“And the other one,--such a sombre air! He never lifts his eyes; and so far the only word he has said is a single ‘yes,’ and he said it in such a lugubrious way! I don’t like those people.” “Bah! you are too suspicious, my dear Dupré.” “No, but I like to know my people.” “Do we know this poor woman who has been living here for more than a year?” “Oh! but what a difference! A young, beautiful, and interesting woman; why, her condition alone would make anyone pity her; and that child, such a sweet, pretty creature! You see, I know something about faces; and these peddlers--I tell you, Catherine, I shan’t sleep sound to-night.” “And I shall sleep very well, I trust.” “For all that, don’t forget to lock your door.” “Well, upon my word! if you’re not just like Lucas! I must say that we have brave fellows here to defend us, if we should be attacked!” “You are mistaken, Catherine; I am not a coward; but I realize that I am more than twenty years old. Oh! if I were only twenty, I wouldn’t be afraid of three men!” “Let me get my supper ready, instead of making my ears ache with your nonsense.” “Nonsense! Hum! that’s easy to say.--And what about our young woman,--won’t she come to supper?” “You know very well that it isn’t her custom. She is asleep, I hope; I suppose you would like to wake her, wouldn’t you?” “Catherine.” “Well?” “It seems to me that I hear a noise in the yard, near the gate.” “It’s the wind waving the trees and shaking the windows. However, go and see.” “Yes, I propose to make sure for myself, although you say that I am a coward.” Dupré lighted a lantern, and made the circuit of the courtyard. Everything was in its accustomed order; the gate was securely locked; he stopped a moment to look through the bars, but the wind blew the snow into his face. While he was rubbing his eyes, a dull sound reached his ears, which seemed to come from the room on the ground floor which Adeline occupied. “Poor woman! she isn’t asleep yet,” said Dupré to himself; “suppose I should go and find out if she wants anything? But monsieur doesn’t want her to be disturbed at night; he has forbidden it; so I’ll go upstairs again and watch the peddlers.” The old servant met Lucas on the stairs; the gardener was laughing and singing, because he was always very cheerful when there was much company in the house. “Have you arranged the bedroom for these strangers?” asked Dupré. “Yes, and I’ve carried their bundles there; and the tall one wanted to give me a piece of money for my trouble, but I refused it.” “You did well. For people who travel on foot, they’re very generous.” “Oh! he has the look of a high liver, has that tall fellow with the red hair; he laughs and drinks and talks for the whole party. If we often had guests like him, there’d be a little more fun here, I tell you! But we haven’t got anybody but that poor woman; and a lunatic is never very gay, especially this one.”