Part 26 (1/2)

”Calyste dying!” said the baron, opening his eyes, from which rolled two large tears which slowly made their way, delayed by wrinkles, along his cheeks,--the only tears he had probably ever shed in his life. Suddenly he rose to his feet, walked the few steps to his son's bedside, took his hand, and looked earnestly at him.

”What is it you want, father?” said Calyste.

”That you should live!” cried the baron.

”I cannot live without Beatrix,” replied Calyste.

The old man dropped into a chair.

”Oh! where could we get a hundred _louis_ to bring doctors from Paris?

There is still time,” cried the baroness.

”A hundred _louis!_” cried Zephirine; ”will that save him?”

Without waiting for her sister-in-law's reply, the old maid ran her hands through the placket-holes of her gown, unfastened the petticoat beneath it, which gave forth a heavy sound as it dropped to the floor.

She knew so well the places where she had sewn in her _louis_ that she now ripped them out with the rapidity of magic. The gold pieces rang as they fell, one by one, into her lap. The old Pen-Hoel gazed at this performance in stupefied amazement.

”But they'll see you!” she whispered in her friend's ear.

”Thirty-seven,” answered Zephirine, continuing to count.

”Every one will know how much you have.”

”Forty-two.”

”Double _louis!_ all new! How did you get them, you who can't see clearly?”

”I felt them. Here's one hundred and four _louis_,” cried Zephirine. ”Is that enough?”

”What is all this?” asked the Chevalier du Halga, who now came in, unable to understand the att.i.tude of his old blind friend, holding out her petticoat which was full of gold coins.

Mademoiselle de Pen-Hoel explained.

”I knew it,” said the chevalier, ”and I have come to bring a hundred and forty _louis_ which I have been holding at Calyste's disposition, as he knows very well.”

The chevalier drew the _rouleaux_ from his pocket and showed them.

Mariotte, seeing such wealth, sent Ga.s.selin to lock the doors.

”Gold will not give him health,” said the baroness, weeping.

”But it can take him to Paris, where he can find her. Come, Calyste.”

”Yes,” cried Calyste, springing up, ”I will go.”

”He will live,” said the baron, in a shaking voice; ”and I can die--send for the rector!”

The words cast terror on all present. Calyste, seeing the mortal paleness on his father's face, for the old man was exhausted by the cruel emotions of the scene, came to his father's side. The rector, after hearing the report of the doctors, had gone to Mademoiselle des Touches, intending to bring her back with him to Calyste, for in proportion as the worthy man had formerly detested her, he now admired her, and protected her as a shepherd protects the most precious of his flock.

When the news of the baron's approaching end became known in Guerande, a crowd gathered in the street and lane; the peasants, the _paludiers_, and the servants knelt in the court-yard while the rector administered the last sacraments to the old Breton warrior. The whole town was agitated by the news that the father was dying beside his half-dying son. The probable extinction of this old Breton race was felt to be a public calamity.