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They are trying to tear down this house, monsieur, to murder us, and you say we have no right to oppose force to force!" Malin stood rooted to the ground. "You, the son of a mason employed by the Grand Marquis to build his castle!" exclaimed Marie-Paul, "you have let them drag our father to prison you have believed calumnies!"
Like other twins the Simeuse brothers were so alike that for a long while their mother dressed them in different colors to know them apart. The first comer, the eldest, was named Paul-Marie, the other Marie-Paul. Laurence de Cinq-Cygne, to whom their danger was revealed, played her woman's part well though still a mere child.
The prefect, a very intelligent man, dropped a word to me yesterday about you which has made me uneasy. In short, I sincerely wish you would not remain here." This speech was received in dumb amazement. Marie-Paul rang the bell. "Gothard," he said, to the little page, "send Michu here."
My only consolation in dying would be the thought that you might some day make my brother your husband without being forced to see me die of jealousy which must surely happen if, both of us being alive, you preferred him to me. After all, that preference seems natural, for he is, perhaps, more worthy of your love than I Marie-Paul.
When Marie-Paul and Paul-Marie reached the age when passions rise to their greatest height could they share, as now, the looks and words and attentions of their cousin? must there not inevitably arise a jealousy between them the consequences of which might be horrible? What would then become of the unity of those beautiful lives, one in heart though twain in body?
Laurence was stupefied; the fatal words of the director of the jury hummed in her ears: "In the name of the Emperor and the laws, I arrest the Sieurs Paul-Marie and Marie-Paul Simeuse, Adrien and Robert d'Hauteserre These gentlemen," he added, addressing the men who accompanied him and pointing to the mud on the clothing of the prisoners, "cannot deny that they have spent the greater part of this day on horseback."
"He shall be released at once," said Malin, who thought himself lost when he saw each youth clutch his weapon convulsively. "You owe your life to that promise," said Marie-Paul, solemnly. "If it is not fulfilled to-night we shall find you again." "As to that howling populace," said Laurence, "If you do not send them away, the next blood will be yours. Now, Monsieur Malin, leave this house!"
Napoleon, whose solders were, as always, inferior in numbers to the enemy, was about to carry the war into parts of Europe where he had not before waged it. The whole world was breathless, awaiting the results of the campaign. "He'll surely be defeated this time," said Robert, laying down the paper. "The armies of Austria and of Russia are before him," said Marie-Paul.
"Here is the other letter," she said, with the color in her cheeks. Andernach. Before the battle. My kind Laurence, My heart is sad; but Marie-Paul has a gayer nature, and will please you more than I am able to do. Some day you will have to choose between us well, though I love you passionately
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