What did he mean? We often say
'_Mon Dieu_,' and I have heard them talk of _le bon Dieu;_ is that
the same? Who is He then--_le bon Dieu?_"
M. Linders did not at once reply. Madelon was looking up into
his face with wide-open perplexed eyes, frowning a little with
an unusual effort of thought, with the endeavour to penetrate
a momentary mystery, which she instinctively felt lay
somewhere, and which she looked to him to explain; and he
_could_ not give her a careless, mocking answer; he sat staring
blankly at her for a few seconds, and then said slowly,
"I cannot tell you."
"Do you not know, papa?"
"Yes, yes, certainly I know," he answered hastily, and with
some annoyance; "but--in short, Madelon, you are too young to
trouble your head about these things; you cannot understand
them possibly; when you are older you shall have them
explained to you."
"When, papa?"
"Oh, I don't know--one of these days, when you are a great
girl, grown up."
"And you can't tell me now?" said Madelon, a little wistfully;
"but you will let me go to the church again before that? Oh,
indeed it was beautiful, with the lights, and the singing, and
the music.
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