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"Can you lift her to me?" "When the next wave comes," said Rice. He steadied himself and lifted Maria. As the swell again tossed the boat upward, he rose on a bench and lifted her as high as he could. Captain Saucier caught the frail bundle and drew the sick girl into the attic.
"Tante-gra'mère has now quite made up her mind to go," Madame Saucier announced over and over to her family and to Peggy, and to the slaves at the partition door, all of whom were waiting for the rescue barred from them by one obstinate little mummy. But these hopeful assertions were wasted. Tante-gra'mère had made up her mind to stay. She held to her whip, and refused to be touched.
Captain Saucier put up the bars, and started a black line of men and women, with pieces of furniture, loads of clothing and linen, bedding and pewter and silver, and precious baskets of china, or tiers of books, upon their heads, up the attic stairs. Angélique's harp went up between two stout fellows, tingling with little sighs as they bumped it on the steps.
Angélique laughed. "Your clever tongue so fascinates men that this is all mockery, your being second choice. But indeed I like men, Peggy; if they had not the foolishness of falling in love." "Angélique Saucier, when do you intend to settle in life?" "I do not know," said the French girl slowly. "It is pleasant to be as we are." Peggy glanced at her through the dark. "Do you intend to be a nun?"
But Mademoiselle Angélique must not remain here much longer for anybody's whim." "Do you think the water is rising?" "It is certainly rising." Madame Saucier uttered a shriek as a great swell rolled the boat. The searching wind penetrated all her garments and blew back loose ends of her hair.
"But Colonel Menard cannot wait until dawn. We shall all be drowned here before she will budge," lamented Madame Saucier. "Leave her with me," urged Peggy Morrison, "and the rest of you go with Colonel Menard. I'll manage her. She will be ready to jump out of the window into the next boat that comes along." "We cannot leave her, Peggy, and we cannot leave you.
So tight a grip did she hold on the growing child that Angélique was educated by half-days at the convent; she never had an entire day free from tante-gra'mère. Madame Saucier often rose against such absorption, and craved the privilege of taking the girl's place.
The timbers of the house creaked, and at every blow of the water the inmates could hear it splashing to the chimneys on one side, and running down on the other. "Now," said Captain Saucier desperately, "tante-gra'mère must be roused and carried up."
There was now a partially clear sky, and the moon sent forth a little lustre as a hint of what she might do when she had entirely freed herself from clouds. The children were lowered, and after them their black nurse. "There is room for at least one more!" called Pierre Menard. Captain Saucier stood irresolute. "Can you not trust me with these fragments of our families?" said Rice.
I am responsible to your father for your safety. I will put you and my family into the boat, and stay with her myself." "Angélique will not leave me!" cried the little voice among the screens. "Are you ready to lower them?" called Colonel Menard. Captain Saucier went again to the window, his wife and daughter and Peggy with him. "I could not leave her," said Angélique to Peggy.
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