After watching soldier and faithful servant grope their way down one dim flight, by the flickering light of a candle, Lucie returned to her room. At the foot of the stairs Paulette paused. “It is not for the father I fear so much as the mother,” she said. “If she has been sent to Germany, who knows? who knows?”
“That is in my mind, also, Paulette,” said Victor. “We must not let the child know our fears. She is too young to suffer more than she must, and that is enough. It goes to my heart to see her here in Paris when I remember how gay and happy she was in that other place.”
“It is the will of the bon Dieu, and we must be patient. It is wonderful, monsieur, how patient she has been, and how eager she is to help. If you will believe it she can cook a meal as well as any woman. Even I say it, and the potage she can make need not be despised by any one. She has grown in more ways than in inches.”
“I have done that myself, Paulette,” said Victor gravely. “I shall never again be the careless lad I used to be before this war.”
“It will be so with my Jean, I suppose, if so be God spares him,” said Paulette solemnly.
“And if not he will have a glorious record, that which belongs to one who dies for his country,” returned Victor. “You will try to comfort the little one, Paulette. Do not let her grieve too much for the grandfather. I will not say how fine I think you have been in caring for her. It will be a great consolation to her mother when she knows.”
“There is nothing to say, monsieur,” returned Paulette with dignity. “I am doing my duty which is also my pleasure, for I love the child. I have watched her and served her since she came into the world; it would be a fine thing if I deserted her now.”
She opened the door and let him out into the dark and silent street, then slowly climbed the four flights of stairs to the garret room where Lucie sat in the darkness.
CHAPTER X
NENETTE AND RINTINTIN
IT was when they came from church that Lucie and Paulette found Victor waiting for them, “Come, come,” he said, “we must begin our day at once.”