Perhaps the question had been suggested to her by de Casimir, who,
on learning that Louis d'Arragon had helped her father to slip
through the Emperor's fingers, had asked the same in his own
characteristic way.
"What could he hope to gain by doing it?" he had inquired as he
walked by Mathilde's side, along the Pfaffengasse. And he made
other interrogations respecting D'Arragon which Mathilde was no more
able to satisfy, as he accompanied her to the Frauengasse.
Since that time the dancing-lessons had been resumed to the music of
a hired fiddler, and Desiree had once more taken up her household
task of making both ends meet. She approached the difficulties as
impetuously as ever, and danced the stout pupils round the room with
undiminished energy.
"It seems no good at all, your being married," said one of these
breathlessly, while Desiree laughingly attended to her dishevelled
hair.
"Why not?"
"Because you still make your own dresses and teach dancing," replied
the pupil, with a quick sigh at the thought of some smart bursch in
the Prussian contingent.
"Ah, but Charles will return a colonel, and I shall bow to you in a
silk dress from a chaise and pair--come, left foot first. You are
not so tired as you think you are."
For those that are busy, time flies quickly enough. And there is
nothing more absorbing than keeping the wolf from the door, else
assuredly the hungry thousands would find time to arise and rend the
overfed few.
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