"
"But since the retreat of the Germans there is no danger in Paris save
from an occasional bomb."
"No. But a few days after seeing Lannes my own duties as a messenger
carried me back to Paris, and I took it upon myself to visit Lannes'
house. I had two objects, both I hope justifiable. I wanted to take to
them good news of Lannes and I wanted to take to Lannes good news of
them."
"You found them there?" said John, his anxiety showing in his tone.
"I did. But a letter from Lannes, by good luck, had just come through
the day before. It was a noble letter. It expressed the fine spirit of
that brave young man, a spirit universal now throughout France. He said
the fighting had been so severe and the wounded were so many that all
Frenchwomen who had the skill and strength to help must come to the
hospitals, where the hurt in scores of thousands were lying."
"Did he mention any point to which she was to come?"
"A village just behind the fortress of Verdun. To say that she was
willing was not enough. A great spirit, a magnificent spirit, Mr. Scott.
The soul of chivalry may dwell in the heart of a young girl. She was
eager to go. Madame, her mother, would have gone too, but she was ill,
so she remained in the house, while the beautiful Mademoiselle Julie
departed with the great peasant, Antoine Picard, and his daughter
Suzanne.
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