"What! thou knowest? And dost thou not mind? So much the better, so much the better! it shows thy sense. And I, who fancied thou wouldst have cried!" "Cry! and what for, papa Jean-Claude? Oh, I am courageous; you don't know me yet--go!" She put on a resolute air, which made Hullin smile; but he did not smile long when she continued: "We are going to war--we are going to fight--we are going to pass up the mountain!" "Hullo! we are going! we are going!" exclaimed he in astonishment. "Certainly. Then are we not going?" said she, regretfully. "That is to say--I must leave thee for a little time, my child." "Leave me--oh, no! I go with thee; it is all agreed upon. Look, see! my small parcel is ready, and here is yours, which I have arranged. Don't trouble yourself, let me alone, and you will be satisfied!" Hullin could not get over his stupefaction. "But, Louise," he exclaimed, "thou canst not think of such a thing. Consider: we must pass nights abroad, and march and run; consider the cold, the snow, the musketry! It cannot be." "Come," said the young girl, in a tearful voice, throwing herself into his arms, "do not pain me! You are only making fun of your little Louise. You cannot forsake her!" "But thou wilt be much safer here--thou wilt be warm--thou wilt hear from us every day." "No, no. I will not--I must go too. The cold does not harm me. Only too long have I been shut up. I, too, must breathe a little. Are not the birds out of doors? The robins are out all the winter. Have I not known what cold was when I was quite tiny? and hunger also?" She stamped, and, for the third time, putting her arms round Jean-Claude's neck,--"Come then, Papa Hullin," said she softly, "Mamma Lefèvre said yes. Would you be more naughty than she was? Ah, if you only knew how much I love you!" The good man had sat down and turned away his head, so as not to yield, and did not allow himself to be embraced. "Oh, how naughty you are to-day, Papa Jean-Claude!" "It is for thy sake, my child." "Well, all the worse. I will run away after you. Cold--what is cold? And if you are wounded--if you ask to see your little Louise for the last time, and she is not there--near you, to take care of you, and love you to the end--oh, you must think me very cold-hearted." She sobbed, and Hullin could not stand it any longer. "Is it true that Mamma Lefèvre consents?" "Oh, yes--oh, yes--she told me so. She said to me,--'Try and make Papa Jean-Claude decide. I am willing, and quite satisfied.'" "Well, what can I do against two of you. Thou shalt come with us; it is quite decided." She gave a scream of delight which ran through the cottage,--"Oh, how kind you are!" And with one rub she wiped all her tears away,--"We are going to be off, to take to the woods and to make war." "Ah," said Hullin, shaking his head, "I see it now; thou art always the little gypsy. As soon try to tame a swallow."