And Bruno knocked on the door, beginning at the same time to whistle and hum his favorite tune: _Tu tu tu tu r'lu tu tu tu_.

Poterne was at table with Madame Ratouille, on the ground floor; Darena had gone upstairs, where he had ordered Louise's dinner to be served, announcing his purpose to dine with her. He had just declared his love to Louise, who, terrified and trembling, began to understand that she had fallen into a trap, and implored heaven to come to her aid.

On the ground floor, where there was no talk of love, they ate much and drank even more. Madame Ratouille's eyes had grown so small that they were invisible, and Monsieur Poterne's tongue was beginning to thicken, when Bruno knocked on the door.

For some time no one answered; at last Poterne's voice inquired:

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Pere Poterne; it's your little monkey, Bruno; please let me in."

"What do you want, you scalawag? what have you come here for? We are not in need of you. Away you go!"

"I came to get a Greek cap that I forgot to take; I'm sure I can find it, for I know just where I put it. Let me get my cap and I'll go right away."

"You annoy us. Go somewhere else and get a cap. Leave us in peace."

"If you don't let me get my cap, which is in your house, I'll knock on the door all night, and I'll make row enough to bring the watch here."

That threat convinced Poterne; he opened the door, grumbling:

"Well, come in and find your Greek cap; and make haste to clear out."

But instead of the small boy whom he expected to see, Cherubin darted into the house, with a pistol in his hand, the barrel of which he held against Poterne's chest, saying in a low voice, but with fire flashing from his eyes:

"If you make a sound, I'll kill you!--Where is Louise?"

Poterne was so frightened that he could barely murmur:

"Upstairs--with Darena."

Cherubin asked no more questions; he darted forward, rushed upstairs, and with a kick forced the door of the apartment on the first floor. He was no longer the weak, timid young man, who could neither speak nor act, but a Hercules whom nothing could withstand. As he entered the room he saw Louise struggling and doing her utmost to repel Darena, who was trying to take her in his arms. Cherubin rushed upon the man who sought to outrage Louise, and seizing him about the middle of the body, lifted him up and threw him violently across the room, against the table on which the dinner was served.

Darena had no time to grasp what had happened, or to defend himself; his head struck the corner of the table, his chin broke a plate which cut his face, and he fell, murmuring Cherubin's name.

"Cherubin!" cried Louise, staring at her rescuer, afraid to believe her eyes, but shedding tears of joy. "Is it possible? It is he! it is you!"

"Yes, Louise, it is I, Cherubin, your friend, your brother--so overjoyed to find you! But come, come! Do not stay any longer in this infamous house! As for you, villain, if there is any heart left in your body, and if you wish to have the honor of dying by my hand, come to my house, and you will find that the young man whom you believed to be so shy and timid, knows how to use a sword and a pistol."

Darena could not reply, for he was unconscious.

Cherubin took Louise's hand and led her away; on the lower floor they found Madame Ratouille still at table, while Poterne was trying to hide in a b.u.t.ter firkin, and Bruno stood guard at the door. Cherubin did not stay an instant with Darena's confederate; he led Louise from the house, and told Bruno to call the cab to the door; he did so, and they entered.

But, before they drove away, Cherubin took a handful of gold pieces from his pocket and gave them to Bruno, saying:

"Take this; you have earned it by doing a good deed; I hope that it will bring you luck, and that you will try to become an honest man."

The cab drove off. Cherubin held both of Louise's hands in his; and for some time those two, who had not met for three years, were so pleased and happy to be together again, their hearts were so full, their emotion so intense, that they could exchange only incoherent words and broken sentences.

"It is really you, Cherubin, who saved me," said Louise. "So you did still think of me?"

"Why, Louise, I have been searching Paris for three days, looking everywhere for you, ever since I learned that you had disappeared from Madame de Noirmont's. I have not lived, I have not had a moment's peace of mind!"

"Can it be true? Then you still love me, Cherubin?"

"Love you, my Louise! Ah! more than I ever did--I realize it now! I let a long while go by without going to see you, it is true; you must have thought me indifferent or ungrateful; but I always intended to go to see you, if Monsieur Gerondif had not told me that you were in Bretagne, where you were so happy that you did not mean to return to Gagny."

"Oh! the liar! And it was he who drove me to despair by telling me that you never gave a thought to your old playmate, that you had no desire to see her again."

"The miserable villain! why, that was perfectly horrible!"

"And it was not true, and you do still love your poor Louise? Oh! how happy I am!"

This time the drive from the barrier to his house seemed very short to Cherubin. He alighted, led Louise into the house, and took her up to his own apartment. She followed him trustfully; she was with the man she loved--that was the only thought in her mind.

Jasmin, who had come up to his master's apartment with a light, uttered a cry of joy when he saw the girl, and Cherubin briefly explained to him how he had found her.

"So it was that blackguard Poterne again--the preserved turnips fellow!"

cried Jasmin; "and his master--another rascal! Do you know, monsieur, it has occurred to me several times that they were mixed up in this."

"Louise will remain here. I do not propose that she shall leave me,"

said Cherubin; "I am too much afraid of losing her again. She will have apartments in this house; but meanwhile she will occupy mine to-night.

Jasmin, you will have a room prepared for me upstairs."

"Yes, my dear master."

Louise tried to object to that arrangement; she disliked to disturb Cherubin and said that the smallest room in the house would suffice for her; but Cherubin paid no heed to her, and Jasmin went to carry out his orders.

The young people were left alone. It seemed that Cherubin would never tire of gazing in admiration at Louise. She was so lovely, so charming, so fascinating, in his eyes, that he cried:

"And I forgot you for all those creatures that I thought that I loved.

Ah! Louise, there is not a single one of them who can be compared with you!"

The girl told her friend all that she had done since she left the village; she concealed from him none of her thoughts; she had no secrets from him. When she reached the time of her entering Madame de Noirmont's service, she told him of all the incidents that had marked her life there; then, suddenly putting her hand to her breast, she made sure that she still had the letter which she was to deliver to Monsieur de Monfreville, and which Darena was trying to make her give up to him when Cherubin arrived so opportunely to rescue her.

"I will take you to Monfreville to-morrow," said Cherubin, "for it is too late to-night to send for him to come here. Madame de Noirmont told you that he would tell you who your father is; but, my dear Louise, let us swear that, whatever happens, we will never part again. If you have no parents, I will take the place of them both; I will be your protector, your friend, your----"

Cherubin did not know how to finish, but he took Louise's hand and covered it with kisses. The girl was so happy to find that her old playmate still loved her, that she gladly took the oath that he requested. They did not weary of telling each other of their love, and of swearing that they would love each other always. Then they recalled their childish delights, their first games, the happy moments that they had pa.s.sed together, those days, so brief and so blissful, which they might perhaps know again.

To two people who love each other sincerely and who have not seen each other for a long time, the hours pa.s.s rapidly and unnoticed. Jasmin had long since come to inform his master that a room had been prepared on the upper floor, and Cherubin had dismissed him, making ready at the same time to follow him. But he resumed his conversation with Louise, he let his eyes rest in unalloyed delight upon hers, which were filled with emotion and love. They exchanged more oaths of never-ending love and thought no more about parting.

Suddenly a neighboring clock struck two.

"Mon Dieu! it is very late!" said Louise; "two o'clock! I would not have believed it! My dear, I am keeping you from sleeping; we must say good-night, but only till to-morrow."

"Very well," said Cherubin, "I will leave you to sleep, Louise.

Good-night--since it must be."

And the young man gazed lovingly at the girl--and did not go away. At last he added with some embarra.s.sment: