n
bad actions, not from honest sentiments, but in order to obey Martial,
whom they loved, and to disobey their mother, whom they dreaded and
hated.

As to ideas of right and wrong, they had none, familiarised as they were
with the infamous examples which they had every day under their eyes;
for, as we have said, this country cabaret, haunted by the refuse of the
lowest order, was the theatre of most disgraceful orgies and most
disgusting debaucheries; and Martial, opposed as he was to thefts and
murders, appeared perfectly indifferent to these infamous saturnalia.

It may be supposed, therefore, that the instincts of morality in these
children were doubtful and precarious, especially those of Francois, who
had reached that dangerous time of life when the mind pauses, and,
oscillating between good and evil, might be in a moment lost or saved.

* * * * *

"How well you look in that handkerchief, sister!" said Francois; "it is
very pretty. When we go to play on the shore by the chalk-burner's
lime-kiln you must dress yourself in this manner, to make the children
jealous who pelt us with stones and call us little guillotines. And I
shall put on my nice red cravat, and we will say to them, 'Never mind,
you haven't such pretty silk handkerchiefs as we have!'"

"But, I say, Francois," said Amandine, after a moment's reflection, "if
they knew that the handkerchiefs we wear were stolen, they would call us
little thieves."

"Well, and what should we care if they did call us little thieves?"

"Why, not at all, if it were not true. But now--"

"Since Nicholas gave us these handkerchiefs, we didn't steal them!"

"No; but he took them out of a barge; and Brother Martial says no one
ought to steal."

"But, as Nicholas states, that is no affair of ours."

"Do you think so, Francois?"

"Of course I do."

"Still, it seems to me that I would rather the person who really owns
them had given them to us. What do you say, Francois?"

"Oh, it's all one to me! They were given to us, and so they're ours."

"Are you sure of that?"

"Why, yes--yes; make yourself easy about that."

"So much the better, then, for we are not doing what Brother Martial
forbids, and we have such nice handkerchiefs!"

"But, Amandine, if he had known the other day that Calabash had made you
take the plaid handkerchief from the peddler's pack whilst his back was
turned?"

"Oh, Francois, don't talk about it; I have bee