that the creature intended to remain precisely where
she was, on guard near Christophe.
Then Madame Roustan flung herself into her
clothes, caring not a fig if she woke both the babies;
indeed all but forgetting her erstwhile fears in a
sudden uprush of Meridional temper. Hiking the
protesting Jan from his cot, she dumped him in the
sitting-room behind the shop, where she locked him
for safety during her absence — Christophe, she
decided, it was wiser to leave where he was, in view
of his watchful guardian. Breathless and perspiring
with anger and heat, she made her way round to the
Benedit's house where she knocked with such vigour
that the curious Eusebe must get up and thrust his
head out of the window.
T6u!5 he remarked with enormous disdain, 'It
would seem that the widow prowls the tiles; out at
this hour alone on the streets. But what does she want
with the Benedits? Does she think that Goundran
now boards with her brother?5
Jouse, who had run to the door in his night-shirt,
stood blinking at his sister in sleepy amazement: cEh
bien — has the devil come to Saint Loup and stolen
the church bells to melt them in hell? Or is it that
we have a new Prussian invasion? But whatever it is,
need you break down the house when my wife was
confined only yesterday morning?5 Then a sudden
great fear came into his eyes: cDo not tell me that all
is not well with Christophe. . . .?'
c Christophe/ she told him, cis very well indeed. At
this moment he is being guarded by your bitch. But
my little Jan I have had to lock up — as for myself, I
have been in great peril. I have left the beast crouch-
ing under my bed. She growled like a fiend when she
saw my bare legs, in another moment she would have
attacked me. Had the Holy Marys not inspired me
with the courage to get into my clothes and then rush
50