the tan of his features, this boy seemed in perfect
health; a forest of red hair covered his head; his face was round, his
lips thick, his forehead projecting, his eyes quick and piercing. He was
not like his mother or his elder sister, but had a subdued and sly look,
as from time to time, through the thick mass of hair that fell over his
eyes, he threw a stealthy and fearful glance at his mother, or exchanged
a look of intelligence and affection with his little sister, Amandine.

The latter was seated beside her brother, and was occupied, not in
marking, but in unmarking, some linen stolen on the previous evening.
She was nine years old, and was as like her brother as her sister was
like her mother. Her features, without being more regular, were less
coarse than those of Francois. Although covered with freckles, her
complexion was remarkably clear, her lips thick and red, her hair also
red, but silky, and her eyes, though small, were of a clear bright blue.
When Amandine's look met that of her brother, she turned a glance
towards the door, and then Francois replied by sigh; after which,
calling his sister's attention by a slight gesture, he counted with the
end of his needle ten loops of the net. This was meant to imply, in the
symbolical language of children, that their brother Martial would not
return until ten o'clock that evening.

Seeing these two women so silent and ill-looking, and the two poor
little mute, frightened, uneasy children, we might suppose they were two
executioners and two victims. Calabash, perceiving that Amandine had
ceased from her occupation for a moment, said, in a harsh tone:

"Come, haven't you done taking the mark out of that shirt?"

The little girl bowed her head without making any reply, and, by the aid
of her fingers and scissors, hastily finished taking out the red cotton
threads which marked the letters in the linen.

After a few minutes Amandine, addressing the widow timidly, showed her
the shirt, and said:

"Mother, I have done it."

Without making any reply, the widow threw her another piece of linen.
The child did not catch it quickly enough, and it fell on the ground.
Her tall sister gave her, with her hand as hard as wood, a sharp slap on
the arm, saying:

"You stupid brat!"

Amandine resumed her seat, and set to work actively, after having
exchanged with her brother a glance of her eye, into which a tear had
started.

The same silence continued to reign in the kitc