Cuckoos answered; a breath
of wind which passed through the branches made her believe that he
was there and was descending. Once she even imagined she saw him; she
stopped, almost choked, and wished to fly. What was she to say to him?
Had she come to take him back to be shot? Oh no, she would not tell him
what had happened. She would cry out to him to escape, not to remain in
the neighborhood. Then the thought that her father was waiting for her
gave her a sharp pain. She fell upon the turf, weeping, crying aloud:
"MON DIEU! MON DIEU! Why am I here?"
She was mad to have come. And as if seized with fear, she ran; she
sought to leave the forest. Three times she deceived herself; she
thought she never again would find the mill, when she entered a meadow
just opposite Rocreuse. As soon as she saw the village she paused. Was
she going to return alone? She was still hesitating when a voice softly
called:
"Francoise! Francoise!"
And she saw Dominique, who had raised his head above the edge of a
ditch. Just God! She had found him! Did heaven wish his death? She
restrained a cry; she let herself glide into the ditch.
"Are you searching for me?" asked the young man.
"Yes," she answered, her brain in a whirl, not knowing what she said.
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