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confiscation of my property。 Should they refuse； I will remain here； but
they will at least allow me to send my children to France； and you must
accompany them； Dagobert。 You shall set out immediately； for much time
has been already lost； and； if you were not to arrive before the 13th of
next February； this cruel separation and toilsome journey would have been
all in vain。'〃
〃Suppose we were one day after？〃
〃Your mother told me that if we arrived the 14th instead of the 13th； it
would be too late。 She also gave me a thick letter； to put into the post
for France； in the first town we should pass throughwhich I have done。〃
〃And do you think we shall be at Paris in time？〃
〃I hope so； still； if you are strong enough； we must sometimes make
forced marchesfor； if we only travel our five leagues a day； and that
without accident； we shall scarcely reach Paris until the beginning of
February； and it is better to be a little beforehand。〃
〃But as father is inIndia； and condemned to death if he return to
France； when shall we see him？〃
〃And where shall we see him？〃
〃Poor children！ there are so many things you have yet to learn。 When the
traveller quitted him； the general could not return to France； but now he
can do so。〃
〃And why is that？〃
〃Because the Bourbons； who had banished him； were themselves turned out
last year。 The news must reach India； and your father will certainly
come to meet you at Paris； because he expects that you and your mother
will be there on the 13th of next February。〃
〃Ah！ now I understand how we may hope to see him；〃 said Rose with a sigh。
〃Do you know the name of this traveller； Dagobert？〃
〃No； my children； but whether called Jack or John； he is a good sort。
When he left your mother； she thanked him with tears for all his kindness
and devotion to the general； herself； and the children； but he pressed
her hands in his； and said to her； in so gentle a voice that I could not
help being touched by it： 〃Why do you thank me？ Did He not SayLOVE YE
ONE ANOTHER！〃
〃Who is that； Dagobert？〃
〃Yes； of whom did the traveller speak？〃
〃I know nothing about it； only the manner in which he pronounced those
words struck me； and they were the last he spoke。〃
〃Love one another！〃 repeated Rose； thoughtfully。
〃How beautiful are those words！〃 added Blanche。
〃And whither was the traveller going？〃
〃Far； very far into the North； as he told your mother。 When she saw him
depart； she said to me： 'His mild； sad talk has affected me even to
tears； whilst I listened to him； I seemed to be growing betterI seemed
to love my husband and my children moreand yet； to judge by the
expression of his countenance； one would think that this stranger had
never either smiled or wept！' She and I watched him from the door as long
as we could follow him with our eyes； he carried his head down； and his
walk was slow； calm； and firm； one might fancy that he counted his steps。
And； talking of steps； I remarked yet another thing。〃
〃What was it； Dagobert？〃
〃You know that the road which led to our house way； always damp； because
of the overflowing of the little spring。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； then； the mark of the traveller's footsteps remained in the clay；
and I saw that he had nails under his shoe in the form of a cross。〃
〃How in the form of a cross？〃
〃Look！〃 said Dagobert； placing the tip of his finger seven times on the
coverlet of the bed； 〃they were arrange： thus beneath his heel：
*
***
*
*
*
You see it forms a cross。
〃What could it mean； Dagobert？〃
〃Chance； perhapsyes； chanceand yet； in spite of myself； this
confounded cross left behind him struck me as a bad omen； for hardly was
he gone when misfortune after misfortune fell upon us。〃
〃Alas！ the death of our mother！〃
〃Yesbut； before that； another piece of ill…luck。 You had not yet
returned； and she was writing her petition to ask leave to go to France
or to send you there； when I heard the gallop of a horse。 It was a
courier from the governor general of Siberia。 He brought us orders to
change our residence； within three days we were to join other condemned
persons； and be removed with them four hundred leagues further north。
Thus； after fifteen years of exile； they redoubled in cruelty towards
your mother。〃
〃Why did they thus torment her？〃
〃One would think that some evil genius was at work against her。 A few
days later； the traveller would no longer have found us at Milosk； and if
he had joined us further on； it would have been too far for the medal and
papers to be of usesince； having set out almost immediately； we shall
hardly arrive in time at Paris。 'If they had some interest to prevent me
and my children from going to France；' said your mother； 'they would act
just as they have done。 To banish us four hundred leagues further； is to
render impossible this journey； of which the term is fixed。' And the
idea overwhelmed her with grief。〃
〃Perhaps it was this unexpected sorrow that was the cause of her sudden
illness。〃
〃Alas！ no； my children； it was that infernal cholera； who arrives without
giving you noticefor he too is a great travellerand strikes you down
like a thunderbolt。 Three hours after the traveller had left us； when
you returned quite pleased and gay from the forest； with your large
bunches of wild…flowers for your mother； she was already in the last
agony； and hardly to be recognized。 The cholera had broken out in the
village； and that evening five persons died of it。 Your mother had only
time to hang the medal about your neck； my dear little Rose； to recommend
you both to my care； and to beg that we should set out immediately。 When
she was gone； the new order of exile could not apply to you； and I
obtained permission from the governor to take my departure with you for
France； according to the last wishes〃
The soldier could not finish the sentence； he covered his eyes with his
hand； whilst the orphans embraced him sobbing。
〃Oh！ but；〃 resumed Dagobert； with pride； after a moment of painful
silence； 〃it was then that you showed yourselves the brave daughters of
the general。 Notwithstanding the danger； it was impossible to tear you
from your mother's bedside； you remained with her to the last； you closed
her eyes； you watched there all night； and you would not leave the
village till you had seen me plant the little wooden cross over the grave
I had dug for her。〃
Dagobert paused abruptly。 A strange； wild neighing； mingled with
ferocious roarings； made the soldier start from his seat。 He grew pale；
and cried： 〃It is Jovial！ my horse！ What are they doing to my horse？
With that； opening the door he rushed down the stairs precipitately。
The two sisters clung together； so terrified at the sudden departure of
the soldier； that they saw not an enormous hand pass through the broken
panes； unfasten the catch of the window； push it violently open； and
throw down the lamp placed on the little table； on which was the
soldiers's knapsack。 The orphans thus found themselves plunged into
complete darkness。
CH