Volume VIII Part 24 (1/2)

She turned to Jean:

”You had better go to call his if we do not wait for hi man went He mounted the stairs with the fevered deterht a duel and who is in a fright When he knocked at the door Pierre said:

”Co over his table

”Good ,” and they shook hands as if nothing had occurred

”Are you not coood deal to do” The elder brother's voice was treer brother what hefor you”

”Oh! There is--is my mother down?”

”Yes, it was she who sent me to fetch you”

”Ah, very well; then I will co-roo in first; then he abruptly opened the door and saw his father and mother seated at the table opposite each other

He went straight up to her without looking at her or saying a word, and bending over her offered his forehead for her to kiss, as he had done for so her on both cheeks as of old He supposed that she put her lips near, but he did not feel the heart after this feint of a caress And he wondered:

”What did they say to each other after I had left?”

Jean constantly addressed her tenderly as ”mother,” or ”dear mother,”

took care of her, waited on her, and poured out her wine

Then Pierre understood that they had wept together, but he could not read their uilt, or think his brother a base wretch?

And all his self-reproach for having uttered the horrible thing caue, and preventing his either eating or speaking

He was now a prey to an intolerable desire to fly, to leave the house which was his hoer, and these persons ere bound to hiladly have been off thatwas over, that he could not endure to stay with them, that his presence was torture to thereat to endure

Jean was talking, chatting with Roland Pierre, as he did not listen, did not hear But he presently are of a pointed tone in his brother's voice and paid :

”She will be the finest shi+p in their fleet They say she is of 6,500 tons She is to make her first trip next ht she was not to be ready for sea this suorously, to get her through her first voyage before the autu, and was talking with one of the directors”