eyes to gaze
on it! It seems like a sheet of gold. Ah, I saw it shining in the same
way in the basin of the prison a little while ago! God does not forget
even the poor prisoners, but allows them to have a sight of his wondrous
works. Though they are separated by high stone walls from their fellow
creatures, the glorious sun shows them his golden face, and sparkles and
glitters upon the water there, the same as in the gardens of a king!"
added Fleur-de-Marie, with pious gratitude. Then, incited by a reference
to her captivity still more to appreciate the charms of liberty, she
exclaimed, with a burst of innocent delight: "Oh, pray, madame, do look
there, just in the middle of the river, at that pretty little island,
bordered with willows and poplars, and that sweet little white house,
almost close to the water's edge! How delicious it must be to live there
in the summer, when all the leaves are on the trees and the birds sing
so sweetly among the branches! Oh, how quiet and cool it must be in that
nice place!"

"Well, really, now, my dear," said Madame Seraphin, with a grim smile,
"it is singular enough your being so much struck with that little isle!"

"Why, madame?"

"Because it is there we are actually going to."

"Going to that island?"

"Yes; does that astonish you?"

"Rather so, madame."

"But suppose you found your friends there?"

"Oh, what do you mean?"

"Suppose, I say, you found all your friends had assembled there, to
welcome you on your release from prison, should you not then be greatly
surprised?"

"Oh, if it were but possible! My dear Madame Georges?--M. Rodolph?"

"Upon my word, my dear, I am just like a baby in your hands, and you
turn and twist me just as you please; it is useless for me to try to
conceal anything, for, with your little winning ways, you find out all
secrets."

"Then I shall soon see them again? Dear madame, how can I ever thank you
sufficiently for your goodness to a poor girl like me? Feel how my heart
beats! It is all with joy and happiness!"

"Well, well, my love, be as wild with delight as you please, but pray do
not hurry on so very fast. You forget, you little mad thing, that my old
bones cannot run as fast as your nimble young feet."

"I beg your pardon, madame; but I cannot help being quite impatient to
arrive where we are going."

"To be sure you cannot; don't fancy I mean to blame you for it; quite
the contrary."

"The road slopes a little now, madame,