"What'shetalkingabout? Getalong!" saidseveralvoices, andoneofthesoldiers, evidentlyafraidthatPierremightwanttotakefromthemsomeoftheplateandbronzesthatwereinthedrawer, movedthreateninglytowardhim.
"Achild?" shoutedaFrenchmanfromabove."', onemustbehuman, youknow...."
"Whereisit? Where?" saidPierre.
"There! There!" shoutedtheFrenchmanatthewindow, pointingtothegardenatthebackofthehouse."Waitabit—I'mcomingdown."
AndaminuteortwolatertheFrenchman, ablackeyedfellowwithaspotonhischeek, inshirtsleeves, reallydidjumpoutofawindowonthegroundfloor, andclappingPierreontheshoulderranwithhimintothegarden.
"Hurryup, youothers!" hecalledouttohiscomrades."It'sgettinghot."
WhentheyreachedagravelpathbehindthehousetheFrenchmanpulledPierrebythearmandpointedtoaround, graveledspacewhereathree-year-oldgirlinapinkdresswaslyingunderaseat.
"Thereisyourchild! Oh, agirl, somuchthebetter!" saidtheFrenchman."Good-bye, , weareallmortalyouknow!" andtheFrenchmanwiththespotonhischeekranbacktohiscomrades.
Breathlesswithjoy, , scrofulous-lookingchild, unattractivelylikehermother, , however, ', however, impossibletogetbackthewayhehadcome; themaid, Aniska, wasnolongerthere, andPierrewithafeelingofpityanddisgustpressedthewet, painfullysobbingchildtohimselfastenderlyashecouldandranwithherthroughthegardenseekinganotherwayout.
[1]"Youcan'tpass!"
