"It is Mr. Goulden."
I also recognized his step, and was surprised, as he seldom came into our chamber. He opened the door and said in a low voice:
"My children, the Emperor landed on the 1st of March at Cannes, near Toulon, and is marching upon Paris."
He said no more, but sat down to take breath. We looked at each other in astonishment, but a moment after Catherine asked:
"Is it in the gazette, Mr. Goulden?"
"No," he replied, "either they know nothing of it over there, or else they conceal it from us. But, in Heaven's name, not a word of all this, or we shall be arrested. This morning, about five o'clock, Zébédé, who mounted guard at the French gate, came to let me know of it; he knocked downstairs, did you hear him?"
"No! we were asleep, Mr. Goulden."
"Well! I opened the window to see what was the matter, and then I went down and unlocked the door. Zébédé told it to me as a fact, and says the soldiers are to be confined to the barracks till further orders. It seems they are afraid of the soldiers, but how can they stop Bonaparte without them? They cannot send the peasants, whom they have stripped of everything, against him, nor the bourgeoisie, whom they have treated like Jacobins. Now is a good time for the émigrés to show themselves. But silence, above all things, the most profound silence!"
He rose, and we all went down to the workshop. Catherine made a good fire, and everyone went about his work as usual.
That day everything was quiet, and the next day also. Some neighbors, Father Riboc and Offran, came in to see us, under pretence of having their watches cleaned.