"What has happened?"
She lowered her eyes, stammered:
"Nothing. I was uneasy; I wanted to see you."
Then, reassured, he explained to her that he had resolved not to go
away. He was doubtful about the safety of herself and her father. Those
Prussian wretches were fully capable of taking vengeance upon women and
old men. But everything was getting on well. He added with a laugh:
"Our wedding will take place in a week--I am sure of it."
Then as she remained overwhelmed, he grew grave again and said:
"But what ails you? You are concealing something from me!"
"No; I swear it to you. I am out of breath from running."
He embraced her, saying that it was imprudent for them to be talking,
and he wished to climb out of the ditch to return to the forest. She
restrained him. She trembled.
"Listen," she said: "it would, perhaps, be wise for you to remain where
you are. No one is searching for you; you have nothing to fear."
"Francoise, you are concealing something from me," he repeated.
Again she swore that she was hiding nothing. She had simply wished
to know that he was near her. And she stammered forth still further
reasons. She seemed so strange to him that he now could not be induced
to flee.
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