The Baron now came down; there were tears in his eyes.
"You are forcing me to desert the only creature who had ever begun to love me at all as you do!" said he in a whisper to his wife. "She is crying bitterly, and I cannot abandon her so—"
"Be quite easy, Hector. She will find a home with honest people, and I will answer for her conduct."
"Well, then, I can go with you," said the Baron, escorting his wife to the cab.
Hector, the Baron d'Ervy once more, had put on a blue coat and trousers, a white waistcoat, a black stock, and gloves. When the Baroness had taken her seat in the vehicle, Atala slipped in like an eel.
"Oh, madame," she said, "let me go with you. I will be so good, so obedient; I will do whatever you wish; but do not part me from my Daddy Vyder, my kind Daddy who gives me such nice things. I shall be beaten—"
"Come, come, Atala," said the Baron, "this lady is my wife—we must part—"
"She! As old as that! and shaking like a leaf!" said the child. "Look at her head!" and she laughingly mimicked the Baroness' palsy.
The stove-fitter, who had run after the girl, came to the carriage door.
"Take her away!" said Adeline. The man put his arms round Atala and fairly carried her off.