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The trio sat down to table in the arbour, Jean-Marie waiting as well as eating, and the Doctor recounted what had happened in his richest narrative manner. Casimir heard it with explosions of laughter. 'What a streak of luck for you, my good brother, he observed, when the tale was over. 'If you had gone to Paris, you would have played dick- duck-drake with the whole consignment in three months.
It is the history of many towns; but Gretz never rose again; it was never rebuilt; its ruins were a quarry to serve the growth of rivals; and the stones of Gretz are now erect along the streets of Nemours. It gratifies me that our old house was the first to rise after the calamity; when the town had come to an end, it inaugurated the hamlet." "I, too, am glad of that," said Jean-Marie.
And for some time before he met Jean-Marie he had been prepared to challenge all France and the better part of Europe for a rival to his chosen spot. 'Doctor, he would say 'doctor is a foul word. It should not be used to ladies. It implies disease. I remark it, as a flaw in our civilisation, that we have not the proper horror of disease.
He was to leave this familiar hamlet, this green, rustling country, this bright and quiet stream; he was to pass into the great city; his dear lady mistress was to move bedizened in saloons; his good, garrulous, kind-hearted master to become a brawling deputy; and both be lost for ever to Jean-Marie and their better selves.
'Desprez, I ask you nothing but to hold your tongue, returned Casimir. 'I mean to question this stable-boy of yours; and if you are so certain of his innocence, you can afford to let him answer for himself. Now, sir, he resumed, pointing his eyeglass straight at Jean-Marie. 'You knew it could be stolen with impunity? You knew you could not be prosecuted? Come! Did you, or did you not?
It is quite true that a man may be a second father to you, and yet take too much to drink; but the best natures are ever slow to accept such truths. The Doctor thoroughly possessed his heart, but perhaps he exaggerated his influence over his mind. Certainly Jean-Marie adopted some of his master's opinions, but I have yet to learn that he ever surrendered one of his own.
Jean-Marie sobbed bitterly, but without a word. "I don't like boys who cry," observed Casimir. "This one is always crying. Here! you clear out of this for a little; I have business with your master and mistress, and these domestic feelings may be settled after I am gone. March!" and he held the door open. Jean-Marie slunk out, like a detected thief.
'Jean-Marie is a teller of the truth, returned the Doctor, throwing out his bust. 'He has never told a lie, added madame. 'He is the best of boys. 'Never told a lie, has he not? reflected Casimir. 'Strange, very strange. Give me your attention, my young friend, he continued. 'You knew about this treasure? 'He helped to bring it home, interposed the Doctor.
"And so I suppose," said the Doctor, with a rising sneer, "you prayed God to forgive you, and explained the case to Him at length." "Why, sir?" asked Jean-Marie. "I do not see." "Your priest would see, however," retorted Desprez. "Would he?" asked the boy, troubled for the first time. "I should have thought God would have known." "Eh?" snarled the Doctor.
Boy and hamper were both in a most sorry plight; for the one had passed four months underground in a certain cave on the way to Achères, and the other had run about five miles as hard as his legs would carry him, half that distance under a staggering weight. "Jean-Marie," cried the Doctor, in a voice that was only too seraphic to be called hysterical, "is it ? It is!" he cried.
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