Page:Cerise, a tale of the last century (IA cerisetaleoflast00whytrich).pdf/121

 she were herself unarmed, or cower before a whip if her hands were tied and her back bared; but to future evil, to danger, neither visible nor tangible, she was callous as a child.

They had not travelled half a mile ere she showed her delight in every feature of her expressive face at the rapid motion and the gay scenes through which she was driven. In a few minutes she smiled pleasantly, and asked their destination as gaily as if they had been going to a ball.

Malletort thought it a good opportunity for a few impressive words.

"Célandine," said he, gravely, "every one of us has a treasure somewhere hidden up in the heart. What is it that you love better than everything else in the world?"

The dark face, tanned by many a year of sun, yet comely still, saddened and softened while he spoke, the black eyes grew deeper and deeper as they seemed to look dreamily into the past. After a pause she drew a sorrowful sigh, and answered, "Mademoiselle!"

"Good," replied the Abbé. "You are bound on an errand now for which Mademoiselle will be grateful to you till her dying day."

She looked curiously in his face. "Cerise is dear to me as my own," said she. "How can I do more for her to-day than yesterday, and to-morrow, and every day of my life?"

He answered by another question.

"Would you like to see your darling a Princess of France?"

The Quadroon's eyes glistened and filled with tears.

"I would lay down my life for the child," was all she said in reply.

But he had got her malleable now, and he knew it. Those tear-drops showed him she was at the exact temperature for fusion. A little less, she would have remained too cold and hard. A little more, and over-excitement would have produced irritation, anger, defiance: then the whole process must have been begun again. It was a good time to secure her confederacy, and let her see a vague shadowy outline of his plans.

In a few short sentences, but glowing and eloquent,