But Madame Leonie, coming back wrapped up in
a light cloak and carrying a lace shawl on her arm for Adele to hide her
incriminating hair under, had a swift impression of her brother getting
up from his knees.
"Come along, my dear child," she cried from the doorway.
The general, now himself again in the fullest sense, showed the
readiness of a resourceful cavalry officer and the peremptoriness of a
leader of men. "You don't expect her to walk to the carriage," he said,
indignantly. "She isn't fit. I shall carry her downstairs."
This he did slowly, followed by his awed and respectful sister; but he
rushed back like a whirlwind to wash off all the signs of the night of
anguish and the morning of war, and to put on the festive garments of a
conqueror before hurrying over to the other house. Had it not been for
that, General D 'Hubert felt capable of mounting a horse and pursuing
his late adversary in order simply to embrace him from excess of
happiness. "I owe it all to this stupid brute," he thought. "He has made
plain in a morning what might have taken me years to find out--for I
am a timid fool.
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