Together they
crossed the bridge, the theatre square, and went towards the Cathedral
with eager faces. They did not look up at the Cathedral, at the statute
of old David upon which the Kaiser had had his own head carved, and upon
whose crossed hands the people had now hung chains fastened with a
padlock--they did not glance at the Hotel de Ville in the square beyond,
but, avoiding the tram which emerged from the narrow Serpenoise like a
monster that had too long been oppressed, they hurried on up the street
with a subdued and hungry gaiety.
There was a Need to be satisfied before anything could be seen, done, or
said. A Need four years old, now knocking at the doors of heaven,
howling to be satisfied.
Before the windows of a shop they paused, but Stewart, standing back and
looking up the street, said: "There is a better further on!" and when
they had gone on a few paces Fanny whispered, hurrying, "A better still
beyond!" At the third shop, the Need, imperative, royal, would wait no
longer, and drove them within.
"How many?" asked the saleswoman at the end of ten minutes.
"Seven _eclairs_ and a cream bun, said Stewart.
"Just nine _eclairs_," said Fanny.
"Seventeen francs," said the woman without moving an eyelash.
This frenzy cooled, their pockets lighter, they walked for pleasure in
the town.
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