JeannesatoppositetoMargueriteonalowstoolbythefire。Herelbowswererestingonherknees，andherfacejustnowwashalf-hiddenbythewealthofherbrowncurls。Shelookedexquisitelyprettysittinglikethis，withjustthesuggestionofsadnessinthelistlesspose。Margueritehadcomehereto-daypreparedtohatethisyounggirl，whoinafewbriefdayshadstolennotonlyArmand\'sheart，buthisallegiancetohischief，andhistrustinhim。Sincelastnight，whenshehadseenherbrothersneaksilentlypastherlikeathiefinthenight，shehadnurturedthoughtsofill-willandangeragainstJeanne。
Buthatredandangerhadmeltedatthesightofthischild。
Marguerite，withtheperfectunderstandingbornofloveitself，hadsoonrealisedthecharmwhichawomanlikeMademoiselleLangemustofnecessityexerciseoverachivalrous，enthusiasticnaturelikeArmand\'s。Thesenseofprotection——thestrongestperhapsthatexistsinagoodman\'sheart——woulddrawhimirresistiblytothisbeautifulchild，withthegreat，appealingeyes，andthelookofpathosthatpervadedtheentireface。Marguerite，lookinginsilenceonthe——daintypicturebeforeher，founditinherhearttoforgiveArmandfordisobeyinghischiefwhenthoseeyesbeckonedtohiminacontrarydirection。
Howcouldhe，howcouldanychivalrousmanendurethethoughtofthisdelicate，freshflowerlyingcrushedanddroopinginthehandsofmonsterswhorespectedneithercouragenorpurity？AndArmandhadbeenmorethanhuman，ormayhapless，ifhehadindeedconsentedtoleavethefateofthegirlwhomhehadsworntoloveandprotectinotherhandsthanhisown。
ItseemedalmostasifJeannewasconsciousofthefixityofMarguerite\'sgaze，forthoughshedidnotturntolookather，theflushgraduallydeepenedinhercheeks。