第438章

"They may if they like, but we will not.""You are a perfect Amazon, Eugenie!" And the two young girls began to heap into a trunk all the things they thought they should require."There now," said Eugenie, "while I change my costume do you lock the portmanteau." Louise pressed with all the strength of her little hands on the top of the portmanteau."But I cannot," said she; "I am not strong enough; do you shut it.""Ah, you do well to ask," said Eugenie, laughing; "I forgot that I was Hercules, and you only the pale Omphale!" And the young girl, kneeling on the top, pressed the two parts of the portmanteau together, and Mademoiselle d'Armilly passed the bolt of the padlock through.When this was done, Eugenie opened a drawer, of which she kept the key, and took from it a wadded violet silk travelling cloak."Here," said she, "you see I have thought of everything; with this cloak you will not be cold.""But you?"

"Oh, I am never cold, you know! Besides, with these men's clothes" --"Will you dress here?"

"Certainly."

"Shall you have time?"

"Do not be uneasy, you little coward! All our servants are busy, discussing the grand affair.Besides, what is there astonishing, when you think of the grief I ought to be in, that I shut myself up? -- tell me!""No, truly -- you comfort me."

"Come and help me."

From the same drawer she took a man's complete costume, from the boots to the coat, and a provision of linen, where there was nothing superfluous, but every requisite.Then, with a promptitude which indicated that this was not the first time she had amused herself by adopting the garb of the opposite sex, Eugenie drew on the boots and pantaloons, tied her cravat, buttoned her waistcoat up to the throat, and put on a coat which admirably fitted her beautiful figure."Oh, that is very good -- indeed, it is very good!" said Louise, looking at her with admiration; "but that beautiful black hair, those magnificent braids, which made all the ladies sigh with envy, -- will they go under a man's hat like the one I see down there?""You shall see," said Eugenie.And with her left hand seizing the thick mass, which her long fingers could scarcely grasp, she took in her right hand a pair of long scissors, and soon the steel met through the rich and splendid hair, which fell in a cluster at her feet as she leaned back to keep it from her coat.Then she grasped the front hair, which she also cut off, without expressing the least regret; on the contrary, her eyes sparkled with greater pleasure than usual under her ebony eyebrows."Oh, the magnificent hair!" said Louise, with regret.

"And am I not a hundred times better thus?" cried Eugenie, smoothing the scattered curls of her hair, which had now quite a masculine appearance; "and do you not think me handsomer so?""Oh, you are beautiful -- always beautiful!" cried Louise.

"Now, where are you going?"

"To Brussels, if you like; it is the nearest frontier.We can go to Brussels, Liege, Aix-la-Chapelle; then up the Rhine to Strasburg.We will cross Switzerland, and go down into Italy by the Saint-Gothard.Will that do?""Yes."

"What are you looking at?"

"I am looking at you; indeed you are adorable like that! One would say you were carrying me off.""And they would be right, pardieu!"