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disturbing you."
    At that moment the house door was opened, and Julie's voice pierced the darkness. "There she is, by the garden gate!" Then she called out impatiently, "Eugénie, is that you, Eugénie?"
    "I'm coming in a moment, Julie," I called back.
    "Au revoir, mademoiselle," M. Bunapat said as I ran up to the house.
    Five minutes later I was informed that I was a disgrace to the family.
    Mama, Suzanne, and Etienne were at the dining table; the meal was over and they were having coffee when Julie brought me in in triumph. "Here she is!"
    "Thank God," Mama said. "Where were you, my child?"
    I glanced at Suzanne reproachfully. "Suzanne forgot all about me," I informed them. "I went to sleep and—"
    Suzanne was holding her coffeecup in her right hand, and w ith her left she was clinging to Etienne's hand. She put down her cup indignantly. "Well, I never! First she went so sound asleep in the Town Hall that I couldn't arouse her, and I had to see Albitte alone. I couldn't keep him waiting until Mlle Eugénie condescended to wake up. And now she dares—"
    "When you left Albitte I think you must have hurried to he prison and forgotten all about me!" I said. "But I'm not cross with you, really."
    'But where have you been all this time?" Mama asked a nxiously. "We sent Marie to the Town Hall, but the buildi ng was closed and the porter said that there was no one there e xcept Albitte's secretary. Marie came back half an hour ago. G reat heavens, Eugénie, to think that you walked through t he town alone, at this late hour. When I think what might h ave happened to you!"
    Mama took up the little silver bell which always stands at her place and rang it vigorously. "Bring the child her soup, Marie!"
    "But I did not walk through the town alone," I said. "Albitte's secretary accompanied me."
    Marie put down the soup in front of me. But before I could get the spoon to my mouth Suzanne burst out, "The secretary? That rude fellow who stood guard outside the door and called out the names?"
    "No, he was only a guard. Albitte's real secretary is a very nice young man who knows Robespierre personally. At least he says he does. By the way, I have . . ."
    But they would not let me finish. Etienne, who had not been able to shave in prison but otherwise was quite unchanged, interrupted me. "What is his name?"
    "A complicated name. Hard to remember, Boonapat I something like that. A Corsican. By the way, I have ..."
    Again they would not let me finish.
    "And you walked about the town alone with this strange Jacobin in the evening?" Etienne shouted at me. He imagined that he was taking Papa's place.
    Some families are quite incapable of logical thinking. First they had fussed because they thought I had walked home alone, and now they were outraged because I had not been alone, but instead had had excellent male protection.
    "He is not a complete stranger; he introduced himself to me. His family live in Marseilles. They are refugees from Corsica. By the way, I have . . ."
    "Have your soup before you go on, or it will be cold," said Mama.
    "Refugees from Corsica?" said Etienne contemptuous "Probably adventurers who were involved in political intrigues at home, and are trying their luck under the protection of the Jacobins. Adventurers, nothing but adventurers!"
    I put down my spoon to defend my new friend. "I think he has a very respectable family," I said. "And his brother is a general. By the way, I have . . ."
    "What is his brother's name?"
    "I don't know, I suppose it's Bunapat, too. By the way, I ..."
    "Never heard the name," Etienne growled. "But then most of the officers of the old regime have been dismissed, there aren't enough young ones, and promotions have been granted indiscriminately. The new generals have no manners, no knowledge, and no experience!"
    "They can all get experience enough. After all we're at war," I interrupted. "By the way, I wanted to say ..."
    "Go on with your soup!" Mama insisted.
    But I refused to be interrupted