, I understand," said Mr. Goulden, "that does not astonish me
in the least, after all these processions and atonements the saints
must work miracles; and it is natural, Anna-Marie, quite natural."

"Without doubt, Mr. Goulden, and when we see miracles, faith will
return. That is clear, that is certain."

The dinner was finished, and Anna-Marie seeing that nothing more was
coming, remembered that she was late, and exclaimed:

"Oh! Lord, that is one o'clock striking. The others must be near
Ercheviller; now I must leave you."

She rose and took her stick with a very important air.

"Well! _bon voyage_, Anna-Marie, don't make us wait so long next time."

"Ah! Mr. Goulden, if I do not sit every day at your table it is not my
fault."

She laughed, and as she took up her bundle she said:

"Well, good-by, and for the kindness you have shown me I will pray the
blessed Saint Quirin to send you a fine fat boy as fresh and rosy as a
lady-apple. That is the best thing, Madame Bertha, that an old woman
like me can do for you."

On hearing these good wishes, I said, "That old woman is a good soul.
There is nothing I so much wish for in the world. May God hear her
prayer!" I was touched by that good wish.

She went downstairs, and as she shut the door, Catherine began to
laugh, and said:

"She emptied her budget this time."

"Yes, my children," replied Mr. Goulden, who was quite grave, "that is
what we may call human ignorance. You would believe that poor creature
had invented all that, but she has picked it up right and left, it is
word for word what those emigres think, and what they repeat every day
in their journals, and what the preachers say every day openly in all
the churches. Louis XVIII. troubles them, he has too much good sense
for them, but the real king is Monseigneur the Duke d'Artois, who wants
to secure his salvation, and in order that this may be done everything
must be put back where it was before the 'rebellion of twenty-five
years,' and all the national property must be given up to its ancient
owners, and the nobles must have their rights and privileges as in
1788; they must occupy all the grades of the army, and the Catholic
religion must be the only religion in the state. The Sabbath and fete
days must be observed, and heretics driven from all the offices, and
the priests alone have the right to instruct the children of the
people, and this great and terrible country, which carried its ide