Clothing was
brought to Father Meraut to be packed in compact bundles and tied
up with string. Then blankets were made into another bundle; a
third held a frying-pan, a coffee-pot, and a kettle, with a few
knives, forks, and spoons, while a fourth contained food. The
Twins were sent to say good-by to Madame Coudert, and to give her
a key to the door, and then all the rest of their household goods
were packed away as carefully as time permitted, in the cellar.
Mother Meraut put the Twins to bed early, but she herself
remained at work most of the night; yet when morning came and the
children woke, she was up and neatly dressed, and had their
breakfast ready. She did not linger over their sad departure, nor
did she shed a tear as they left the little house which had been
their happy home. Instead, she locked the door after them with a
snap, put the key in her pocket, and walked down the steps with
the grim determination of a soldier going into battle, carrying a
big bundle under each arm.
VIII. REFUGEES
The Twins and their Father followed the resolute figure of Mother
Meraut down the street, not. knowing at all where she was leading
them, but with implicit confidence that she knew what she was
about. She was carrying the heaviest bundles, and the Twins
carried the rest between them, packed in a clothes-basket. On her
other arm Pierrette bore her dearly loved Jacqueline. Father
Meraut could carry nothing but such small articles as could be
put in his pockets, but it was joy enough that he could carry
himself, and it was quite wonderful to see how speedily he got
over the ground with his crutch.
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