He saw how inexperienced, how helpless (mentally
speaking), the two poor creatures were, and he tried to speak gently.
"I am far from coming as an enemy, citoyennes----" he began. Then he
suddenly broke off and went on, "Sisters, if anything should happen to
you, believe me, I shall have no share in it. I have come to ask a
favor of you."
Still the women were silent.
"If I am annoying you--if--if I am intruding, speak freely, and I will
go; but you must understand that I am entirely at your service; that
if I can do anything for you, you need not fear to make use of me. I,
and I only, perhaps, am above the law, since there is no King now."
There was such a ring of sincerity in the words that Sister Agathe
hastily pointed to a chair as if to bid their guest be seated. Sister
Agathe came of the house of Langeais; her manner seemed to indicate
that once she had been familiar with brilliant scenes, and had
breathed the air of courts. The stranger seemed half pleased, half
distressed when he understood her invitation; he waited to sit down
until the women were seated.
"You are giving shelter to a reverend father who refused to take the
oath, and escaped the massacres at the Carmelites by a miracle----"
"_Hosanna_!" Sister Agathe exclaimed eagerly, interrupting the
stranger, while she watched him with curious eyes.
"That is not the name, I think," he said.
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