ny hands were seizing the horses' heads,
and Louis leapt down, but not before the door had been opened, and
voices were exclaiming, 'Descendez citoyenne; au nom de la nation,
descendez.' The mob were not uncivil, they made way for Louis, and
bade him reassure her that no harm was intended, but the carriage was
required for the service of the nation.
Isabel had retreated as far as she could from their hands, but she
showed no signs of quailing; her eyes were bright, her colour high, and
the hand was firm which she gave to Louis as she stepped out. There was
a murmur of admiration, and more than one bow and muttered apology
about necessity and the nation, as the crowd beheld the maiden in all
her innate nobleness and dignity.
'Which way?' asked Louis, finding that the crowd were willing to let
them choose their course.
'Home,' said Isabel, decidedly, 'there is no use in turning back.'
They pressed on past the barricade for which their carriage had been
required, a structure of confiscated vehicles, the interstices filled
up with earth and paving stones, which men and boys were busily tearing
up from the trottoirs, and others carrying to their destination. They
were a gaunt, hungry, wolfish-looking race, and the first words that
Isabel spoke were words of pity, when they had passed them, and
continued their course along the Boulevards, here in desolate
tranquillity. 'Poor creatures, they look as if misery made them
furious! and yet how civil they were.'
'Were you much alarmed? I wish I could have come to you sooner.'
'Thank you; I knew that you were at hand, and their address was not
very terrific, poor things. I do not imagine there was any real
danger.'
'I wish I knew whether we are within or without the barricades. If
within, we shall have to cross another. We are actually becoming
historical!'
He broke off, amazed by Isabel's change of countenance, as she put her
hand to the arm he held, hastily withdrew it, and exclaimed, 'My
bracelet! oh, my bracelet!' turning round to seek it on the pavement.
'The ivory clasp?' asked Louis, perceiving its absence.
'Oh yes!' she cried, in much distress, 'I would not have lost it for
all the world.'
'You may have left it at Miss Longman's.'
'No, no, I was never without it!'
She turned, and made a few retrograde steps, searching on the ground,
as if conscious only of her loss, shaking off his hand when he touched
her arm to detain her.
A discover
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