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"Come along, then," said Victoria as she blew on her hands that were purple with the cold, "I'll take you to her door." She took us up four flights of stairs when at last we came to Mlle Virtud's apartment. "Here you are," said our little guide, and downstairs she went. I started to follow her on down. "Oh, Lisita," cried Paula; "remember your promise." "Well, why don't you knock?"
"Catalina," I cried, almost beside myself with fear, "tell me the truth! Is Paula dead?" "No, Lisita; Paula's not dead," as she tried in vain to detain me; "She is still breathing and" but I heard nothing more. My legs trembled strangely as I stumbled toward our bedroom. Once there, again that terrible darkness started to come over me, but it was only a momentary weakness.
Don't worry about that. In a few days she'll forget all about it. But I can't help feeling very sorry to see her so unhappy. Well, good-bye, Rosa. Don't cry anymore, Lisita. I'm going into the kitchen to see what's happened to poor Paula." I followed him out and we found the kitchen empty. I went to our room and found Teresa seated on my bed with Paula on her lap.
"We have given you so much trouble, but when we wish to buy anything more, we shall always come here, will we not, Lisita? In the meantime, many thanks," and she extended her hand to him with surprising self-possession. "The pleasure is all mine," said the young man, and I could see that he'd never met her like before. Teresa was not far away, gazing into a jeweler's window.
"I am always happy when I hear you speak of our beloved Mamma." And now, I too could not keep back my tears as I kneeled beside the old servant, who left her work to pass her hand over my head. "Thou didst not know her, dear Lisita. How many times during her sickness she told me especially to take care of thee, and love thee as if I were thine own mother.
"Oh, Lisita!" there was real consternation in Paula's voice, "I'm so sorry I hurt you! You must get to bed, and don't let's talk any more tonight." I dreamed of Paula the whole night long. I saw her either dying or dead, or in heaven with the angels; but in the morning all my fears had disappeared and a few days later I even forgot the whole thing.
And now you and I can read it together; can we not, Lisita? And I know the Lord will help us to make everybody else happy around us. I've never had a sister, and now that you say you wish to be my sister, my prayers are answered!" Then after a pause, she said, "Why don't you answer me, Lisita?" And she laid her head on my shoulder and fixed her great eyes upon me. How could I answer her!
Then die spoke of Paula who thought of nothing except making other people happy. "Wouldn't you like to be like Paula?" Teresa questioned me. "Of course, dear Teresa," I said, "but that's impossible, I'm too bad for that." "Who it is, Lisita, that makes Paula so good?" and Teresa's voice took on a new and most tender note. "It's the Lord Jesus!" I answered in a low whisper.
Isn't that so? Now go, Lisita! No more nonsense!" "Here, take this," said Catalina, handing me a lovely orange that she had received; "You can have it if you go to bed immediately!" "Oh," I exclaimed beamingly; "I do love you so, dear Catalina." "Is it me or the orange that you love?" "It's you, and the orange, and Teresa, and Papa, and Rosa, and Louis, and Paula." "There! there!
From the kitchen we could hear the door open and my father's voice bidding the Breton a kindly "good night" Evidently the interview, although short, had been quite a cordial one. "Go, tell the Breton to come into the kitchen, Lisita," said Teresa. I wondered as I saw him enter with such a humble, frank air, and with a new look of peace that seemed almost to beautify the brutalized face.
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