Her laugh was musical and low, but enough to make the folded arms shake gently up and down.
"Pere Jerome is talking to her," said one.

The priest was at that moment endeavoring, in the interest of peace, to say a good word for the four people who sat watching his approach.

It was in the old strain: "Blame them one part, Madame Delphine, and their fathers, mothers, brothers, and fellow-citizens the other ninety-nine." But to everything she had the one amiable answer which Pere Jerome ignored: "I am going to arrange it to satisfy everybody, all together.

_Tout a fait_." "They are coming here," said Madame Varrillat, half articulately.
"Well, of course," murmured another; and the four rose up, smiling courteously, the doctor and attorney advancing and shaking hands with the priest.
No--Pere Jerome thanked them--he could not sit down.
"This, I believe you know, Jean, is Madame Delphine----" The quadroone curtsied.
"A friend of mine," he added, smiling kindly upon her, and turning, with something imperative in his eye, to the group.

"She says she has an important private matter to communicate." "To me ?" asked Jean Thompson.
"To all of you; so I will---- Good-evening." He responded nothing to the expressions of regret, but turned to Madame Delphine.