Part 8 (1/2)
he returned gently. He felt he would rather know more of the case before he took the responsibility.
”She is so sweet, so innocent. She did not really know what love was,”
and Madame laughed softly. ”This Catherine Arlac must have been a maid, I think. Yes, I am sure she must have come from gentle people. She has every indication of it.”
”Well, thou canst play nurse a while and it will interest thee, and fill up thy lonely hours, for I have much to do and must take some journeys quite impossible for a woman. And then we will decide, if this woman is ready to part with her. _Ma mie_, thou knowest I would not refuse thee any wish that was possible.”
”That is true, Laurent,” and she kissed him fondly.
Destournier had been busy every moment of the day and had been closeted with the Sieur until late in the evening. Champlain felt now that he must give up an exploring expedition, on which his heart was set, and return to France, where large interests of the colony were at stake.
There was much to be arranged.
So it was not until the next morning that he found his way to the Dubray house, and then he was surprised at the tidings. Lalotte was almost a girl again in her interest in the new plans. As soon as a sufficient number had sold their wares to make a journey safe from marauders they would start for Hudson's Bay, while the weather was pleasant. Of course the child must be left behind. She had no real claim on them; neither could she stand the journey. She was now with Madame Giffard.
Thither he hurried. Little Rose had improved wonderfully, though she was almost transparently thin, and her eyes seemed larger and softer in their mysterious darkness. Already love had done much for her.
He told his story and the plans of the Dubrays.
”Then I can stay here,” she cried with kindling eyes, reaching out her small hand as if to sign her right in Madame's.
Madame's eyes, too, were joyous as she raised them in a sort of grat.i.tude to her visitor.
”How strange it comes about,” she cried. ”And now, M. Destournier, will you learn all you can about this Catherine Arlac; where she came from in France, and if she was any sort of a trustworthy person? It may some day be of importance to the child.”
”Yes, anything I can do to advance her interest you may depend on. Are you happy, little one?”
”I could fly like a bird, I am so light with joy. But I would not fly away from here. Oh, then I shall not have to go back! I was frightened at M. Dubray.”
”I don't wonder. Yet these are the kind of men New France needs, who are not afraid of the wilderness and its trials. The real civilization follows on after the paths are trodden down. Did you go out yesterday?”
to the lady.
”Only on the gallery.”
”That was safest. Such a crowd was fit only for Indian women, and some of them shrank from it, I noticed. You heard the news about the King?”
”The sad, sad news. Yes.”
”And the Sieur feels he must go back to France.”
”What is Quebec to do? And if there is an Indian raid? Oh, this new land is full of fears.”
”And think of the strifes and battles of the old world! Ah, if peace could reign. Yet the bravest of men are in the forefront.”
Then he came over to the child.
”Who brought you here yesterday?” he asked, with a smile.
”I was all alone. I had nothing to eat. I wanted to get out in the suns.h.i.+ne. I walked, but presently I shook so, I crawled up on the gallery. And then----”
She looked wistfully at miladi, who took up the rest of the journey.
”You were a brave little girl. But what if Madame had not chanced to come out? Why, you might have died.”