Little Saint Elizabeth and Other Stories | Page 8

from the room with a grave and stately little
obeisance to her uncle and his guest, Elizabeth had gone upstairs, it had
not been with the intention of going to bed. She sent her maid away and
knelt before her altar for a long time.
"The Saints will tell me what to do," she said. "The good Saints, who
are always gracious, they will vouchsafe to me some thought which
will instruct me if I remain long enough at prayer."
She remained in prayer a long time. When at last she arose from her
knees it was long past midnight, and she was tired and weak, but the
thought had not been given to her.
But just as she laid her head upon her pillow it came. The ornaments
given to her by her Aunt Clotilde somebody would buy them. They
were her own--it would be right to sell them--to what better use could
they be put? Was it not what Aunt Clotilde would have desired? Had

she not told her stories of the good and charitable who had sold the
clothes from their bodies that the miserable might be helped? Yes, it
was right. These things must be done. All else was vain and useless and
of the world. But it would require courage--great courage. To go out
alone to find a place where the people would buy the jewels--perhaps
there might be some who would not want them. And then when they
were sold to find this poor and unhappy quarter of which her uncle's
guest had spoken, and to give to those who needed--all by herself. Ah!
what courage it would require. And then Uncle Bertrand, some day he
would ask about the ornaments, and discover all, and his anger might
be terrible. No one had ever been angry with her; how could she bear it.
But had not the Saints and Martyrs borne everything? had they not
gone to the stake and the rack with smiles? She thought of Saint
Elizabeth and the cruel Landgrave. It could not be even so bad as
that--but whatever the result was it must be borne.
So at last she slept, and there was upon her gentle little face so sweetly
sad a look that when her maid came to waken her in the morning she
stood by the bedside for some moments looking down upon her
pityingly.
The day seemed very long and sorrowful to the poor child. It was full
of anxious thoughts and plannings. She was so innocent and
inexperienced, so ignorant of all practical things. She had decided that
it would be best to wait until evening before going out, and then to take
the jewels and try to sell them to some jeweller. She did not understand
the difficulties that would lie in her way, but she felt very timid.
Her maid had asked permission to go out for the evening and Monsieur
de Rochemont was to dine out, so that she found it possible to leave the
house without attracting attention.
As soon as the streets were lighted she took the case of ornaments, and
going downstairs very quietly, let herself out. The servants were dining,
and she was seen by none of them.
When she found herself in the snowy street she felt strangely
bewildered. She had never been out unattended before, and she knew
nothing of the great busy city. When she turned into the more crowded
thoroughfares, she saw several times that the passers-by glanced at her
curiously. Her timid look, her foreign air and richly furred dress, and
the fact that she was a child and alone at such an hour, could not fail to

attract attention; but though she felt confused and troubled she went
bravely on. It was some time before she found a jeweller's shop, and
when she entered it the men behind the counter looked at her in
amazement. But she went to the one nearest to her and laid the case of
jewels on the counter before him.
"I wish," she said, in her soft low voice, and with the pretty accent, "I
wish that you should buy these."
The man stared at her, and at the ornaments, and then at her again.
"I beg pardon, miss," he said.
Elizabeth repeated her request.
"I will speak to Mr. Moetyler," he said, after a moment of hesitation.
He went to the other end of the shop to an elderly man who sat behind a
desk. After he had spoken a few words, the elderly man looked up as if
surprised; then he glanced at Elizabeth; then, after speaking a few more
words, he came forward.
"You wish to sell these?" he said, looking at the case of jewels with a
puzzled expression.
"Yes," Elizabeth answered.
He bent over