"If you had not come," she said, "I should never have dared to go down."
In a minute Roland's voice was heard on the stairs: "Are we to have nothing to eat to-day, hang it all?"
There was no answer, and he roared out, with a thundering oath this time: "Josephine, what the devil are you about?"
The girl's voice came up from the depths of the basement.
"Yes, M'sieu—what is it?"
"Where is your Miss'es?"
"Madame is upstairs with M'sieu Jean."
Then he shouted, looking up at the higher floor: "Louise!"
Mme. Roland half opened her door and answered:
"What is it, my dear?"
"Are we to have nothing to eat to-day, hang it all?"
"Yes, my dear, I am coming."
And she went down, followed by Jean.
Roland, as soon as he saw him, exclaimed:
"Hallo! There you are! Sick of your home already?"
"No, father, but I had something to talk over with mother this morning."
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