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Article MADELAINE. ← Page 2 of 12 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Madelaine.
and at the most was not more than fourteen or fifteen years of age . Her paleness , her tearful eyes , her air of sadness , spoke even more plainly than her mourning attire . Meamvhile the conducteur remounted his seat , and the girl had but just time to exchange a parting bow with her fellow-travellers . When she found herself alone upon the highway at the entrance of
that bleak and ugly Aillage which did not contain one soul Avhom she knew , alone in the midst of those distrustful and suspiciouslooking faces , her heart quite failed her , and sinking upon a heap of stones , she hid her face in her hands and burst into tears . The crowd continued to stare without either moA'ing or speaking . Happily there were some women in the rustic group ,
and one of them , who held her baby in her arrns , approached the young girl , and gazed at her with a feeling of pity as she hesitated /— -for although everything about this child plainly told of poverty , still her naturally distinguished air entirely neutralized the effect of her simple dress , and at once commanded respect .
" My poor young lady , " she said at length , " since you are here alone at your age , you must siuely have lost your mother ? " " Yes , madam , " " she replied iu a soft voice and a slightly foreign accent , " alas ! I have lost all , even to the corner of ground that holds their dear remains ; nothing is left to me in
this world . " "Dear child , may HeaA'en have pity upon you ! I fancy also that you are a foreigner . Do you come from a great distance ?"
"Ah , yes , from a very great distance . I often thought I should never arrive . " " And you go to " " To Valtravers . My mother wished me to find my Avay there after her death . I knew that once at Neuvy-les-Bois I should easily reach Valtravers . "
"Are you going to the chateau ?" " Yes . " "Then you have come the longest way ; the conducteur should have put you down at the last toAvn . HoAvever , you have but three leagues to go , and by taking the wood-path you Avill shorten even those . M heAV Pierrat shall show
y nep you the way ; but just now the heat is overpowering , and I dare say you have had nothing all day . Come to my cottage and I Avill give you some milk , and Avait for the cool evening before you start . " "Many , many thanks , you are most kind , but I really Avish
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Madelaine.
and at the most was not more than fourteen or fifteen years of age . Her paleness , her tearful eyes , her air of sadness , spoke even more plainly than her mourning attire . Meamvhile the conducteur remounted his seat , and the girl had but just time to exchange a parting bow with her fellow-travellers . When she found herself alone upon the highway at the entrance of
that bleak and ugly Aillage which did not contain one soul Avhom she knew , alone in the midst of those distrustful and suspiciouslooking faces , her heart quite failed her , and sinking upon a heap of stones , she hid her face in her hands and burst into tears . The crowd continued to stare without either moA'ing or speaking . Happily there were some women in the rustic group ,
and one of them , who held her baby in her arrns , approached the young girl , and gazed at her with a feeling of pity as she hesitated /— -for although everything about this child plainly told of poverty , still her naturally distinguished air entirely neutralized the effect of her simple dress , and at once commanded respect .
" My poor young lady , " she said at length , " since you are here alone at your age , you must siuely have lost your mother ? " " Yes , madam , " " she replied iu a soft voice and a slightly foreign accent , " alas ! I have lost all , even to the corner of ground that holds their dear remains ; nothing is left to me in
this world . " "Dear child , may HeaA'en have pity upon you ! I fancy also that you are a foreigner . Do you come from a great distance ?"
"Ah , yes , from a very great distance . I often thought I should never arrive . " " And you go to " " To Valtravers . My mother wished me to find my Avay there after her death . I knew that once at Neuvy-les-Bois I should easily reach Valtravers . "
"Are you going to the chateau ?" " Yes . " "Then you have come the longest way ; the conducteur should have put you down at the last toAvn . HoAvever , you have but three leagues to go , and by taking the wood-path you Avill shorten even those . M heAV Pierrat shall show
y nep you the way ; but just now the heat is overpowering , and I dare say you have had nothing all day . Come to my cottage and I Avill give you some milk , and Avait for the cool evening before you start . " "Many , many thanks , you are most kind , but I really Avish