"We must of course seek our fortunes where we can."
"And of me?" continued she, looking me earnestly in the face with her large blue eyes. "Am I to stay here?" continued she, with alarm in her countenance.
"Not if you do not wish it, Fleta; as long as I can support you I will—that is, if you would like to live with me in preference to Melchior."
"If I would like, Japhet; you must know I would like—who has been so kind to me as you? Don't leave me, Japhet."
"I will not, Fleta; but on condition that you promise to be guided by me, and to do all I wish."
"To do what you wish is the greatest pleasure that I have, Japhet—so I may safely promise that. What has happened?"
"That I do not know more than yourself; but Melchior tells me that he and Nattée quit the gipsy tents for ever."
Fleta looked round to ascertain if any one was near us, and then in a low tone said, "I understand their language, Japhet, that is, a great deal of it, although they do not think so, and I overheard what the gipsy said in part, although he was at some distance. He asked for Melchior; and when Nattée wanted to know what he wanted, he answered that, 'he was dead;' then Nattée covered up her face. I could not hear all the rest, but there was something about a horse."
He was dead. Had then Melchior committed murder, and was obliged to fly the country? This appeared to me to be the most probable, when I collected the facts in my possession; and yet I could not believe it, for except that system of deceit necessary to carry on his various professions, I never found anything in Melchior's conduct which could be considered as criminal. On the contrary, he was kind, generous, and upright in his private dealings, and in many points, proved that he had a good heart. He was a riddle of inconsistency it was certain; professionally he would cheat anybody, and disregard all truth and honesty; but, in his private character, he was scrupulously honest, and, with the exception of the assertion relative to Fleta's birth and parentage, he had never told me a lie, that I could discover. I was summing up all these reflections in my mind, when Melchior again came up to me, and desiring the little girl to go away, he said, "Japhet, I have resolved to grant your request with respect to Fleta, but it must be on conditions."
"Let me hear them."