But the child's lips remained closed; the singing fountain of her voice was sealed.
The door opened, and Chérie entered the room—a Chérie altered and strange in her new and tragic dignity.
Louise involuntarily drew back, gazing in amazement at the significant change of form and feature; then with a sob of passionate pity she went to her and folded her in her arms.
Chérie, with a smile and a sigh, bowed her head upon Louise's breast.
CHAPTER XIX
To see Christmas in an English vicarage is to see Christmas indeed; and the love and charity and beauty of it sank deeply into the exiles' wounded hearts.
But one day came the summons to return to Belgium. It was a peremptory order from the German Governor of Brussels to all owners of house or property to return to their country with the least possible delay. The penalty of disregarding this summons would be the confiscation of all and any property owned by them in Belgium.
Louise stood in Chérie's room with the open letter in her hand, aghast and trembling.
"To return to Belgium? They ask us to return to Belgium?" Louise could scarcely pronounce the words. "Do you realize what it means, Chérie?"