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Updated: June 2, 2025
Although her man was dead, the law would not regard her as a widow because she had never been married, and therefore refused to exempt her only son. "On ne peut-etre Jeune qu'une fois, n'est-ce pas, Monsieur?" she said, in extenuation of her early fault. "And Jean-Marie," she added, "was as brave a fellow and as devoted a son as if I had been married by the Saint-Pere himself."
"And how is our patient?" asked Desprez. It appeared the patient was about the same. "And why do you rise early in the morning?" he pursued. Jean-Marie, after a long silence, professed that he hardly knew. "You hardly know?" repeated Desprez. "We hardly know anything, my man, until we try to learn. Interrogate your consciousness. Come, push me this inquiry home. Do you like it?"
Of course I pass over your nonsense about gangs and landscape-painters. For me, that is a dream. Who was in the house last night? 'None but ourselves, replied the Doctor. 'And this young gentleman? asked Casimir, jerking a nod in the direction of Jean-Marie. 'He too' the Doctor bowed. 'Well; and if it is a fair question, who is he? pursued the brother-in- law.
'I have found it, he said, with a gasp. 'A plant? asked Jean-Marie. Desprez had a fit of unnatural gaiety, which the rocks took up and mimicked. 'A plant! he repeated scornfully. 'Well yes a plant. And here, he added suddenly, showing his right hand, which he had hitherto concealed behind his back 'here is one of the bulbs. Jean-Marie saw a dirty platter, coated with earth. 'That? said he.
A little after, but still with swollen eyes and looking mortally sheepish, Jean-Marie reappeared and went ostentatiously about his business. He was the only unhappy member of the party that sat down that night to supper. As for the Doctor, he was radiant. He then sang the requiem of the treasure: "This has been, on the whole, a most amusing episode," he said.
In the town Jean-Marie was kept a fixture on the driving-seat, to guard the treasure; while the Doctor, with a singular, slightly tipsy airiness of manner, fluttered in and out of cafés, where he shook hands with garrison officers, and mixed an absinthe with the nicety of old experience; in and out of shops, from which he returned laden with costly fruits, real turtle, a magnificent piece of silk for his wife, a preposterous cane for himself, and a képi of the newest fashion for the boy; in and out of the telegraph office, whence he despatched his telegram, and where three hours later he received an answer promising a visit on the morrow, and generally pervaded Fontainebleau with the first fine aroma of his divine good-humour.
'For the true philosopher, he remarked delightedly, 'every fact in nature is a toy. A letter came to him; but, as its arrival coincided with the approach of another gust, he merely crammed it into his pocket, gave the time to Jean-Marie, and the next moment they were both counting their pulses as if for a wager. At nightfall the wind rose into a tempest.
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.
'Have you been to Franchard, Jean-Marie? inquired the Doctor. 'I fancy not. 'Never, replied the boy. 'It is ruin in a gorge, continued Desprez, adopting his expository voice; 'the ruin of a hermitage and chapel. History tells us much of Franchard; how the recluse was often slain by robbers; how he lived on a most insufficient diet; how he was expected to pass his days in prayer.
He took a seat, rapped loudly on the table, assailed the waiter with witticisms; and when the bottle of Bass was at length produced, far more charged with gas than the most delirious champagne, he filled out a long glassful of froth and pushed it over to Jean-Marie. 'Drink, he said; 'drink deep. 'I would rather not, faltered the boy, true to his training. 'What? thundered Desprez.
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