"He had only time to cry, 'To arms! we are surprised. Jerôme has sent me. Labarbe is dead. The Germans have forced the Blutfeld.'"
"He was a brave man," said Catherine.
"Yes, he was a brave man!" replied Frantz, despondingly.
Then all became silent again, and for a long time the sleigh continued to wend its way along the winding valley.
At times it was obliged to stop, the snow was so deep; three or four mountaineers then got down to lead the horse by the bridle, and they thus continued on their way.
"But, for all that," rejoined Catherine, suddenly rousing herself from her reverie, "Hullin might just as well have told me."
"But if he had told you of those two attacks," interrupted the doctor, "you would have wanted to stay behind."
"And who could have prevented my doing what I wish? If I pleased now to alight at this moment from the sleigh and go back, should I not be free to do so I have forgiven Jean-Claude, and I am sorry that I did so."
"Oh! Mother Lefévre, if he should happen to be killed while you were saying that?" murmured Louise.
"The child is right," thought Catherine; and then quickly added: "I say that I am sorry for it; but he is such a brave and worthy man that you cannot be angry with him. I forgive him with all my heart; in his place I should have acted like him."