I dare say she is
faithless, but she would jump--"
"Through the hoop, for your sake and come down safely on the back of
her horse," said Clementine sharply.
"Oh, you don't know Malaga," said the captain, bitterly, with a
sarcastic look in his eyes which made Clementine thoughtful and
uneasy.
"Good-by to the young trees of this beautiful Bois, which you
Parisians love, and the exiles who find a home here love too," he
said, presently. "My eyes will never again see the evergreens of the
avenue de Mademoiselle, nor the acacias nor the cedars of the rond-
points. On the borders of Asia, fighting for the Emperor, promoted to
the command, perhaps, by force of courage and by risking my life, it
may happen that I shall regret these Champs-Elysees where I have
driven beside you, and where you pass. Yes, I shall grieve for
Malaga's hardness--the Malaga of whom I am now speaking."
This was said in a manner that made Clementine tremble.
"Then you do love Malaga very much?" she asked.
"I have sacrificed for her the honor that no man should ever
sacrifice."
"What honor?"
"That which we desire to keep at any cost in the eyes of our idol."
After that reply Thaddeus said no more; he was silent until, as they
passed a wooden building on the Champs Elysees, he said, pointing to
it, "That is the Circus.
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