'Priez pour nous.'
'Heilige Odilia!'
'Priez pour nous.'
An interruption, sudden and extraordinary, broke the litany short off. Madeleine rushed into the workshop, and whispered—'The police are at the door; they have come for Gabrielle!'
'Herr Gott!' exclaimed the corporal, starting to his feet; 'what is to be done?'
'Only one thing,' answered Madeleine, passing Nicholas, and darting upon the image of Bruder Klaus. 'Remain where you are, Nicholas, remain, for Heaven's sake.'
She swung the image from its place in the niche.
'Quick! quick, Gabrielle!' she urged; 'come here!' She caught the frightened girl by the shoulders, and thrust her into the recess lately occupied by the patron of the Deschwandens, made her stand upon his pedestal, and said, 'Remain perfectly motionless. Do not move a limb. Do not look up. Fix your eyes on the floor.' Then, turning to her brother, she said: 'Pray, pray on in French before your patroness S. Généviève. Everything depends on you.'
The boy looked wonderingly at her, then at Gabrielle, then upon the ejected hermit, then at his father.
'Do as she bids you,' said the corporal; 'it is Gabrielle's only chance.'