after six months," said
Francezka, "and poor, doglike Lisa followed him for almost a year from
place to place, not to force herself on him, but only to get a glimpse
of his face. Think of such love being wasted on Jacques Haret! Think
of such devotion to him as old Peter's! Well, Lisa, at last, came face
to face with Jacques Haret. He spoke to her, gave her a silver
snuff-box in default of money, and when she threw it away before his
face, the only act of spirit I ever knew in her, Jacques Haret laughed
at her. That stung even her patient soul.

"She fled from him, and in her despair thought to drown herself. She
was stricken with remorse at her thought, however, and little by
little the desire to kill herself departed. Then the longing to see
poor old Peter and her home overcame everything, and she turned her
face toward Brabant. It took her long, of course, to reach here; she
was quite on the other side of Paris; she had to live and to work, but
with steady purpose she came toward Brabant. One evening, in the late
winter, when Peter went home, he found Lisa sitting in rags by the
fire. She fell on her knees before him and was forgiven in a breath.

"Next morning Peter came to me, and, with tears, implored me not to
send Lisa too far away. He was overwhelmed when I told him she might
stay in the cottage. Poor Lisa! If all sinners were as penitent!
Father Benart is kind to her, and the poor soul works and prays. Some
of the people in the parish are indignant with Father Benart, and with
me, too, for countenancing Lisa, but they have not so far ventured to
speak to me on the subject. If they did--" Francezka turned her head
with an air that showed that neither sorrow nor disappointment had
impaired the lofty martial spirit she had inherited from the
Kirkpatricks.

She also told us that Madame Riano was absent upon her tour of visits,
but would return within a fortnight. That night, before we slept,
Count Saxe told me he did not propose to remain long enough to
encounter Peggy Kirkpatrick.

CHAPTER XXV

A DISCOMFITED BISHOP

Next morning, as usual, I was up early, and walked down to the
village. There I found Father Benart, the good little man, just coming
out of the church. He told me he had got word that his brother, the
bishop, was coming to visit him and Madame Cheverny that day, and he
knew a sharp disappointment was in store for the bishop when he should
find Madame Riano absent. Then Father Benart a