Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 207: what you’re looking at

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162 Pickwick Abroad. fair; and her feet and ankles were small, even to girlish proportions. For some moments the Public Accuser gazed in rapture upon the beauteous creature thus bent down before him ; and she, on her part, did not interrupt the silence that prevailed. ‘“‘ Rise, cetoyenne,’ said Fouquier-Tinville, at length feeling the embarrassment of their mutual situations; ‘‘ and be not afraid to make me acquainted with the object of your visit.” } The stranger obeyed this species of command, that was nevertheless delivered in a tone of veice intended to be soothing; and when she raised her head, and stood before the Publie Accuser with innocence and candour depicted upon her heavenly countenance, he thought he had never before gazed on aught so lovely. Her dark black eyes were replete with all the fire and vivacity that virgin chastity and sorrow could not even entirely suppress ; her red lips apart disclosed a set of the whitest teeth; the symmetry of her bust and sylph-like ~ waist were displayed to the greatest advantage; and her appearance seemed to partake rather of celestial than terrestrial origin. The Public Accuser’s heart beat quickly, as he gazed upon those ravishing beauties. ‘What is thy name, cetoyenne ?”’ he enquired, perceiving that his fair visitor’s timidity almost tied up her tongue. | ‘¢ Marguerite d’Ermanville,” was the reply. ‘Ah!’ exclaimed Fouquier-Tinville, with a start of surprises ‘“*meseems, that name is not entirely strange to me, nor unfamiliar to my ears.”’ | ‘“ My father is a retired merchant and well known at Nantes,” said Marguerite, fancying that her words conveyed a suggestion not to be misunderstood. . _ “True !’’ cried the republican, turning to one of the papers he had been examining a few minutes before; ‘‘ your father, citoyenne, is unhappily included amongst those two hundred and thirty prisoners whom citizen Carrier sent to Paris, some eight or ten days ago, to be tried at the tribunal appointed by the Committee of Public Safety for the purpose.” . ee ‘“This I know already, citizen Tinville,” said the heroic girl; ‘‘ and it is to procure an alleviation of the miseries now endured by my unfortunate parent, that I have ventured to intrude myself upon your notice.” ‘““ My authority extends not to a mitigation—”’ ‘That also I am aware of,” interrupted Marguerite. ‘ The trial must take its course; but the health of my already sufficiently afflicted father need not be offered up as an additional sacrifice to the fanatic enthusiasm of my misguided countrymen.” ‘* Maiden,”’ said Fouquier-Tinville sternly, ‘‘ those words, uttered by another mouth than thine, had been the self-accusation of an auda- cious fool.” - ‘*Pardon me, citizen—but sorrow has made me reckless of my life.”” ‘“‘ What is thy request, then, belle citoyenne ?” enquired the Public Accuser, taking her hand, which she did not attempt te withdraw. ‘¢ The two hundred and thirty antots are perishing in the prisons of the Luxembourg,” said Marguerite d’Ermanville. ‘* A dangerous EGomichbooks.co