Maurice, having no idea of fearing Anton, knowing nothing about the
purse of gold, and being on the whole rather prepossessed in his
favor than otherwise, exclaimed:
"How did you come, Anton? did you find Cecile and Joe, and did they
send you for me? and have I slept a long, long time, Anton? It is
quite too late to begin a journey to-day?"
"'Tis about noon, lad," replied Anton; "quite the hottest time of
the day; and I have not seen no Joe, nor no Cecile, though I wants to
see 'em; I ha' been a-looking fur 'em ever since they turned tail in
that shabby way in Paris. I has a little debt to settle wid 'em two,
and I'd like to see 'em again."
"Oh! do you owe them money, and will you pay it? I am sure they'll
be glad for that, for sometimes I hear Cecile say that she is afraid
their money won't hold out, the journey is so very long. I am glad
you owe 'em money, Anton; and as it is past noon, and they won't
start to-day, we may as well go back to the hut at once. Oh! won't
they be surprised ta see you, Anton?"
Anton remained silent for a moment, his head buried in his hands. He
was evidently thinking hard, and once he was heard to mutter, "a
lucky chance; a rare and lucky chance." Then he raised his head again
and looked at Maurice.
"The others are in a hut, a hut in the forest, eh?"
"Oh, yes! quite a nice, snug little hut, and not so very far from
here. We sleep on pine needles in the hut, and they are so soft and
snug; and, Anton, I don't want to leave it.
Pages:
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244