Volume I Part 70 (1/2)
”There was no need of his being so emphatic about not insisting that people should call on him; he need have no fear--we shall never set foot inside his door.”
A quarter of an hour after Monsieur Jarnouillard's departure, Poucette appeared once more, with a smile on her face, saying:
”Now it's Monsieur le Docteur Antoine Beaub.i.+.c.hon, who asks permission to salute the ladies.”
”Evidently they have pa.s.sed the word along,” said Honorine; ”but this time, at all events, we know whom we have to deal with; show in monsieur le docteur.”
XXV
THE LOST CHILD
The short, stout, puffy little man, who gasped for breath when he had climbed a flight of stairs or walked a little faster than usual, appeared in his turn, and saluted the two ladies as old acquaintances.
”It is I, madame, come to pay my respects--that is to say, if I don't disturb you; if my presence at this moment is inopportune, pray tell me, and I will go at once.”
”No, monsieur le docteur, your presence is not inopportune; on the contrary, we hope that it will make up to us in some measure for the visit we have just received.”
”Ah! have you had visitors from Paris?”
”Not from Paris, but from the neighborhood: first, Monsieur Luminot; he seemed to us to be very jovial, although his jests are not always in the best taste; but after him there came a certain Monsieur Jarnouillard.--Really, we could very well have done without his visit!
Everything about the man is disagreeable,--his face, his dress, his language; and his curiosity is beyond words!”
”Oh! as to that, mesdames, it's a common failing in small places; there are few people here, and everyone wants to know what his neighbor is doing. I won't deny that I myself am reasonably curious; it's a disease that grows on one here.--Well, here you are among us; are you still satisfied with your purchase?”
”More than ever, doctor; and our house pleases us so much that we never leave it.”
”Haven't you seen our square yet, the Poncelet promenade?”
”No, but it seems that it is very pretty, for we have already heard of it.”
”Why, yes; it's a square worthy of a large city.--And then you mustn't judge our society by Monsieur Jarnouillard; we have some very pleasant people--large land-owners; to be sure, they stay at home and rarely come to our houses.--Have you been to walk in the direction of the Tower yet?”
”Not yet; but we already know the owner of the place, doctor.”
”Really? you know him?”
”That is to say, we met him and his dog on the bank of the Marne, on our way to Poucette's uncle's field.”
”Well, what do you think of the man? Hasn't he something savage in his expression?”
”Why, no; he has the look of a man who doesn't care for society, and who doesn't shave; but, as he walked by very rapidly, I couldn't examine him closely.”
”But I,” said Agathe, ”won the heart of his beautiful dog. He looked at me and caressed me. His master had to call him, to induce him to leave me.”
”You astonish me, for he's a rascal who seldom caresses strangers.
However, I must admit that this Ami--that is his name, you know--is really endowed with extraordinary intelligence. Only three days ago he saved a child who was drowning.”
”Oh! the good dog! how grateful the child's parents must be to him!”