Volume I Part 36 (1/2)
”Who's calling me?” as if he thought that the voice he had heard came from a balloon.
”Pardi! it's me calling you; it ain't a bird, it's me, Ledrux--this way.”
”Ah! it's you, is it, Pere Ledrux? What are you doing here?”
”As you see, I'm calling you and waiting to ask you if your servant Claudine gave you my message. You wasn't at home this morning when I went to your house to tell you to go to Gournay to see the wine-dealer's child; she's got the scarlet fever, they say.”
”Scarlatina--yes, yes. Claudine told me and I am coming from Gournay, as you see.”
”Good! then you've cured the child?”
”Not yet; but it isn't anything serious.”
”Have you been to Gournay on foot?”
”Yes, the weather was fine, and it does one good to walk; I'm getting too fat.”
”But your nag'll get too fat too, if you don't use him! Ha! ha! You'd better lend him to me, I'll give him plenty of work!”
”What are you doing here?”
”I'm showing Monsieur Courtivaux's house to some ladies from Paris; they're very nice, and they act as if they meant to buy it. Look, there they are, both of 'em, at the window in the little summer-house. That's where I saw you from.”
Honorine and Agathe were, in fact, still standing at the window. They were looking across the fields, but their eyes turned most frequently toward the house with the turret. The few words that the gardener had said concerning its proprietors had aroused their curiosity to the highest pitch; indeed, as they proposed to take up their abode at Ch.e.l.les, in the somewhat isolated house in which they then were, it was quite natural that they should desire to know their neighbors.
Doctor Antoine raised his head to look at the ladies; he removed his broad-brimmed hat, disclosing his almost bald head and his cheerful, ruddy face, and made them a low bow, which they instantly acknowledged.
”Look you,” said the doctor to the gardener, ”as the garden gate is open, I can shorten my walk home materially by going through the garden.”
”I should say so; it will shorten it by half.”
”That being so, I will go that way; and suppose I should pay my respects to these ladies at the same time? What do you say, Ledrux?”
”It seems to me that it can't do 'em any harm, even if it don't do 'em any good!”
”That's so; and then--we shall know each other; and when they come here to live, if they happen to be sick, why, they'll send for me.”
”Sure enough! especially as you're the only doctor in the neighborhood.”
”Yes; but you see that they sent for me from Gournay; that proves that everybody doesn't take the one who is nearest.”
”Ah! you're a shrewd one, you are! you always have an eye to the main chance!”
”There's no law against looking after one's business.”
”_Nenni!_ all the more as it ain't safe to depend on other folks for that. Ha! ha! ha! tutu--turlututu.”
During their conversation the two men had entered the garden. Pere Ledrux closed the little gate, and the two friends, who had left the summer-house, soon found themselves face to face with Doctor Antoine, who bowed again, saying:
”Mesdames, as an inhabitant--and physician--of this district, I shall consider myself very happy if we are to have the good fortune to claim you as neighbors, as Ledrux has led me to hope; for he tells me that you propose to buy this estate.”