And Lucien was still seated at the infernal table.
At length, one minute before two o'clock, the keeper of the bank rose abruptly, and said in a loud voice:
"The bank is broken, gentlemen—enough for to-day."
With a bound Lucien was on his feet. Roughly pushing aside the gamblers who surrounded him and regarded him with envious admiration, he hurried away quickly, sprang down the stairs and ran all the way to the stone bench. In the distance, by the light of a lamp, he saw the little girl.
"God be praised!" he said; "she is still there."
He approached her, he took her hands.
"Oh! how cold she is, poor little one!"
He took her under the arms and raised her, so that he might carry her; her head fell back without her awaking.
"How soundly children of her age sleep!"
He pressed her against his bosom to warm her, and, seized by a vague inquietude, and, with a view to rousing her out of this heavy slumber, he kissed her eyelids.