Part 2 (1/2)
”Miette?” demanded Madame Dalize. ”What has she said to you?”
”She simply said, when I spoke to her of Roger, 'The poor gentleman.'
And she was right,--the poor gentleman, poor Roger.”
”Undoubtedly,” answered Madame Dalize; ”but ten years have pa.s.sed since that terrible day, and time heals many wounds.”
”That is true; but I know Roger, and I know that he has forgotten nothing.”
”Of course, forgetfulness would not be easy to him over there, in that long, solitary exile; but once he has returned here to us, near his family, his wounds will have a chance to heal; and, in any case,” added Madame Dalize, taking her husband's hand, ”he will have at hand two doctors who are profoundly devoted.”
”Yes, my dear wife, you are right; and if he can be cured, we will know how to cure him.”
Madame Dalize took the telegram from her husband's hands, and read this:
”=Monsieur Dalize=, Chateau de Sainte-Gemme, at Sens:
”=Friend=,--I am on my way home. Learn at Paris that you are at Sainte-Gemme. May I come there at once?”
”=Roger.=”
”And you answered him?”
”I answered, 'We are awaiting you with the utmost impatience. Take the first train.'”
”Will that first train be the eleven-o'clock train?”
”No; I think that Roger will not be able to take the express. The man with the telegram will not have reached Sens soon enough, even if he hurried, as he promised he would. Then, the time taken to send the despatch, to receive it in Paris, and to take it to Roger's address would make it more than eleven. So our friend will have to take the next train; and you cannot count upon his being here before five o'clock.”
”Oh!” cried Miss Miette, in a disappointed tone.
”What is the matter, my child?” asked Monsieur Dalize.
”Why, I think----”
”What do you think?”
”Well, papa,” Miss Miette at last said, ”I think that the railroads and the telegrams are far too slow.”
Monsieur Dalize could not suppress a smile at hearing this exclamation.
He turned to his wife, and said,--
”See, how hurried is this younger generation. They think that steam and electricity are too slow.”
And, turning around to his daughter, he continued,--
”What would you like to have?”
”Why,” answered the girl, ”I would like to have Monsieur Roger here at once.”