Madelon gave a little cry and sprang forward; she knew the box
well, and had brought it with her to Liege, but had never seen
it since then till to-day. It was like a little bit of her
former life suddenly revived, and rescued from the past years
with which so much was buried.
"This is yours apparently, Madeleine," said Soeur Lucie, her
broad, good-humoured face illumined with a smile at the
child's eagerness; "the sight of it has done you good, I
think; it is long since you have looked so gay."
"Yes, it is mine," cried Madelon; "where had it been all this
time, Soeur Lucie?"
"Soeur Marie and I were clearing out a room downstairs, and we
found it pushed away in a corner, so we thought we had better
bring it up for you to see what was in it."
"I know," said Madelon, "it was a trunk of mamma's; there are
some things of hers put away in it, I think. I never saw them,
for we did not take it about with us everywhere; but I brought
it with me from Paris, and I suppose Aunt Therese put it
away."
"Our sainted Superior doubtless knew best," said Soeur Lucie,
with a ready faith, which was capable, however, of adjusting
itself to meet altered circumstances, "but we are clearing out
that room below, which we think of turning into another store-
room; we have not half space enough for our confitures as it
is, and another large order has arrived to-day.
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