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Fagerolles, however, was already paying for the two chartreuses he had ordered, and at last he went off with Irma, whom Jory also decided to follow. Claude watched them walk away together, she between the two men, moving on in regal fashion, greatly admired, and repeatedly bowed to by people in the crowd. 'One can see very well that Mathilde isn't here, quietly remarked Sandoz.
But Claude and Sandoz never wearied; they awakened each other every Sunday morning by throwing stones at their respective shutters. In summer, above all, they were haunted by the thought of the Viorne, the torrent, whose tiny stream waters the low-lying pastures of Plassans.
The friends still met there of a Sunday, showing a deal of fervour, in fact, since Sandoz had lived in the neighbourhood; but the band was now lost amid a flood of new-comers; it was slowly being submerged by the increasing triteness of the young disciples of the 'open air. At that hour of night, however, the establishment was getting empty.
However, the hearse had at last stopped, in the middle of the avenue; and when Sandoz saw the grave ready at the corner of the next division, in front of the cemetery of the little ones, he murmured tenderly: 'Ah! my poor old Claude, with your big child's heart, you will be in your place beside them. The under-bearers removed the coffin from the hearse.
'And your parents, how are they? asked Sandoz. A spark was once more kindled in Dubuche's dim eyes. 'Oh! my parents are happy, he said; 'I bought them a little house, where they live on the annuity which I had specified in my marriage contract. Well, you see, mamma had advanced enough money for my education, and I had to return it to her, as I had promised, eh?
Sandoz and Bongrand by degrees found themselves behind all the others, as if they had wished to isolate themselves from those folk whom they had never previously seen. Just as the hearse was passing the city gate, the painter leant towards the novelist. 'And the little woman, what is going to be done with her? 'Ah! how dreadful it is! replied Sandoz. 'I went to see her yesterday at the hospital.
'There, at least, lies one who was logical and brave, continued Sandoz; 'he confessed his powerlessness and killed himself. 'That's true, said Bongrand; 'if we didn't care so much for our skins we should all do as he has done, eh? 'Well, yes; since we cannot create anything, since we are but feeble copyists, we might as well put an end to ourselves at once.
They had repaired to the drawing-room once more, and Sandoz, who was greatly distressed, had begun to wish that they would take themselves off, when he noticed Mathilde and Gagniere seated side by side on a sofa and talking languishingly of music, while the others remained exhausted, lacking saliva and power of speech.
'Debts! you are too careful to have any, muttered Sandoz, with a smile. In fact, Jory displayed a hereditary tightness of fist which much amused his friends.
They sat down, Henriette between Claude and Mahoudeau, Sandoz with Mathilde and Christine beside him, Jory and Gagniere at either end; and the servant had barely finished serving the soup, when Madame Jory made a most unfortunate remark.
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