ly spoke of an
imaginary permission he had received to enable him to visit his mother.

"She is not here, Master Jack," said Constant, "and I really do not know
whether I ought--" Then, interrupting herself, Constant exclaimed, "O! it
is too bad. I cannot keep this child from his mother!"

Then she informed little Jack that madame was at Etiolles.

The child repeated the name over and over again to himself. "Is it far
from here?" he asked.

"Eight good leagues," answered Augustin.

But the cook disputed this point; and then followed an animated
discussion as to the route to be taken to reach _Etiolles_. Jack
listened eagerly, for he had already decided to attempt the journey
alone and on foot.

"Madame lives in a pretty little cottage just at the edge of a wood,"
said Constant.

Jack understood by this time which side of Paris he should go out. This
and the name of the village were the two distinct ideas he had. The
distance did not frighten him. "I can walk all night," he said to
himself, "even if my legs are little." Then he spoke aloud. "I must go
now," he said, "I must go back to school." One question, however, burned
on his lips. Was Argenton at Etiolles? Should he find this powerful
barrier between his mother and himself? He dared not ask Constant,
however. Without understanding the truth precisely, he yet felt very
keenly that this. Was not the best side of his mother's life, and he
avoided all mention of it.

The servants said "good-bye," the coachman shook hands with him, and
then the boy found himself in the vestibule among a bustling crowd. He
did not linger in this chaos, for the house had no longer any interest
for him, but hurried into the street, eager to start on the journey that
would end by placing him with his mother.

Bercy! Yes, Bercy was the name of the village the cook had mentioned
as the first after leaving Paris. The way was not difficult to find,
although it was a good distance off, but the fear of being caught by
Moronval spurred him on. An inquisitive look from a policeman startled
him, a shadow on the wall, or a hurried step behind, made his heart
beat, and over and above the noise and confusion of the streets he
seemed to hear the cry of "Stop him! Stop him!" At last he climbed over
the bank and began to run on the narrow path by the water's edge. The
day was coming to an end. The river was very high and yellow from recent
rains, the water rolled heavily against the arches of th