Part 43 (2/2)

”But for you, Rosalie?” asked the Cure.

”But for me. I saw Louis Trudel raise an iron against Monsieur that day in the shop. It made me nervous--I thought he was mad. So I watched.

That night I saw a light in the tailor-shop late. I thought it strange.

I went over and peeped through the cracks of the shutters. I saw old Louis at the fire with the little cross, red-hot. I knew he meant trouble. I ran into the house. Old Margot was beside herself with fear--she had seen also. I ran through the hall and saw old Louis upstairs with the burning cross. I followed. He went into Monsieur's room. When I got to the door”--she paused, trembling, for she saw Charley's reproving eyes upon her--”I saw him with the cross--with the cross raised over Monsieur.”

”He meant to threaten me,” interposed Charley quickly.

”We will have the truth!” said the Seigneur, in a husky voice.

”The cross came down on Monsieur's bare breast.” The grocer laughed vindictively.

”Silence!” growled the Seigneur.

”Silence!” said Filion Laca.s.se, and dropped his hand on the grocer's shoulder. ”I'll baste you with a stirrup-strap.”

”The rest is well known,” quickly interposed Charley. ”The poor man was mad. He thought it a pious act to mark an infidel with the cross.”

Every eye was fixed upon him. The Cure remembered Louis Trudel's last words: ”Look--look--I gave--him--the sign--of...!” Old Margot's words also kept ringing in his ears. He turned to the Seigneur. ”Monsieur,”

said he, ”we have heard the truth. That act of Louis Trudel was cruel and murderous. May G.o.d forgive him! I will not say that mademoiselle did well in keeping silent--”

”G.o.d bless the darlin'!” cried Mrs. Flynn.

”--but I will say that she meant to do a kind act for a man's mortal memory--perhaps at the expense of his soul.”

”For Monsieur to take his injury in silence, to keep it secret, was kind,” said the Seigneur. ”It is what our Cure here might call bearing his cross manfully.”

”Seigneur,” said the Cure reproachfully, ”Seigneur, it is no subject for jest.”

”Cure, our tailor here has treated it as a jest.”

”Let him show his breast, if it's true,” said the grocer, who, beneath his smirking, was a malignant soul.

The Cure turned on him sharply. Seldom had any one seen the Cure roused.

”Who are you, Ba'tiste Maxime, that your base curiosity should be satisfied--you, whose shameless tongue clattered, whose foolish soul rejoiced over the scandal? Must we all wear the facts of our lives--our joys, our sorrows, and our sins--for such eyes as yours to read? Bethink you of the evil things that you would hide--aye, every one here!” he added loudly. ”Know, all of you, what goodness of heart towards a wicked man lay behind the secret these two have kept, that old Margot carried to her grave. When you go to your homes, pray for as much human kindness in you as a man of no Church or faith can show. For this child”--he turned to Rosalie-”honour her! Go now--go in peace!”

”One moment,” said the Seigneur. ”I fine Ba'tiste Maxime twenty dollars for defamation of character. The money to go for the poor.”

”You hear that, ould sand-in-the-sugar!” said Mrs. Flynn. ”Will you let me kiss ye, darlin'?” she added to Rosalie, and, waddling over, reached out her hands.

Rosalie's eyes were wet as she warmly kissed the old Irishwoman, and thereupon they entered into a friends.h.i.+p which was without end.

The Seigneur drove the crowd from the shop, and shut the door.

The Cure came to Charley. ”Monsieur,” said he, ”I have no words. When I remember what agonies you suffered in those hours, how bravely you endured them--ah, Monsieur!” he added, with moist eyes, ”I shall always feel that--that you are not far from the kingdom of G.o.d.”

A silence fell upon them, for the Cure, the Seigneur, and Rosalie, as they looked at Charley, thought of the scar like a red cross on his breast.

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