I am brave, active and strong, though I am
so small, and quick as lightning too--and I shall not let anybody harm
you."
"Is this chateau very far from Paris?" asked Isabelle, drawing Chiquita
up on her lap. "Did you hear any one mention the name of this place?"
"Yes, one of them called it--now what was it?" said the child, looking
up at the ceiling and absently scratching her head, as if to stimulate
her memory.
"Try to remember it, my child!" said Isabelle, softly stroking
Chiquita's brown cheeks, which flushed with delight at the unwonted
caress--no one had ever petted the poor child in her life before.
"I think that it was Val-lom-breuse," said Chiquita at last, pronouncing
the syllables separately and slowly, as if listening to an inward echo.
"Yes, Vallombreuse, I am sure of it now. It is the name of the seignior
that your Captain Fracasse wounded in a duel--he would have done much
better if he had killed him outright--saved a great deal of trouble to
himself and to you. He is very wicked, that rich duke, though he does
throw his gold about so freely by the handfuls--just like a man sowing
grain. You hate him, don't you? and you would be glad if you could get
away from him, eh?"
"Oh yes, indeed!" cried Isabelle impetuously.
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