He arose and turned his head away for an instant, her eloquence had been
so moving. His glance caught the picture of the Great Napoleon, and his
eyes met hers again with new resolution.
"I must stay," he answered; "I will not turn back, whatever comes. This
is but child's play, but a speck beside what I mean to do. True, I came
in the dark, but I will go in the light. I shall not leave them behind,
these poor folk; they shall come with me. I have money, France is
waiting, the people are sick of the Orleans, and I--"
"But you must, you must listen to me, monsieur!" she said desperately.
She came close to him, and, out of the frank eagerness of her nature,
laid her hand upon his arm, and looked him in the eyes with an almost
tender appealing.
At that moment the door opened, and Monsieur De la Riviere was announced.
"Ah, madame!" said the young Seigneur in a tone more than a little
carbolic; "secrets of State, no doubt?"
"Statesmen need not commit themselves to newsmongers, monsieur," she
answered, still standing very near Valmond, as though she would continue
a familiar talk when the disagreeable interruption had passed.
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