert,” she said, “I hope we shall be good friends. I am glad you came to me——”
“But I do not mean to be a burden on you,” he subjoined quickly. “I still think I should like to be a soldier, yet I have a fair education and I can make my living at something.”
In the light of the luxury of Paris all through his childhood, so differently aspected from this, he gathered that his sister was far from rich; but even if she had been, he had not meant to ask help from her. There was a good deal of pride in the De Longueville blood. He had not come as a suppliant for anything but love. She liked him none the worse for it. Then glancing up, she saw Uncle Gaspard and her child in the street.
“Excuse my absence a few moments and go on with your rest, for you look weary enough. Chloe, bring some more wine and cake.”
Then she glided down the path and met them at the gateway. Her face was flushed, her eyes deep and full of emotion.
“Come here in the little arbor,” she cried. “A strange thing has happened to me. I feel as if I had been reading it in a book, but it is all true. I hardly know where to begin. And, Uncle Gaspard, you must be kind and merciful, and forgive my father for his neglect. He is dead. He was one of the victims of that awful revolution because he was faithful to his King.”
“Renée, child, do not give way to such excitement. The grave covers all. We do not carry our grudges beyond it. And if he had loved you, you would never have come to me and I should have lost much, much!” And, picking up little Gaspard, he kissed him fondly and lifted him to his shoulder.
“Yes, I knew you would forgive, you are so generous. And”—she caught his free hand—“my brother, who has fled from those horrible scenes, who has lost both parents, has emigrated and is here—found me after some searching. Life has gone hardly with him.”