United States or Bolivia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The sempstress did all this with so much dexterity and so little noise she was naturally so forgotten amidst the emotions of the scene that Frances, entirely occupied with Rose and Blanche, only perceived the fire when she felt its warmth diffusing round, and heard the boiling water singing in the coffee-pot.
The heart of the young sempstress beat violently; her face, usually very pale, was now partially flushed so exciting was the emotion by which she was agitated. After some seconds, Mother Bunch heard a door, very near her own, softly opened. "There he is at last!" she exclaimed, and Agricola immediately entered.
Some minutes after the meeting of Mother Bunch with the Bacchanal Queen, the two sisters were alone together in a small room in the tavern. "Let me kiss you again," said Cephyse to the young sempstress; "at least now we are alone, you will not be afraid?" In the effort of the Bacchanal Queen to clasp Mother Bunch in her arms, the cloak fell from the form of the latter.
"But the name, sir, the name of this Company?" said Adrienne. "Well! it is " but Rodin stopped short. "It is," repeated Adrienne, who was now as much interested as Dagobert and the sempstress; "it is " Rodin looked round him, beckoned all the actors in this scene to draw nearer, and said in a whisper, laying great stress upon the words: "It is the Society of Jesus!" and he again shuddered.
"You know very well, Agricola," said the sempstress, blushing up to the eyes, "that I ought not to go out with you and your mother again." "Why not, madame? May I ask, without impropriety, the cause of this refusal?" said Agricola gayly. The poor girl smiled sadly, and replied, "Because I will not expose you to a quarrel on my account, Agricola."
Mother Bunch also felt the influence of a painful impression. She glanced in terror at the princess, and then imploringly at Adrienne, as though she entreated the latter to but an end to an interview of which the young sempstress foresaw the fatal consequences.
Yielding, therefore, to these attractions, the young sempstress, generally so timid and sensitive, felt herself almost at her ease with Florine. "How obliging you are, mademoiselle!" said she in a grateful tone. "I am quite confused with your kindness." "I wish I could do you some greater service than offer you a place at the fire, mademoiselle. Your appearance is so good and interesting."
How should I deserve such high wages?" Florine started. A natural impulse of the heart, a desire to be useful to the sempstress, whose mildness and resignation greatly interested her, had led her to make a hasty proposition; she knew at what price would have to be purchased the advantages she proposed, and she now asked herself, if the hunchback would ever accept them on such terms.
"Oh! you are so good so nobly charitable, lady!" was all that the sempstress could say, in a tone of deep emotion; for she was still more touched by the attention of the young lady, than she would perhaps have been by a service rendered. "Look there, sir," said Adrienne to Rodin, who drew near hastily. "Yes," added the young patrician, proudly, "I have indeed discovered a treasure.
No doubt the policeman had spoken roughly to her; but how could he speak otherwise to a poor deformed girl, pale and trembling, with her features agitated by grief and fear to a wretched creature, miserably clad, who wore in winter a thin cotton gown, soiled with mud, and wet with melted snow for the poor sempstress had walked much and far that morning.
Word Of The Day