a mind to betray us, how easily he might have done so! He overheard our
plans, might have drugged our wine, and stretched us all powerless;
might have told his comrades to make sport of us, and kept out of sight
himself; or might openly have led the dragoons to our hiding-place with
torches and weapons. Our blessed Lord had more reason, humanly speaking,
to trust Judas, than we to trust La Croissette; but you see this man was
honest; you could not have tempted him to sell us for thirty pieces of
silver.

When he went forth, though, after supper, my mind misgave me for a
while, thinking, "What if he be gone to betray us?" I wronged his worthy
heart. So many people are worse than we think them, that it is a comfort
when some prove better than we think them. Worthy La Croissette! I have
thy tall, meagre form and lantern jaws now before me. Many a showy
professor might be bettered by having as true a heart.

When he was gone, my father said, "Let us join once more in family
worship, and then get a little sleep before our night-journey begins."

I think he and M. Bourdinave and the children actually did sleep, but
not my mother or the girls. I certainly did not. My mother dressed and
bandaged my wounded feet for the last time. They were healing, but too
tender for walking or standing without injury to the newly-formed skin.
Then she sat beside me, with looks of love, and was presently joined
by Madeleine. We knew so well what was passing in each other's minds,
that we did not need to say much. Then my father awoke, with all his
faculties about him, looked at his watch, and said it was time to start.
M. Bourdinave went out, and after what seemed to our impatience rather a
long time, returned, and said Raoul reported unusual disturbance in the
city, but that now all was ready. We took leave of one another, agreed