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At this moment Michaud, also attracted by the screams, came upon the scene. Seeing her god, La Pechina recovered her full strength. "Monsieur Michaud," she cried, "he did not even touch me!"
His passion, or to speak more correctly, his caprice and obstinate pursuit of La Pechina, were so aggravated by the prospect of his immediate departure, which left him no time to seduce her, that he resolved on attempting violence. The child's contempt for her prosecutor, plainly shown, excited the Lovelace of the Grand-I-Vert to a hatred whose fury was equalled only by his desires.
"I have seen enough for to-day; take me home, gentlemen," murmured the countess, putting her hand on Emile's arm. She bowed sadly to Madame Michaud, after watching La Pechina safely back to the pavilion. Olympe's depression was transferred to her mistress. "Ah, madame," said the abbe, as they continued their way, "can it be that the difficulty of doing good is about to deter you?
"I don't see traces of any other foot," said the abbe, who was tracking into the wood the prints of the woman's feet. "She must have been lifted and carried into the wood," cried Michaud. "That can't be, if it is really a woman's foot," said Blondet. "It must be some trick of that wretch, Nicolas," said Michaud. "He has been watching La Pechina for some time.
"No, madame, unfortunately not," said the abbe. "Poor Niseron, that old fellow with the white head, who combines the functions of bell-ringer, beadle, grave-digger, sexton, and clerk, in defiance of his republican opinions, I mean the grandfather of the little Genevieve whom you placed with Madame Michaud " "La Pechina," said Sibilet, interrupting the abbe.
Then, with an involuntary and impotent gesture, such as mad men and wise men can both be forced into giving, he shook his fist in the direction in which he had caught sight of Nicolas disappearing with his sister. "Then you were not playing?" said the abbe with a searching look at La Pechina. "Don't fret her," interposed the countess; "let us return to the pavilion."
Catherine swung her petticoat, striped blue and white, with an air of insolent coquetry. "Cain and his wife!" said Blondet to the abbe. "You are nearer the truth than you know," replied the priest. "Ah! Monsieur le cure, what will they do to me?" said La Pechina, when the brother and sister were out of sight.
Rigou stopped his horse, and getting out of the chaise, fastened the bridle to one of the posts near the gate of the Tivoli. "If I were to tell old Rigou that your brother Nicolas is after La Pechina," cried an angry voice, "and that he waylays her, he'd rip the entrails out of every one of you, pack of scoundrels that you are at the Grand-I-Vert!"
You are to see your brother and sister at once, and say to them: 'If you let La Pechina alone, Pere Rigou will save Nicolas from the conscription." "You are the devil incarnate!" cried Marie. "They do say you've signed a compact with him. Is that true?" "Yes," replied Rigou, gravely. "I heard it, but I didn't believe it."
"Every young girl over fiften years of age whom you may protect at the chateau is saved from that monster," said the abbe. "In trying to get possession of La Pechina from her earliest years, the apostate sought to satisfy both his lust and his vengeance. When I took Pere Niseron as sexton I told him what Rigou's intentions were.
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