During the halt Pierre and his companion came up with what speed they could; he led Louise to the back of the death cart, and placed her hands on the bound and standing figure of poor little Henriette.
“It is your sister!” said Pierre softly.
Gently the blind girl’s fingers traveled up to the wet face of her little foster-mother, now bending towards her. With a handkerchief Louise tenderly wiped it, her fingers gave loving little pats of the heaving neck and bosom, she kissed the stained cheeks, and then the girls’ lips met––met long and passionately! No words were spoken, none was needed for a reunion that was also a farewell.
The cart moved. The loving lips were parted. Now one might see Louise’s imploring arms still held out toward the sad receding little figure.
It was indeed a busy day for the executioners. Batches of men and women preceded Henriette and Maurice. Two of these were beautiful young girls who, in default of priest, were saying the last offices of the Church as they knelt on the bare ground. In tragic glory Faith’s clear 175 credo rang out: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live!”
Their lovely heads dropped in the basket as the knitting women clicked their needles and cried “Two!” Henriette, with a physical retch at the sight, fell back half-fainting on Maurice. Roughly the soldiers yanked them asunder.
“Citizeness, your time is come!” said one of the brawny butchers. He half led, half supported her up the steps of the guillotine....
The Chief executioner turned Henriette about, inspecting her fine points as an equine connoisseur would inspect a filly. He gloated over her not yet budded form, the swan-like neck, unlined piquant features, the golden head-curls that fell in ringlets.
“A pretty one––eh, Jean?” he commented to his assistant.