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The Richlings would hardly be back in less than an hour. "I'm so'y," said Narcisse, with a baffled frown, as he sat down and Mrs. Riley took her seat opposite. "I came to 'epay 'em some moneys which he made me the loan juz in a fwenly way. And I came to 'epay 'im. The sum-total, in fact I suppose he nevva mentioned you about that, eh?" "No, sir; but, still, if" "No, and so I can't pay it to you.
"Well, the water is passing off. He'll be along by and by to see you, no doubt. Tell him to call, first thing to-morrow morning, at my office." And with that the Doctor went off in his wet boots, committed a series of indiscretions, reached home, and fell ill. In the wanderings of fever he talked of the Richlings, and in lucid moments inquired for them.
The conclusion was simple: the Richlings could not be found. The months of winter passed. No sign of them. "They've gone back home," the Doctor often said to himself. How much better that was than to stay where they had made a mistake in venturing, and become the nurslings of patronizing strangers! He gave his admiration free play, now that they were quite gone.
For all he was the furthest remove from a mere party contestant or spoilsman, neither his righteous pugnacity nor his human sympathy would allow him to "let politics alone." Often across this preoccupation there flitted a thought of the Richlings. At length one day he saw them. He had been called by a patient, lodging near Madame Zénobie's house.
Unfortunately for the Richlings there was in their dwelling no toddling, self-appointed child commissioner to find his way in unwatched moments to the play-ground of some other toddler, and so plant the good seed of neighbor acquaintanceship. This neighbor passed four times a day.
Presently he said, "Richling!" Richling answered by an inquiring glance. "Take better care of your health," said the physician. Richling smiled a young man's answer and rose to say good-night. Mrs. Riley missed the Richlings, she said, more than tongue could tell. She had easily rented the rooms they left vacant; that was not the trouble.
It came to her as John once more took his good-by, the long kiss and the short one, and went breakfastless away. But was Mrs. Riley as blind as she seemed? She had vision enough to observe that the Richlings had bought no bread the day before, though she did overlook the fact that emptiness would set them astir before their usual hour of rising. She knocked at Mary's inner door.
He's a good fellow, and bright; but he actually thinks that he and the world are starting even." "His wife's his world," said the other, and opened the Bills Payable book. Who will say it is not well to sail in an ocean of love? But the Richlings were becalmed in theirs, and, not knowing it, were satisfied. Day in, day out, the little wife sat at her window, and drove her needle.
The Richlings laughed again, and would have been glad to laugh more; but each, without knowing it of the other, was reflecting with some mortification upon the fact that, had they been talking French, Narcisse would have bitten his tongue off before any of his laughter should have been at their expense.
Everybody was very retired though, it seemed. Almost every house standing in the midst of its shady garden, sunny gardens are a newer fashion of the town, a bell-knob on the gate-post, and the gate locked. But the Richlings cared nothing for this; not even what they should have cared. Nor was there any unpleasantness in another fact.
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