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Updated: June 8, 2025
Her mind had been so long torpid that now this shock seemed to have swept away the last vestige of her intelligence. But Caillette was good and patient, and finally the sick woman slept. Caillette watched her and waited through the twilight, and at last, holding the hand of her charge in hers, she too fell asleep. When the girl opened her eyes it was daybreak, and the bed was empty.
Who was this Caillette, who had pretended to take her place, and then disappeared, leaving no trace behind her? "But," said Francine, "who was it who saved me?" "Do you not know?" answered Irène, coloring deeply. "No, I heard you mention a name that I do not know." "Yes, that of Monsieur Fanfar." "Who is he?" Irène looked at her and wondered if in her fever the girl's reason had deserted her.
Hour after hour elapsed; he seemed to be waiting for some one. Suddenly he started; he heard a stone fall. He went to the door and looked out. Two figures were to be seen dimly in the fog. He waited a minute, and then he said, "Whom do you seek?" A brief silence, and a sweet voice replied, "Fanfar." The two shadows were two women Françoise and Caillette.
He knew where the foundations of the cottage were, and convinced that this was why she had come, he led her to the ruins. She laughed in a childish way. "Burned? Ah! yes;" she repeated the cry of the Cossacks. "Death to the French!" And then she began to run. It was an outbreak of madness. Caillette and Pierre uttered cries of fright.
Girdel played with his weights, Rolla swallowed stones and pigeons, Robeckal knives and swords, and Caillette danced charmingly on the tight-rope.
The woman's look displeased me. Does she treat Caillette badly?" "She dare not touch a hair of the child's head," hissed the giant, "or " "Do not get angry; but tell me rather whether Bobichel is still with you?" "Of course." "And Robeckal?" "His time is about up." "That would be no harm; and the little one?" "The little one?" laughed Girdel. "Well, he is about six feet." "You do not say so!
"He has a good horse; the Countess of Salves gave Fanfaro her thoroughbred," said Bobichel. "Ah! that is different. Now, children, let me alone. Cousin Schwan, send me the two men whom I am to bring to Remiremont to-morrow; I must speak to them." Caillette, Bobichel, Schwan and Rolla went away. In the dark corridor a figure passed by Rolla, and a hoarse voice said: "Well?"
The persistent questions of Schwann made her very uneasy. Caillette said the same thing. She hardly knew what had happened; she only knew that her father had been injured. Bobichel came in. "The chain has been examined," he said, looking in La Roulante's face. "What of that!" she cried. "Why do you meddle in what does not concern you? Do you mean to say that any one meddled with the chain?"
Alas! poor girl, she did not know that the night when she and Françoise entered the inn at Leigoutte, Fanfar, alone in his prison, thought of his mother whom he had scarcely seen, and of the sister whom he had held in his arms. Ah! it was a bitter trial for the strong, faithful heart. Caillette and Pierre Labarre watched Françoise, when finally she arose from her chair, and went toward the door.
He had come to Paris as quickly as possible, leaving Françoise and Caillette to follow. He went at once to the court-room, and there heard that Fanfar had been carried to one of the lower rooms. Physicians had been sent for, who had attributed his death to an aneurism. "You are avenged, Pierre!" cried the Marquis. "Why are you here? Leave this house at once!" But the old man did not move.
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