"It--it all looks so sad, and gloomy, and _triste_," she said. "I
do not want to come here and be shut up in the convent; oh,
take me away, take me away!"
She clung to Graham as if she were to be parted from him that
moment, whilst he soothed her as best he could.
"We will go away at once if you like," he said; "I think we
did wrong to come at this time of the evening; everything
looks grey and cheerless now--you will see to-morrow how much
brighter it will all appear."
"It is not only that," said Madelon, striving to check her
sobs; "but just now, when we were sitting here, somehow I had
forgotten all about where I was, and everything; and I thought
I was out walking with papa, as I used to be, and I was
planning what we would do to-morrow--and then all at once I
remembered--and to-morrow I shall be in there, and I shall
never see him again, and you will be gone too--oh, papa, papa----"
She was shaking all over with one of her sudden bursts of
passionate crying. What could he do to console her? What could
he say to comfort her? Not much, perhaps, but then much was
not needed; only a few words commonplace enough, I daresay--but
then, as we have said, Monsieur Horace's voice and words
always had a wonderful influence with our little Madelon.
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