She suffered no pain and felt no fears, but meeting my eyes whenever she opened her own, or came out of the drowsiness which possessed her, thanked God, I think, and was content.

As for me, I remember that room became, for the time, the world.

Its stillness swallowed up all the tumults which filled the cities of France, and its one interest the coming and going of a feeble breath--eclipsed the ambitions and hopes of a lifetime.
Before it grew light Simon Fleix stole out to attend to the horses.

When he returned he came to me and whispered in my ear that he had something to tell me; and my mother lying in a quiet sleep at the time, I disengaged my hand, and, rising softly, went with him to the hearth.
Instead of speaking, he held his fist before me and suddenly unclosed the fingers.

'Do you know it ?' he said, glancing at me abruptly.
I took what he held, and looking at it, nodded.