"You will see my reason for speaking of this.Our good old Dagobert told us, that, when we arrived here, he had only a few pieces of money left."
"That is true."
"Now both he and his wife are unable to earn their living; what can a poor old soldier like him do?"
"You are right; he only knows how to love us, and take care of us, like his children."
"It must then be M.Agricola who will have to support his father; for Gabriel is a poor priest, who possesses nothing, and can render no assistance to those who have brought him up.So M.Agricola will have to support the whole family by himself."
"Doubtless--he owes it to father and mother--it is his duty, and he will do it with a good will."
"Yes, sister--but he owes us nothing."
"What do you say, Blanche?"
"He is obliged to work for us also, as we possess nothing in the world."
"I had not thought of that.True."
"It is all very well, sister, for our father to be Duke and Marshal of France, as Dagobert tells us, it is all very well for us to hope great things from this medal, but as long as father is not here, and our hopes are not realized, we shall be merely poor orphans, obliged to remain a burden to this honest family, to whom we already owe so much, and who find it so hard to live, that--"
"Why do you pause, sister?"
"What I am about to say would make other people laugh; but you will understand it.Yesterday, when Dagobert's wife saw poor Spoil-sport at his dinner, she said, sorrowfully: "Alas! he eats as much as a man!"--so that I could almost have cried to hear her.They must be very poor, and yet we have come to increase their poverty."
The sisters looked sadly at each other, while Spoil-sport pretended not to know they were talking of his voracity.
"Sister, I understand," said Rose, after a moment's silence."Well, we must not be at the charge of any one.We are young, and have courage.
Till our fate is decided, let us fancy ourselves daughters of workmen.
After all, is not our grandfather a workman? Let us find some employment, and earn our own living.It must be so proud and happy to earn one's living!"
"Good little sister," said Blanche, kissing Rose."What happiness! You have forestalled my thought; kiss me!"
"How so?"
"Your project is mine exactly.Yesterday, when I heard Dagobert's wife complain so sadly that she had lost her sight.I looked into your large eyes, which reminded me of my own, and said to myself : 'Well! this poor old woman may have lost her sight, but Rose and Blanche Simon can see pretty clearly'--which is a compensation," added Blanche, with a smile.
"And, after all," resumed Rose, smiling in her turn, "the young ladies in question are not so very awkward, as not to be able to sew up great sacks of coarse cloth--though it may chafe their fingers a little."
"So we had both the same thought, as usual; only I wished to surprise you, and waited till we were alone, to tell you my plan."
"Yes, but there is something teases me."
"What is that?"
"First of all, Dagobert and his wife will be sure to say to us: `Young ladies, you are not fitted for such work.What, daughters of a Marshal of France sewing up great ugly bags!' And then, if we insist upon it, they will add: `Well, we have no work to give you.If you want any, you must hunt for it.' What would Misses Simon do then?"
"The fact is, that when Dagobert has made up his mind to anything--"
"Oh! even then, if we coax him well--"
"Yes, in certain things; but in others he is immovable.It is just as when upon the journey, we wished to prevent his doing so much for us."
"Sister, an idea strikes me," cried Rose, "an excellent idea!"
"What is it? quick!"
"You know the young woman they call Mother Bunch, who appears to be so serviceable and persevering?"
"Oh yes! and so timid and discreet.She seems always to be afraid of giving offence, even if she looks at one.Yesterday, she did not perceive that I saw her; but her eyes were fixed on you with so good and sweet an expression, that tears came into mine at the very sight of it."
"Well, we must ask her how she gets work, for certainly she lives by her labor."
