Volume II Part 26 (1/2)
CHAPTER XIV
LOUISE
Louison's crazy ht Accustoentle voice, and not having her cries answered on this particular evening, the poor woed herself on her hands and feet into the next room and shoved the white curtains aside
The painful cry of the invalid as she saw the bed empty, drowned a loud knock at the door, and only when the knocking was repeated and a voice ily cried: ”Open, for God's sake, open quick!” did the burned woman listen Where had she heard the voice?
”Quick, open--it is on account of Louison,” caain from the outside
It was Fanfaro who deer hu all her strength, she crawled to the door and tore so long at the curtains which covered the pane of glass that they came down and Fanfaro could see into the room As soon as he saw the position of the poor woman, he understood at once that she could not open the door, andup his mind quickly, he pressed in the , and the next minute he was in the room
”Where is Louison, madame?” he exclaimed
The woed her fingers in her gray hair
”Madame, listen to ?”
The poor thing still reh her lips treazed steadily at the young an Fanfaro, desperately, ”listen to my words Can you not re? You knoho Louison is; she nurses and cares for you Can you not tell th a word came from the burned woman's breast
”Jacques, Jacques!” she sta at him
Fanfaro trembled Who was this horrible woman who called him by the name of his childhood?
”Louison! Jacques!” uttered the toothless lips, and hot, scalding tears rolled over the scarred cheeks
A flood of never-before-felt emotions rushed over Fanfaro; he tenderly bent over the poor woently said:
”You called me Jacques I was called that once What do you know of me?”
The burned woman looked hopelessly at him; she tried hard to understand hirasp what he meant
”I will tell you what I know of the past,” continued Fanfaro, slowly ”I fores My father's name was Jules, my mother's Louise, and my little sister Louison--where is Louison?”
At last a ray of reason broke froured eyes, and she whispered:
”Jacques, my dear Jacques! I aeres!”
”Mythe broken woured face The poor wo to hi the handsoers, she softly ain God be thanked!”
”But where is Louison?” broke in Fanfaro, anxiously