"Tell me, Citizen Bonaparte," asked Jean, "who is that lovely lady with whom we left the little fellow?"
"That," answered Bonaparte, "is a great friend of Barras,—the Vicomtesse Josephine de Beauharnais!"
When Jean returned to the Rue de Lille, he found Yvonne in tears, and Mère Clouet thoughtful but happy. He told them what had become of the king, but Yvonne would not be comforted.
"Oh, why did he have to leave us!" she sobbed. "We could have kept him so well, and he would have been so happy here with us!"
"No, we could not have kept him!" retorted Jean. "He would not have been safe here long, and he is going to be very happy with that lovely lady!" Nevertheless he stood for a long time silent at the window, with his back to the rest, looking steadily out at nothing. But Mère Clouet dropped to her knees, clasped her hands, and softly uttered this prayer:
"I praise and thank Thee, O God, that Thou hast permitted us at last to repay this debt of gratitude to the poor Queen who is now with Thee!"