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He continued pitilessly: "Then you aren't willing to say anything?" I made a great effort, to produce the following pitiful phrase: "What an exhausting day. What a night, heavy, heavy You don't feel like yourself, you don't know any more " "Yes," said the voice of Saint-Avit, as from a distance, "A heavy, heavy night: as heavy, do you know, as when I killed Captain Morhange."
"Chatelain, don't be angry. You have something to say to me. You know what I mean." "I don't know really. No, I don't know." "Chatelain, Chatelain, why not be sensible? Tell me something about Captain de Saint-Avit." "I know nothing." He spoke sharply. "Nothing? Then what were you saying a little while ago?" "Captain de Saint-Avit is a brave man."
I had just read: "Reise und Entdeckungen zwei fronzosischer offiziere, Rittmeisters Morhange und Oberleutnants de Saint-Avit, in westlichen Sahara." At the same time I heard my comrade's voice. "Anything interesting in this number?" "No," I answered carelessly. "Let's see." I obeyed; what else was there to do? It seemed to me that he grew paler as he ran over the index.
Often I have thought that by the severity he showed at our first encounter Saint-Avit wished to create a formal barrier, to show us that he knew how to keep his head high in spite of the weight of his heavy past. Certain it is that the day after his arrival, he showed himself in a very different light, even complimenting the Sergeant on the upkeep of the post and the instruction of the men.
By the light of the lamp, a pale halo in the midst of the great black desert, we were able to recognize the writing of the addresses. Oh! the victorious smile of Saint-Avit when, pushing aside all those letters, I said to him in a trembling voice: "Go on." He acquiesced without further words.
Saint-Avit was in the smoking-room, with the Captain of the boat. It seemed to me that I could never find the strength to tell him, when I saw him all ready to go ashore. He was in full dress uniform, his sabre lay on the bench and he was wearing spurs. No one wears spurs on shipboard.
As Saint-Avit handed them to me I arranged them on the only table in the room. "Now," he announced to me, "there is nothing more but books. I will pass them to you. Pile them up in a corner until I can have a book-shelf made." For two hours altogether I helped him to heap up a real library. And what a library! Such as never before a post in the South had seen.
Cadette Saint-Avit does not know how he managed it, but she is sure that after a time, in the flagons well corked and heated in water baths, tiny little women took form, charming figures and dressed like theatre princesses. You laugh, Jacquot; however, one ought not to joke over such things when one can see the consequence.
"'They are quite enough, gentlemen, replied the Colonel, 'to account for our hesitation. It is not a question of passing judgment; but no man can sit at our table as a matter of right. It is a privilege based on fraternal esteem. The only question is whether it is your decision to accord it to Saint-Avit. "So saying, he looked at the officers, as if he were taking a roll call.
As he finished speaking, Saint-Avit rose and stood leaning his elbows on the railing. I followed him. "And then...." I said. He looked at me. "And then what? Surely you know what all the newspapers told how, in the country of the Awellimiden, I was found dying of hunger and thirst by an expedition under the command of Captain Aymard, and taken to Timbuctoo. I was delirious for a month afterward.
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