After being enamoured of my Sergeant George, I
resolved to lead an honorable and virtuous life; and since my little
son was born I have tried to be merely a good mother and a good
wife. Do you now want to know what I am called? Down to the present
time I am called Mademoiselle Oliva. You had me arrested in Brussels
and brought here exactly nine days before the appointed time of my
marriage with my dear George. He had promised me that our child
should be able to regard us as regularly married people, and he
wanted to keep his promise, but you prevented him, and it is your
fault that my dear little boy was born in prison, and that his
father was not there to greet him. But you will confess that I am
guilty of no crime, and then you will fulfil my wish, and give me a
written certificate of my innocence--that is," she corrected
herself, blushing, "of my innocence in this matter, that I may be
able to justify myself to my son, when I have to tell him that he
was born in prison. It is such a dreadful thing for a mother to have
anything that she is ashamed to confess to her child!"
A murmur of applause ran through the hall, and the ladies upon the
tribune looked with sympathy upon this fair woman, whose faithful
love made her beautiful, and whose mother-feeling gave her dignity.
"So your name is Mademoiselle Oliva?" asked the president.
Pages:
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176