"Is it true that Mamma Lefèvre consents?"
"Oh, yes—oh, yes—she told me so. She said to me,—'Try and make Papa Jean-Claude decide. I am willing, and quite satisfied.'"
"Well, what can I do against two of you. Thou shalt come with us; it is quite decided."
She gave a scream of delight which ran through the cottage,—"Oh, how kind you are!"
And with one rub she wiped all her tears away,—"We are going to be off, to take to the woods and to make war."
"Ah," said Hullin, shaking his head, "I see it now; thou art always the little gypsy. As soon try to tame a swallow."
Then making her sit on his knees:—"Louise, it is now twelve years since I found thee in the snow: thou wast blue, poor little one. And when we were in the cottage, near a good fire, and thou wert slowly reviving, the first thing thou didst was to smile at me. And since that time thy will has always been mine. With that smile thou hast led me wherever thou wouldst."
Then Louise began again to smile at him, and they embraced each other. "Now we will look at the packages," he said, sighing. "Are they well made, I wonder?"
He approached the bed, and was surprised to see his warmest clothes, his flannel-waistcoats, all well brushed, folded, and packed; and Louise's bundle, with her best dresses, petticoats, and stout shoes, in nice order. At last he could not help laughing and crying out—"O gypsy, gypsy! you are the one for making fine bundles, and going away without ever turning the head."
Louise smiled. "Are you satisfied?"