FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>   >|  
hat you are here. I will arrange with his concierge that very early in the mornings, before Jean is up and when nobody is there, you shall have the care of his studio and _atelier_, so you will be able to see all you want to of his work; and to the concierge you are simply a charge of mine who is in need of the few francs you will earn." "Oh, Father Anton, how good you are!"--she had jumped up joyfully from her chair, and was in his arms again. "But I do not want the money. I have plenty--from my house, you know." "But if you took no money, they would not understand why you would work," explained Father Anton hurriedly. The depth of his duplicity was very great! The gentle soul of Father Anton was conscience stricken at her gratitude, her innocence. If he had not gone so far he would retreat. She was crying in his arms. Never before had he known what it was not to be able to look another in the eyes. He was glad that Marie-Louise's head was hidden on his shoulder for he could not have looked at her. Father Anton felt himself a criminal. It was not a role that lay lightly upon him. "And Jean himself," she whispered. "When shall I see Jean?" Father Anton coughed nervously. "There--there is a reception to-night," he said hesitantly. He coughed again. "For Jean. You might see him there perhaps--from the gallery. I--I have a card." She sprang away from him, with a quick exclamation of excitement. "Oh, come then!" she cried impulsively, and caught his hand to pull him toward the door. Father Anton turned away his head. Tears had sprung to his eyes. He was indeed a criminal--the criminal of the ages! But if it would save Marie-Louise! Ah, yes, he must keep that thought always before him. He looked at her again, as he fumbled once more with his spectacles. "Yes, yes; at once!" he said mechanically. "But"--he was staring at her now in sudden consternation--"but you cannot go like that! Have you no other clothes?" She pointed at the little bundle on the floor. He shook his head. "No hat? No coat?" "No-o," she said tremulously, as though she sensed an impending tragedy. "But this is not Bernay-sur-Mer, Marie-Louise!" he said, in concern. "You cannot go about dressed like that in Paris; and, besides, you would freeze, my child." She looked at him in silence--a sort of pitiful despair, mingling bitter disappointment and helpless dependence, in her eyes, in the expression of her
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Father
 

looked

 

criminal

 

Louise

 

concierge

 
coughed
 
excitement
 

spectacles

 
sprung
 

fumbled


exclamation

 

turned

 
caught
 

thought

 
impulsively
 

tremulously

 
dressed
 
freeze
 

concern

 

Bernay


silence

 

disappointment

 

helpless

 

dependence

 

expression

 

bitter

 

mingling

 

pitiful

 

despair

 

tragedy


clothes

 
consternation
 

sudden

 

mechanically

 

staring

 
pointed
 

sensed

 
impending
 

bundle

 
plenty

jumped
 

joyfully

 
understand
 
gentle
 

duplicity

 

explained

 
hurriedly
 

studio

 
mornings
 

arrange