In the Name of Liberty

mmoned to help her, knelt by the bed to examine the unconscious form. Every now and then he turned

e cried at last, her anxiety masteri

thing to make such a fuss over. If

ing the mood of old. Goursac, furious at such a

g fellow gets a scratch and you pilot him home, you call

shouldn't I have my rom

now that is not so!" he said impa

it, and calling to him to wait, passed through the window and across the gutter, swaying lithely ag

e fever will abate!" Preparing a sling, Goursac jerked his h

ainly

ied point-blank, "that yo

cole answered impatiently. "You know that the Citoyen Baraba

yes,

is ears, and disappeared, heavily, down the stairs, grumbling ironic

ater he ca

bove t

nt to the

you, the

old

e, stamp twice

ree

to your-ac

ed forehead, frowned, smoothed down the covers, arranged the discarded clo

air near the bed, loosened her hair, scattering it over her shoulders, and began t

enveloped in white, his arm in a sling, lay with his head turned toward her, one arm escaping bare above the cove

well

opened the collar of his shi

s as white

, and resume

ng up another strand when the stairs cried out an

u, is it? Wh

w goes it?" she asked

el

ming to eat

m stayi

so se

id, continuing her com

g down. "Not bad; he's interesti

frown gathered above the childis

nterference, d

uison returned to the contemplation of the young man a moment longer, then reluctantly rousing herself f

er face relaxing into a smile. "You have chos

er knees with her hands, and thus curbed, her eyes fixed themselves in intense contemplation, while several times

arm. She slipped her arm under him and moved him to a more comfortable position. This maternal solicitude, slight as it was, aw

ng August twilight invaded the room with the delicious promise of a quieter night, while from without the distant, scattered sounds of rejoi

g his head a trifle, but

really the

pths the heart of the young girl, already s

y here

regretting the softness of the res

n you permission

itude that-tha

miled with pleasure. "Tha

col

es

to my lips; I ca

ned over him. But Barabant making no sound, sh

col

m he

is time so close that her

are t

es

u," he sai

amused; but looking down, she saw he had d

says," she said, shaking

s a sigh that rose from the soul, and while it filled her heart, it passed

her breast filling with deep breaths, until at last she turned reluctantly and sou

ng with the deeper, good-humored protests of her companion. From a window a hag, chin in hand, followed the lovers with due interest. In another room a weary mother had fallen asleep with her baby still feeding at her breast. At other windows the women waited patiently the return of the men, bending mechanically over their knitting or crooning t

col

usly to the landing, rebuking him with a low

e tired, I

seemed to burst from her heart, threat

throat. In the half-darkness she remained, with aching shoulder, holding him in her arms as though to defend him from all who would separate them. Several times, in an access of tenderness, she approached her lips to the unconscious forehead, but each time instinctively drew back from the surrender. She had a desire for tears, for laughter, for swift anger, t

eu, how unh

all vision. He turned over, calculating his strength, when, his eye traveling over the bedside, what was his stupefaction to behold Nicole stretched upon the floor. Her hands were pillowed under her cheek, where the long eyelashes showed sharply against the heightened color. She slept easily, the lips slightly parted as though smilin

ll night?" Barabant s

." She rearranged her dress and said with forced naturalness,

sed with the answ

ed to return to th

been del

remember

As this answer seemed to plunge Nicole into

Let me see; two water-carriers brought you half-way, then a coachman a block on his

carri

ook at that." She extended her

arabant touch

as the Cito

ho

ies his chin like this, and scowls. That

col

l, w

; not ju

y n

to talk

She raised her foot and stamped twice. "I

are you

her possessions and made for the wi

thanked you. Wait,

her shoulders. "I'd

lf angrily: "Nicole, if you go, I'll follow you. I swea

ll it do you?

while Barabant, furious, fell back, baffled and perplexed, l