Red Caps and Lilies

quite easy. Gonfleur is waiting at the door. You have said you

e little maid up a stairway leading from a side

nights. It is indeed a shame that she should not have gone

Rosanne de Soigné answered. She look

. It is the same with me as with Marie Josephine; they treat me as though I

ery which was Marie Josephine's own apartment. She was not asl

Proté? What h

friend, Mademoiselle Rosanne de Soigné, has come to se

fore Marie Josephine, in her bewil

t of the ball. Listen! I know a place where we can see it all, watch the dancing, and hear the mus

surprised for a moment

f it. Proté has your stockings. Le

and Proté, kneeling beside her, pulled on the

tesse should know! May the good saints p

ke up to the situation and, leaning over, patted t

ecause I was not invited? You even spoke to Le Pont. I heard you say to her, 'Th

rgarments, fastening the tapes which tied them with nervous fingers. Then she s

t the garden door when the clock strikes ten, Little Mademoiselle. You must be in

man servant in red and white livery was passing through the hall. He stooped and extinguished the candles,

. One cannot be too careful in these bad times," whispered Proté as they

was following them. Proté shook her stubby finger at him, whispering in a hissing

o back at once to Mademoiselle

lambeau came forward slowly, in spite of P

roté's arm as she spoke. The little maid only raised her hands as though in despair, and the four of them started to descend the ste

ing. No one must know that she had ever been down these sta

e with Rosanne. He held a lighted lanthorn in one hand and when he saw Proté and the children, he started to

you return with Mademoiselle Marie Josephine at ten exactly, or it will

all about them. The roar of the city could be heard in the distance and from the corner came the sound of rough laughter and harsh voices. They turned away in the opposite direction from the voice

d never seen the city after sundown but once, and that was when, because of some trouble with their horses, they had been delayed in coming

was no longer any need of Gonfleur's lanthorn to light them, for all the way up the winding stairs were

get to come with th

r, of a surety,

ey were going or at least she guessed. It was the place above all others where she liked best to play. It was a little square balcony in the wall at the very tiptop of the house and one could reach it by this back

es in a corner of the balcony and looked down. The minuet music wa

cture where all the people are dancing. It is by Monsieur

sanne answered in natural tones. "No one cou

chill air came in from behind them. It seemed as though even in m

dance. The sound of laughter and young voices blended with the sweet strai

t one in the red mantle is my cousin Bertran du Monde," Rosanne said, leaning far ov

ephine lo

on that he came to tea with us all in our schoolroom? He is a stupid boy. You do not mind my say

laughed

he is often very rude. See, is that not your c

phine inte

e is only fifteen. She looks so very grown-up. How happy I should be i

i

e as she said this, and she looked down very wistf

ent. Gonfleur has promised to bring us sweets and he will not forget. He is very good." Rosanne lowered her voice a little though there was r

okes of the tiny balcony. How wonderful to be down there in the midst of all the glitter of lights and j

r friends and cousins among the gay throng below. She agreed with Marie Josep

ought it the greatest fun. She said she would do her best to see me and let me see her. She said she would come right underneath me if she could and that she would look up.

ur to get me?" whispered Marie Josephine. She could n

h, she would have begged me not to go. Why, no one would think of such a thing, Marie

Flambeau's head upon her knee, she sat quietly looking down. The music of a gavotte had begun and it

od for Les Vignes, children. It is a refuge from all trouble." Marie Josephine knew that there had been fighting in the streets, and t

uld be the grandest affair! Well, they had three years to wait. This was small in comparison to what that gala ball would be! This was just a handful of boys and girls in costumes made

re happy things," Marie Josephine said to Rosanne

as she dances. See! She's looking up at us and smiling, though s

maman and Lisle and grandfather and Dian a

wn sister!" exclaimed R

r than Denise. Cécile is like a mai

oming up the stairs? He is brin

at the back of the balcony and after a momen

is malady, the rheumatism, would permit hi

le nearer Rosanne c

come with sweets for us

step. Then he picked up Marie Josephine's cloak from

if you please, at once," he muttered as he tied

the sweets. Where are they? Do not hurry so!" Rosanne put her hand on Gonfleur's arm and s

, she is not found out. It is not that. Would to the kind God is was only that, Mademoiselle. It

stairs and how happy we all are?" Rosanne frowned and spoke impatiently, holding on to Marie Josephin

ephine, he said: "We will go back as we came, Mademoiselle. It is only a step to your portal

each other on each cheek and then, her hand in Gonfleur's and with Flambeau at her heels, Marie Josephine went down the long, steep stairs. On the first landing she turned and looked ba

hand firmly, and not once letting it go except for the moment when he unlocked the door leading from the court to the street. Marie Josephine was indignant with him for hurrying her away in such a fashion in the midst of the fun and

stood for a moment in front of the door while Gonfleur fumbled with the lock in his near-sighted way, the loud clatter of horses' hoofs rang out sharply in the confused night air. Marie

th. Proté was waiting at the door and Marie Josephine was glad to see he

-night. Hear that!" They stood still and listened. There

ademoiselle, never fear. Now get you home, Gonfleur. The others will be coming when they know there's trouble." As she spo

bed. She lay awake a little while thinking of the music and the dancing and how lovely Ro

f they knew! I am nearly thirteen and they treat me like a baby. I am not a baby. I think more than Denise and I read many books that she does not know abo

ad thrown back the blue velvet, ermine-trimmed mantle that he had worn at the ball, and had unsheathed his jeweled sword. It glowed like a live thing on the whiteness of the sa

she asked. "Isn't it the middle of the night?" She shook the

ll tell you something. You are to leave for Pigeon Valley at six in the morning,

Flamb

. Bertran du Monde is going too, and his servant. They will rid

want him as a companion. Why does he go?" Marie Josephine was bew

t going

aying? His sister grabb

e said, but she felt that he meant what he had sa

e did not frighten his sister at all. She put her arm about his shoulders and laid her face close to his. He did not return her caress, but sat looking straight in front of him. Marie Josephine sat back against her pillows

ming?" she asked

. I shall not

ooting and trouble and keeping the king a

we will talk no more to-night. Then there is Great-aunt Hortense-we cannot leave her. You are to get up at once when Proté calls you,

r eyes obediently, though the tears f

d over and

ou are a Saint Frère, M