Bless you! bless you!" The sisters twined their bosoms together in a long, gentle embrace.

You might have taken them for two angels that flowed together in one love, but for their tears.
A deep voice was now heard in the sitting-room.
Josephine and Rose postponed the inevitable one moment more, by arranging their hair in the glass: then they opened the door, and entered the tapestried room.
Raynal was sitting on the sofa, the baroness's hand in his.

Edouard was not there.
Colonel Raynal had given him a strange look, and said, "What, you here ?" in a tone of voice that was intolerable.
Raynal came to meet the sisters.

He saluted Josephine on the brow.
"You are pale, wife: and how cold her hand is." "She has been ill this month past," said Rose interposing.
"You look ill, too, Mademoiselle Rose." "Never mind," cried the baroness joyously, "you will revive them both." Raynal made no reply to that.
"How long do you stay this time, a day ?" "A month, mother." The doctor now joined the party, and friendly greetings passed between him and Raynal.
But ere long somehow all became conscious this was not a joyful meeting.
The baroness could not alone sustain the spirits of the party, and soon even she began to notice that Raynal's replies were short, and that his manner was distrait and gloomy.

The sisters saw this too, and trembled for what might be coming.
At last Raynal said bluntly, "Josephine, I want to speak to you alone." The baroness gave the doctor a look, and made an excuse for going down-stairs to her own room.