She had uttered no complaint of her own
sufferings; but the few words she had spoken made him feel all the
wretchedness and the desolation of homes, which he and his friends had
brought upon the people by the war; and he almost began to doubt whether
even the cause of the King should have been supported at so terrible a
cost. He could not, however, now go back, nor was he willing to abandon
his present object, so he again shook and kicked the door.
"That'll never rouse him, though you should go on all night," said a
little urchin about twelve years old, the eldest hope of M. and Madame
Plume, who rushed out on the landing in his ragged shirt. "If Monsieur
will give me a sou, I'll wake him." Henri engaged him at the price, and
the boy, putting his mouth down to the key-hole, said, or rather
whispered loudly, "Captain--Captain--Captain--the blues--the blues."
This shibboleth had the desired effect, for the man within was instantly
heard to start from his bed, and to step out upon the floor.
"Yes, yes; I'm ready, I'm up," said he, in the confused voice of a man
suddenly awoke from a sound sleep.
Pages:
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791