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olding out a tiny hunting…horn with a touching charm； a winning look； and wistful expression； which would have sent Charlet into ecstasies； but she only scowled in answer to his 〃Here； Helene； will you take it？〃 so persuasively spoken。 The little girl； so sombre and vehement beneath her apparent indifference； shuddered； and even flushed red when her brother came near her； but the little one seemed not to notice his sister's dark mood； and his unconsciousness； blended with earnestness； marked a final difference in character between the child and the little girl； whose brow was overclouded already by the gloom of a man's knowledge and cares。
〃Mamma； Helene will not play；〃 cried the little one； seizing an opportunity to complain while the two stood silent on the Ponte des Gobelins。
〃Let her alone； Charles； you know very well that she is always cross。〃
Tears sprang to Helene's eyes at the words so thoughtlessly uttered by her mother as she turned abruptly to the young man by her side。 The child devoured the speech in silence； but she gave her brother one of those sagacious looks that seemed inexplicable to me； glancing with a sinister expression from the bank where he stood to the Bievre； then at the bridge and the view； and then at me。
I as afraid lest my presence should disturb the happy couple； I slipped away and took refuge behind a thicket of elder trees； which completely screened me from all eyes。 Sitting quietly on the summit of the bank； I watched the ever…changing landscape and the fierce…looking little girl； for with my head almost on a level with the boulevard I could still see her through the leaves。 Helene seemed uneasy over my disappearance； her dark eyes looked for me down the alley and behind the trees with indefinable curiosity。 What was I to her？ Then Charles' baby laughter rang out like a bird's song in the silence。 The tall； young man； with the same fair hair； was dancing him in his arms； showering kisses upon him； and the meaningless baby words of that 〃little language〃 which rises to our lips when we play with children。 The mother looked on smiling； now and then； doubtless； putting in some low word that came up from the heart； for her companion would stop short in his full happiness； and the blue eyes that turned towards her were full of glowing light and love and worship。 Their voices； blending with the child's voice； reached me with a vague sense of a caress。 The three figures； charming in themselves； composed a lovely scene in a glorious landscape； filling it with a pervasive unimaginable grace。 A delicately fair woman； radiant with smiles； a child of love； a young man with the irresistible charm of youth； a cloudless sky； nothing was wanting in nature to complete a perfect harmony for the delight of the soul。 I found myself smiling as if their happiness had been my own。
The clocks struck nine。 The young man gave a tender embrace to his companion； and went towards the tilbury which an old servant drove slowly to meet him。 The lady had grown grave and almost sad。 The child's prattle sounded unchecked through the last farewell kisses。 Then the tilbury rolled away； and the lady stood motionless； listening to the sound of the wheels； watching the little cloud of dust raised by its passage along the road。 Charles ran down the green pathway back to the bridge to join his sister。 I heard his silver voice calling to her。
〃Why did you not come to say good…bye to my good friend？〃 cried he。
Helene looked up。 Never surely did such hatred gleam from a child's eyes as from hers at that moment when she turned them on the brother who stood beside her on the bank side。 She gave him an angry push。 Charles lost his footing on the steep slope； stumbled over the roots of a tree； and fell headlong forwards； dashing his forehead on the sharp…edged stones of the embankment； and； covered with blood； disappeared over the edge into the muddy river。 The turbid water closed over a fair； bright head with a shower of splashes； one sharp shriek after another rang in my ears； then the sounds were stifled by the thick stream； and the poor child sank with a dull sound as if a stone had been thrown into the water。 The accident had happened with more than lightning swiftness。 I sprang down the footpath； and Helene； stupefied with horror； shrieked again and again：
〃Mamma！ mamma！〃
The mother was there at my side。 She had flown to the spot like a bird。 But neither a mother's eyes nor mine could find the exact place where the little one had gone under。 There was a wide space of black hurrying water； and below in the bed of the Bievre ten feet of mud。 There was not the smallest possibility of saving the child。 No one was stirring at that hour on a Sunday morning； and there are neither barges nor anglers on the Bievre。 There was not a creature in sight； not a pole to plumb the filthy stream。 What need was there for me to explain how the ugly…looking accident had happenedaccident or misfortune； whichever it might be？ Had Helene avenged her father？ Her jealousy surely was the sword of God。 And yet when I looked at the mother I shivered。 What fearful ordeal awaited her when she should return to her husband； the judge before whom she must stand all her days？ And here with her was an inseparable； incorruptible witness。 A child's forehead is transparent； a child's face hides no thoughts； and a lie； like a red flame set within glows out red that colors even the eyes。 But the unhappy woman had not thought as yet of the punishment awaiting her at home； she was staring into the Bievre。
Such an event must inevitably send ghastly echoes through a woman's life； and here is one of the most terrible of the reverberations that troubled Julie's love from time to time。
Several years had gone by。 The Marquis de Vandenesse wore mourning for his father； and succeeded to his estates。 One evening； therefore； after dinner it happened that a notary was present in his house。 This was no pettifogging lawyer after Sterne's pattern； but a very solid； substantial notary of Paris； one of your estimable men who do a stupid thing pompously； set down a foot heavily upon your private corn； and then ask what in the world there is to cry out about？ If； by accident； they come to know the full extent of the enormity； 〃Upon my word；〃 cry they； 〃I hadn't a notion！〃 This was a well…intentioned ass； in short； who could see nothing in life but deeds and documents。
Mme。 de Aiglemont had been dining with M。 de Vandenesse； her husband had excused himself before dinner was over； for he was taking his two children to the play。 They were to go to some Boulevard theatre or other； to the Ambigu…Comique or the Gaiete； sensational melodrama being judged harmless here in Paris； and suitable pabulum for childhood； because innocence is always triumphant in the fifth act。 The boy and girl had teased their father to be there before the curtain rose； so he had left the table before dessert was served。
But the notary； the imperturbable notary； utterly incapable of asking himself why Mme。 d'Aiglemont should have allowed her husband and children to go without her to the play； sat on as if he were screwed to his chair。 Dinner was over； dessert had been prolonged by discussion； and coffee delayed。 All these things consumed time； doubtless precious； and drew impatient movements from that charming woman； she looked not unlike a thoroughbred pawing the ground before a race； but the man of law； to whom horses and women were equally unknown quantities； simply thought the Marquise a very lively and sparkling personage。 So enchanted was he to be in the company of a woman of fashion and a political celebrity； that he was exerting himself to shine in conversation； and taking the lady's forced smile for approbation； talked on with unflagging spirit； till the Marquise was almost out of patience。
The master of the house； in concert with the lady； had more than once maintained an eloquent silence when the lawyer expected a civil reply； but these significant pauses were employed by the talkative nuisance in looking for anecdotes in the fire。 M。 de Vandenesse had recourse to his watch； the charming Marquise tried the experiment of fastening her bonnet strings； and made as if she would go。