And he found a poor boy outside the
Cathedral weeping as if his heart were breaking, and leaning his
head against the hard door for a pillow. And he brought him back and
gave him his own bed to sleep in;--and the lad is with him now."
Little Fabien Doucet, leaning on his crutch, looked up with
interest.
"Is he lame like me?" he asked.
"No, child," replied Madame compassionately--"He is straight and
strong. In truth a very pretty boy."
Fabien sighed. Babette made a dash forward.
"I will go and see him!" she said--"And I will call Monseigneur."
"Babette! How dare you! Babette!"
But Babette had scurried defiantly past her mother, and breathless
with a sense of excitement and disobedience intermingled, had burst
into the Cardinal's room without knocking. There on the threshold
she paused,--somewhat afraid at her own boldness,--and startled too
at the sight of Manuel, who was seated near the window opposite the
Cardinal, and who turned his deep blue eyes upon her with a look of
enquiry. The Cardinal himself rose and turned to greet her, and as
the wilful little maid met his encouraging glance and noted the
benign sweetness of his expression she trembled,--and losing nerve,
began to cry.
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