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"But she cannot walk; she absolutely cannot walk!" Madame Duburg said, lifting up her hands in horror. "She walked upwards of twelve miles with her father, yesterday," Mrs. Barclay said, pretending to misunderstand her sister-in-law's meaning. "I did not mean that," Madame Duburg said, impatiently, "but she walks like a peasant girl. My faith, it is shocking to say, but she walks like a boy.
Madame Duburg took her departure, much offended and, late in the evening, her husband came in and had a long talk with Captain Barclay. The following morning Louis and Philippe came in in a high state of delight to say that their father had, that morning, given his consent to their going.
They sell their wives in the market, with a cord round their neck." "My dear sister-in-law," Mrs. Barclay interrupted, "I have so often assured you that that absurd statement was entirely false; and due only to the absolute ignorance, of our nation, of everything outside itself." "I have heard it often," Madame Duburg went on, positively. "They are a nation of singularities.
However, she asked, with an air of astonishment: "My dear sister-in-law, what can you be talking about?" "I know what I say," Madame Duburg continued. "I always said that you were mad, you and your husband, to let your boys go about and play, and tear and bruise themselves like wild Indians.
May we go over after dinner, and ask them to come in at three o'clock, and spend the evening?" "Certainly," Captain Barclay said; "and you can give your mamma's compliments, and ask if your uncle and Madame Duburg will come in, after they have dined. The young ones will make their dinner at our six o'clock tea."
Then, if he is a proper person, and has enough to keep her, they will be married." Madame Duburg was too much shocked at the expression of these sentiments to answer at once. She only sighed, shook her head, and looked upwards. "It is strange," she said at last, "to hear you, sister-in-law a Frenchwoman speak so lightly of marriage.
"You and your English husband are mad. Your wretched boys are mad. They have made my sons mad, also; and my faith I believe that my husband will catch it. It is enough to make me, also, mad." Notwithstanding the trouble in which Mrs. Barclay was, at the resolution of her sons, she could scarcely help smiling at the excitement of Madame Duburg; the cause of which she at once guessed.
Among them was Philippe Duburg, who was accompanied by his brother. Louis had obtained a week's leave of absence, for the purpose; and was the bearer of letters, and innumerable messages, from the boys to their parents and sisters. A few hours later, the remnants of the first and second companies marched to join their comrades.
Barclay when the latter called, a day or two after their visit to the cottage, and she had not been near her since. Julie and Justine were forbidden to go in to see Milly and, altogether, there was quite an estrangement between the two families. The boys however were, of course, constantly together; and Monsieur Duburg came in as usual, every day or two, for a chat with Captain Barclay.
I shall miss them sorely, it is a terrible trial; but other women have to see their sons go out, why should not I?" "Because there is no occasion for it, at all," Madame Duburg said, angrily; "because they are boys and not men, because their father is English; and stupid men like my husband will say, if these young English boys go, it will be a shame upon us for our own to remain behind.
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