Pierre's wife had risen to her feet,
and now she came out of shadow into light, and he was amazed to
see that she was laughing back at St. Pierre, and that her two
fore-fingers were thrust in her ears to keep out the bellow of her
husband's voice. She was not at all discomfited by his unexpected
appearance, but rather seemed to join in the humor of the thing
with St. Pierre, though he fancied he could see something in her
face that was forced and uneasy. He believed that under the
surface of her composure she was suffering a distress which she
did not reveal.
St. Pierre advanced and carelessly patted her shoulder with one of
his big hands, while he spoke to David.
"Has she not the sweetest voice in the world, m'sieu? Did you ever
hear a sweeter or as sweet? I say it is enough to get down into
the soul of a man, unless he is already half dead! That voice--"
He caught Marie-Anne's eyes. Her cheeks were flaming. Her look,
for an instant, flashed lightning as she halted him.
"Ma foi, I speak it from the heart," he persisted, with a shrug of
his shoulders. "Am I not right, M'sieu Carrigan? Did you ever hear
a sweeter voice?"
"It is wonderful," agreed David, wondering if he was hazarding too
much.
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