ans, who were visibly affected by the servant's intentional
indiscretion. (Dagobert had ordered him not to speak before the girls of
the illness of their governess, and that was quite enough to induce the
simpleton to take the first opportunity of doing so.)

Rose hastily approached the soldier, and said to him: "Is it true--is it
really true that poor Madame Augustine has been attacked with the
cholera?"

"No--I do not know--I cannot tell," replied the soldier, hesitating;
"besides, what is it to you?"

"Dagobert, you would conceal from us a calamity," said Blanche. "I
remember now your embarrassment, when we spoke to you of our governess."

"If she is ill, we ought not to abandon her. She had pity on our sorrows;
we ought to pity her sufferings."

"Come, sister; come to her room," said Blanche, advancing towards the
door, where Rodin had stopped short, and stood listening with growing
attention to this unexpected scene, which seemed to give him ample food
for thought.

"You will not leave this room," said the soldier, sternly, addressing the
two sisters.

"Dagobert," replied Rose, firmly, "it is a sacred duty, and it would be
cowardice not to fulfil it."

"I tell you that you shall not leave the room," said the soldier,
stamping his foot with impatience.

"Dagobert," replied Blanche, with as resolute an air as her sister's, and
with a kind of enthusiasm which brought the blood to her fair cheek, "our
father, when he left us, give us an admirable example of devotion and
duty. He would not forgive us were we to forget the lesson."

"What," cried Dagobert, in a rage, and advancing towards the sisters to
prevent their quitting the apartment; "you think that if your governess
had the cholera, I would let you go to her under the pretext of
duty?--Your duty is to live, to live happy, for your father's sake--and
for mine into the bargain--so not a word more of such folly!"

"We can run no danger by going to our governess in her room," said Rose.

"And if there were danger," added Blanche, "we ought not to hesitate. So,
Dagobert, be good! and let us pass."

Rodin, who had listened to what precedes, with sustained attention,
suddenly started, as if a thought had struck him; his eye shone brightly,
and an expression of fatal joy illumined his countenance.

"Dagobert, do not refuse!" said Blanche. "You would do for us what you
reproach us with wishing to do for another."

Dagobert had as it were, till now stood