Paula the Waldensian - Eva Lecomte

Chapter 4
Paula's treasures
Naturally, on awakening the next morning, after Paula's arrival, it was
"Paula, Paula, Paula," that occupied my every thought. I found she was still
sleeping. How I did wish to wake her up! But Teresa had cautioned me to let
her sleep as long as she wished on account of her long journey of the day
before. So I simply half-opened the curtains of her bed and closed the
window to warm up the room.
I had no idea what hour it was. Teresa had the watch under her pillow,
and I could never tell the time by the sun, like Louis and Rosa, but I could
tell it was very early, for almost every door and window of the red houses
across the street, were still closed. Once in a while, I saw a factory hand
passing with his lunch under his arm, on his way to work. Among these, I
noticed one whom we called the "Breton," a terrific drunkard of whom I was
greatly afraid; but, strange to say, this morning he went on his way with a
firm, straight step, behaving himself quite like an ordinary person.
The sky was clear and very, very blue, without a single cloud. It had
rained the night before, for on all the trees and bushes thousands of waterdrops
glistened like diamonds in the light of the newly risen sun.
Dozens of little birds were singing their morning songs in the great
linden trees on the avenue, and the scent of the flowers from the laborers'
little gardens over the way, floated in through the window, and what a
multitude they were!--roses, lilies, geraniums, pansies and forget-me-nots. I
could not see our own garden from our bedroom window, but I knew that
there also there would be flowers in profusion, thanks to faithful Teresa's
unceasing care. Here also hung that delight of my life--the swing which my
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