He could say no more.
"Oh! yes, yes, because you have been to see our friends," said Louise, with a smile; "I know all; Mother Lefévre has told me everything."
"What! you know all, and yet you are the same as usual? So much the better; it shows your good sense. And I, who was dreading to see your tears!"
"Tears! and why, Father Jean-Claude? That shows you do not know me; you shall find I have courage."
The resolute air with which she uttered these words made Hullin smile; but the smile very quickly vanished when she added: "We are going to war, we are going to fight, we are going into the mountain."
"Heyday! hoity-toity! 'We are going, we are going!' what's all this?" exclaimed the good man, quite wonderstruck.
"Yes. Are we not going, then?" said she, in a tone of regret.
"Well—that is to say—I shall have to leave you for some time, my child."
"To leave me! Oh! no. I shall go with you, that's settled. Stay, see, my little bundle is ready already, and I am preparing yours. Don't you trouble yourself about anything; leave it all to me, and it will be all right."
Hullin could not recover from his surprise.