In the few seconds in which he grasped them, and then bore the
child up the embankment in desperate bounds, a hail of bullets
poured round him, ringing on his breastplate, shearing the plume
from his hat, but scarcely evenheard; and in another moment he had
sprung down, on the inner side, grasping the child with all his
might, but not daring even to look at her, in the wondrous flash of
that first conviction. She spoke first. 'Put me down, and let me
have my beads,' she said in a grave, clear tone; and then first he
beheld a pair of dark blue eyes, a sweet wild-rose face--Dolly's
all over. He pressed her so fast and so close, in so speechless
and over powering an ecstasy, that again she repeated, and in
alarm, 'Put me down, I want my mother!' 'Yes, yes! your mother! your mother! your mother!' he cried, unable
to let her out of his embrace; and then restraining himself as he
saw her frightened eyes, in absolute fear of her spurning him, or
struggling from him, 'My sweet! my child! Ah! do you not know me?'
Then, remembering how wild this was, he struggled to speak calmly:
'What are you called, my treasure?' 'I am la petite Rayonette,' she said, with puzzled dignity and
gravity; 'and my mother says I have a beautiful long name of my own
besides.' 'Berangere--my Berangere---' 'That is what she says over me, as I go to sleep in her bosom at
night,' said the child, in a wondering voice, soon exchanged for
entreaty, 'Oh, hug me not so hard! Oh, let me go--let me go to
her! Mother! mother!' 'My child, mine own, I am take thee!--Oh, do not struggle with me!'
he cried, himself imploring now. 'Child, one kiss for thy father;'
and meantime, putting absolute force on his vehement affection, he
was hurrying to the chancel.
There Philip hailed them with a shout as of desperate anxiety
relieved; but before a word could be uttered, down the stairs flew
the Lady of Hope, crying wildly, 'Not there--she is not--' but
perceiving the little one in the stranger's arms, she held out her
own, crying, 'Ah! is she hurt, my angel?' 'Unhurt, Eustacie! Our child is unhurt!' Berenger said, with an
agonized endeavour to be calm; but for the moment her instinct was
so entirely absorbed in examining into the soundness of her child's
limbs, that she neither saw nor hear anything else.
'Eustacie,' he said, laying his hand on her arm, she started back,
with bewildered eyes. 'Eustacie--wife? do you not know me? Ah! I
forgot that I am changed.' 'You--you--' she gasped, utterly confounded, and gazing as if
turned to stone, and though at that moment the vibration of a
mighty discharge of cannon rocked the walls, and strewed Philip's
bed with the crimson shivers of St. John's robe, yet neither of
them would have been sensible of it had not Humfrey rushed in at
the same moment, crying, 'They are coming on like friends, sir!' Berenger passed his hand over his face. 'You will know me WHEN--IF
I return, my dearest,' he said. 'If not, then still, thank God!
Philip, to you I trust them!' And with one kiss on that still, cold, almost petrified brow, he
had dashed away. There was a space of absolutely motionless
silence, save that Eustacie let herself drop on the chancel step,
and the child, presently breaking the spell, pulled her to attract
her notice to the flowers. 'Mother, here are the soucis for the
poor gentleman's broth. See, the naughty people had spoilt all the
paths, and I rolled down and tore my frock, and down fell the
beads, but be not angry, mother dear, for the good gentleman picked
them up, and carried me up the bank.' 'The bank!' cried Eustacie, with a scream, as the sense of the
words reached her ears. 'Ah! no wonder! Well might thy danger
bring thy father's spirit;' and she grasped the little one
fervently in her arms, murmuring, 'Thank, thank God, indeed! Oh!
my precious one; and did He send that blessed spirit to rescue
thee?' 'And will you tie up my frock? and may I put the flowers into the
broth?' chattered Rayonette. 'And why did he kiss me and hug me so
tight? and how did he know what you say over me as we fall asleep?' Eustacie clasped her tighter, with a convulsive, shudder of
thankfulness; and Philip, but half hearing, and barely gathering
the meaning of her mood, ventured to speak, 'Madame---' As if touched by an electric shock, Eustacie started up, as
recalled to instant needs, and coming towards him said, 'Do you
want anything, sir? Pardon one who has but newly seen a spirit
from the other world--brought by his child's danger.' And the
dazed, trance-like look was returning.