ONE day Blondine was seated at the entrance of her
hut, musing sadly as usual, thinking of her lost friends and of her
father, when she saw before her an enormous Tortoise.
"Blondine," said the Tortoise, "if you will place yourself under my protection, I will conduct you out of this forest."
"And why, Madam Tortoise, should I seek to leave this forest? Here I caused the death of my friends and here I wish to die."
"Are you very certain of their death, Blondine?"
"What do you mean? Is it possible I
may be deceived? But, no; I saw the ruins of their castle. The Parrot
and the Toad assured me of their death. You are kind and good and wish
to console me without doubt but, alas ! I do not hope to see them
again. If they still lived they would not have left me alone with the
frightful despair of having caused their death."
"But how do you know, Blondine, that
this seeming neglect is not forced upon them? They may now be subjected
to a power greater than their own. You know, Blondine, that a true
repentance will obtain pardon for many crimes."
"Ah ! Madam Tortoise, if they still
live, if you can give me news of them, if you can assure me that I need
no longer reproach myself with their death, assure me that I shall one
day see them again, there is no price which I will not gladly pay to
merit this great happiness."
"Blondine, I am not permitted to
disclose to you the fate of your friends but if you have the courage to
mount on my back, remain there for six months and not address a single
question to me during the journey, I will conduct you to a place where
all will be revealed."
"I promise all that you ask, Madam Tortoise, provided I can only learn what has become of my friends."
"Take care, Blondine! reflect well.
Six months without descending from my back and without asking me a
single question! When once you have accepted the conditions, when we
have commenced our journey, if you have not the courage to endure to
the end, you will remain eternally in the power of the enchanter,
Perroquet, and his sister Rose and I cannot even continue to bestow
upon you the little assistance to which you owe your life during the
last six months."
"Let us go, Madam Tortoise let us be
off, immediately. I prefer to die of hunger and fatigue rather than of
grief and uncertainty. Your words have brought hope to my poor heart,
and I have courage to undertake even a more difficult journey than that
of which you speak."
"Let it be according to your wish,
Blondine. Mount my back. Fear neither hunger nor thirst nor cold nor
sun shine nor any accident during our long journey. As long as it lasts
you shall not suffer from any inconvenience."
Blondine mounted on the back of the
Tortoise. "Now, silence !" said she; "and not one word till we have
arrived and I speak to you first."
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