4. A Story of Brigands

When he arose, he said:

“The detachment has left your father’s house; the soldiers are galloping away to the left. If they were taking prisoners with them, they would not ride so fast. Maroussia, I think that your father’s family is safe.” “ God be thanked,” said the child.

They walked some time in silence, busy with their own thoughts.

“The young woman,” said the Envoy, “went from one room to another without finding one that she liked, and she said, ‘Let me look further.’”

“Yes,” said Maroussia, “that was what she said. Suddenly she came to a very narrow door, firmly closed and bolted, which had a strange appearance.

“Ah!’ she said, ‘it is the room behind this little door that I want, I am sure of it.’

“She used all her strength to open the door, but in vain; and the more impossible it seemed, the greater grew her desire to enter.”

“That is it,” said her friend, “I recognize a young woman by that.”

“What do you mean?” answered Maroussia, astonished.

“I mean that all young women want to know what is behind a closed door.”

“Are men different?”

“In general, they are more reasonable in such matters.”

“More reasonable,” said Maroussia, with a thoughtful air; “reasonable, then, means that one doesn’t desire a thing sufficiently to make the necessary effort to obtain it.”

“Do you know, little girl, that what you say is not altogether lacking in good sense?” said the Envoy, laughing. “Nevertheless, it would be wiser to say, it is more reasonable not to desire anything too much. But continue, Maroussia. Did this poor woman succeed in opening the door?”

“Yes,” answered the little girl. “For a long time she kept working at the door, until, by dint of pulling and shaking, she succeeded in sliding out the bolts, and entered the room.

“At first, she thought she was in a box, it was so dark. Pleased to have gained an entrance, she could not restrain an ‘Ah! ’ of satisfaction. From the four corners of the room her ‘ Ah! ’ was echoed back to her. That surprised her, but not to the point of making her afraid. She concluded, after reflection, that the room had little or no furniture. In fact, having become accustomed to the darkness, she perceived that her inference was right, and, that it was for this reason that her exclamation had been re-echoed back to her many times.