Читать книгу And Five Were Foolish онлайн

55 страница из 67

The girl shook her head.

“Yes, he will,” she said dully. “Pierre will never slip.” She started violently. “Mon Dieu, what have I said? Ah, René, believe me, I have been dreaming. The heat, perhaps....” She laughed hysterically. “ ‘The past is dead,’ you were saying. ‘The past is dead.’ ”

The man had no ears to hear. His eyes were burning with hope.

“I love you,” he said uncertainly. “I love your beautiful hands. I love your soft dark hair. I cannot play with it now, because of the bars. But one day the bars will be broken, and then I shall come and fill these arms with its glory. Be sure, my heart, I shall wait and wait always ... until the bars fall. Ah, see how the good God has given light to our darkness. He has shown us the way to go. Now, when we are together, we shall never be sad. We will remember always that we are waiting ... just waiting ... until the bars fall....”

Head up, rigid, white-faced, Madeleine sat staring and seeing nothing. Her ears, however, were hearing perfectly. After a moment she braced herself, drawing a deep breath. Holy, fair and wise, her resolve was taken.