Enfeebled and emaciated as the young girl is, her sense of duty never deserts her, and although her torn and bedraggled garments float dejectedly about her body, she never utters a word of complaint, and never loses courage.
“Mr. Kazallon,” she said to me, “do you think we are fated to die of hunger?”
“Yes; Miss Herbey, I do,” I replied in a hard, cold tone.
“How long do you suppose we have to live?” she asked again.
“I cannot say; perhaps we shall linger on longer than we imagine.”
“The strongest constitutions suffer the most, do they not?” she said.
“Yes; but they have one consolation; they die the soonest;” I replied coldly.
Had every spark of humanity died out of my breast that I thus brought the girl face to face with the terrible truth without a word of hope or comfort? The eyes of Andre and his father, dilated with hunger, were fixed upon me, and I saw reproach and astonishment written in their faces.
Afterwards, when we were quite alone, Miss Herbey asked me if I would grant her a favour.
“Certainly, Miss Herbey; anything you like to ask,” I replied; and this time my manner was kinder and more genial.