Romances Volume 2

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 Excerpt: ...I water the garden for you?" At the same time a sound like that of a wild beast breaking through was heard in the hedge, and he saw a tall thin girl emerge, who stood before him, looking at him boldly. She looked less like a human being than some form engendered of the darkness. Before Father Maboeuf, whom, as we said, a trifle terrified, found time to answer a syllable, this creature, whose movements had in the gloom a sort of strange suddenness, had unhooked the chain, let down and drawn up the bucket, and filled the watering-pot; and the old gentleman saw this apparition, which was barefooted and wore a ragged skirt, running along the flower-beds and distributing life around her. The sound of the water pattering on the leaves filled M. Maboeuf's soul with ravishment, and the rhododendron now seemed to him to be happy. The first bucket emptied, the girl drew a second, then a third, and watered the whole garden. To see her moving thus along the walks in which her outline appeared quite black, and waving on her long thin arms her ragged shawl, she bore a striking resemblance to a bat. When she had finished, Father Maboeuf went up to her with tears in his eyes, and laid his hand on her forehead. "God will bless you," he said, "you are an angel, since you take care of flowers." "No," she replied, "I am the Devil, but I don't care." The old man continued, without waiting for or hearing the reply,--"What a pity that I am so unhappy and so poor, and can do nothing for you!" "You can do something," she said. "What is it!" "Tell me where M. Marius lives." The old man did not understand. "What Monsieur Marius?"-He raised his glassy eyes and seemed seeking something which ...