'Louis! for Heaven's sake, where are they!'
'In the House Beautiful.'
James breathed—'And you! what makes you so pale? What have you done to your arm?
'A little affair of the barricades. I have been watering the French Republic with my blood.'
'Rushing into the thickest of the row, of course.'
'Only escorting Miss Conway through an assault of the Garde Nationale said Louis, in a tone as if he had been saying 'walking up the High Street.' How could he help teasing, when he could make such amends?
James began to pace up and down again, muttering something about madness and frenzy.
'It was not voluntary,' said Louis. 'When the carriage was confiscated for the service of the nation, what could we do?—I can tell you, Jem,' he added, fervently, 'what a gallant being she is! It was the glorious perfection of gentle, lofty feminine courage, walking through the raging multitude—through shots, through dreadful sights, like Una through the forest, in Christian maidenly fearlessness.'
James had flung himself into a chair, hiding his face, and steadying his whole person, by resting his elbow on his knee and his brow on his hand, as he put a strong force on himself that he might hear Louis out without betraying himself. Louis paused in ardent contemplation of the image he had called up, and poor James gruffly whispered, 'Go on: you were happy.'
'Very happy, in knowing what cause I have to rejoice for you.'