Paula the Waldensian - Eva Lecomte

"I'm afraid you will have to wait a long, long time," she said tenderly, "I
don't think I ever told you young ladies that I had a little brother at home. He
is the youngest of our family, and I am the oldest."
"How is it that Gabriel is not at home with his parents?" questioned
Paula.
"Because, you see, he needed certain special treatment which my parents
could not give him in the small village where we live; but here in Rouen
there are fine doctors and big hospitals. Of course, I doubt if he can be
restored completely, but we are doing all we can. That is my one consolation.
I didn't expect that he would be with me so long a time. The first time
Gabriel came to Rouen, he went into the big hospital '_Hotel-de-Dieu_' but,
after staying there for many months, his hip seemed to be no better, and they
could not keep him any longer and then he stayed with me here so that I
could take him to the doctor once in a while."
"You'll tire yourself, Mademoiselle, talking to us," broke in Paula, who
had learned this much, taking care of Catalina.
"Do you think so," said Mademoiselle, "I know I'm not very well yet,
but it isn't very often that I have the pleasure of a visit from my pupils, and
so I'm profiting by it. You see, I took Gabriel home once, but when I started
to return, the poor boy begged so hard to come back with me that finally my
parents agreed; so he's been with me now for several years. We are very
happy, are we not, Gabriel? You see, when I'm in school he's able to tidy up
the house and wash the dishes. What would I do without my little Gabriel?"
she said, as she playfully pulled the little boy's hair.
"And I," said Gabriel, "What would I do without you? In fact, what
would everybody do around this whole court without you? Wasn't it you
who--"
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