Sophy gave a black look, and she retreated, but presently the groups coalesced, and Maria Drury and Sophy ran out to call Genevieve into the midst.  Albinia hoped they were going to play, but soon she beheld Genevieve trying to draw back, but evidently imprisoned, there was an echo of a laugh that she did not like; the younger girls were skipping up in the victim’s face in a rude way; she hastily turned round as in indignation, one hand raised to her eyes, but it was instantly snatched down by Maria Drury, and the pitiless ring closed in.  Albinia sprang to her feet, exclaiming aloud, ’They are teasing her!’ and rushed into the garden, hearing on her way, ’No, we wont let you go!—­you shall tell us—­you shall promise to show us—­my papa is a magistrate, you know—­he’ll come and search—­Jenny, you shall tell!’

Come with me, Genevieve,’ said Albinia, standing in the midst of the tormentors, and launching a look of wrath around her, as she saw tears in the young girl’s eyes, and taking her hand, found it trembling with agitation.  Fondling it with both her own, she led Genevieve away, turning her back upon Lucy and her, ‘We were only—­’

The poor girl shook more and more, and when they reached the shelter of the house, gave way to a tightened, oppressed sob, and at the first kind words a shower of tears followed, and she took Albinia’s hand, and clasped it to her breast in a manner embarrassing to English feelings, though perfectly natural and sincere in her.  ’Ah! si bonne! si bonne! pardonnes-moi, Madame!’ she exclaimed, sobbing, and probably not knowing that she was speaking French; ’but, oh, Madame, you will tell me!  Is it true—­can he?’

‘Can who?  What do you mean, my dear?’

‘The Admiral,’ said Genevieve, looking about frightened, and sinking her voice to a whisper.  ’Miss Louisa said so, that he could send and search—­’

‘Search for what, my dear?’

’For my poor little secret.  Ah, Madame, assuredly I may tell you.  It is but a French Bible, it belonged to my martyred ancestor, Francois Durant, who perished at the St. Barthelemi—­it is stained with his blood—­it has been handed on, from one to the other—­it was all that Jacques Durant rescued when he fled from the Dragonnades—­it was given to me by my own dear father on his death-bed, with a charge to keep it from my grandmother, and not to speak of it—­but to guard it as my greatest treasure.  And now—­Oh, I am not disobeying him,’ cried Genevieve, with a fresh burst of tears.  ’You can feel for me, Madame, you can counsel me.  Can the magistrates come and search, unless I confess to those young ladies?’

‘Most decidedly not,’ said Albinia.  ’Set your mind at rest, my poor child; whoever threatened you played you a most base, cruel trick.’

’Ah, do not be angry with them, Madame; no doubt they were in sport.  They could not know how precious that treasure was to me, and they will say much in their gaiety of heart.’