Lourdes (The Three Cities Trilogy)
THE pilgrims and patients, closely packed on the hard seats of a third-class carriage, werejust finishing the "Ave maris Stella," which they had begun to chant on leaving the terminusof the Orleans line, when Marie, slightly raised on her couch of misery and restless withfeverish impatience, caught sight of the Paris fortifications through the window of themoving train."Ah, the fortifications!" she exclaimed, in a tone which was joyous despite her suffering."Here we are, out of Paris; we are off at last!"Her delight drew a smile from her father, M. de Guersaint, who sat in front of her, whilstAbbe Pierre Froment, who was looking at her with fraternal affection, was so carried awayby his compassionate anxiety as to say aloud: "And now we are in for it till to-morrowmorning. We shall only reach Lourdes at three-forty. We have more than two-and-twentyhours' journey before us."