Part 85 (1/2)
On the morrow, the clock struck twelve, one, two, and no sign of the count.
”This isn't natural,” thought f.a.n.n.y. ”Something must certainly have happened. I remember, now, that Monsieur de la Beriniere was distraught, preoccupied, the last two evenings that he was here. I charged him with it, and he said I was mistaken. But I was not mistaken!--Justine, go down and ask the concierge if there isn't a letter for me; if a message hasn't come from the count. Those people often forget to tell you when anyone calls.”
Justine soon returned, and informed her mistress that there were no letters and that no one had called. f.a.n.n.y placed herself at the window, and still there was no arrival.
At five o'clock in the afternoon, unable to remain inactive any longer, she said to her maid:
”Take a cab by the hour; here is Monsieur de la Beriniere's address; go there, and find out from the concierge if anything has happened to him; if he is ill, ask to see him, and tell him how deeply interested I am in his health. Go quickly, so that I may know what to think.”
Justine went off in her cab. The pretty widow counted the minutes and kept looking at the clock. At last her servant returned. Her breathless, dismayed air made it evident enough that she had something to tell; and as she entered the room, she cried out, wringing her hands:
”Ah! madame, indeed there is something new. Oh! the poor count! what a calamity!”
”Heavens! Justine, is he dead?”
”No, madame; he isn't dead yet, but very near it!”
”What accident has happened to him, then?”
”No accident, madame; but a fight with swords--a duel, in fact!”
”The count has been fighting a duel?”
”Yes, madame; and yesterday morning they brought him home wounded. A bad sword-wound in the side, which might have been mortal! But it seems he's going to get well; the doctor hopes he will, but doctors are mistaken so often!”
”Oh! mon Dieu! Why, this is horrible! With whom did he fight?”
”His valet doesn't know, madame. The count didn't take him with him.”
”Well, I will find out, I will find out. A duel! Who besides Gustave could have had the idea of fighting with Monsieur de la Beriniere? That fellow was born to be the bane of my life.--So you didn't see the count?”
”No, madame; the doctor said that n.o.body must see him to-day; but to-morrow, perhaps, that order will be changed.”
”The poor count! if only he doesn't die! Just think, Justine, what an awful nuisance for me!”
”So it is. But if madame were a countess, it wouldn't be but half bad.”
”You say the doctor promises that he will recover?”
”So the valet told me.”
”Well, I will go myself to-morrow; but I must see my sister first.”
”I thought that madame did not go to her father's now?”
”Oh! because in an outburst of anger he told me not to come again. As if he remembered that! Besides, it isn't my father that I want to see, but Adolphine.”
The next morning, at eleven o'clock, Madame Monleard was ushered into the presence of her sister, who uttered a cry of surprise when she saw her.
”What! is it you, f.a.n.n.y?”