Part 22 (1/2)

The wounded man looked at her fixedly.

”Tell me that I am not dreaming,” he implored.

”Albert,” she murmured, going up to him, ”I owe you my life.”

She knelt beside the bed and her delicate hand rested on his strong hand.

”G.o.d is very good,” he sighed, closing his eyes.

He went so pale that Francois came forward quickly to feel his pulse.

He was silent a moment, then covering the patient's arm with the sheet again, looked at his watch.

”If only this doctor would come....” he said.

Almost immediately the head doctor from the barracks at Palais was announced. He was a man of forty, handsome, a little over-important, but he understood his business well enough. He diagnosed the wound as a fracture of the head and dressed and bandaged it, promising to return that evening with a soothing potion.

For Esperance he prescribed a healing lotion for the many little scratches, which were of no gravity. The girl was so insistent that she was allowed to watch beside her deliverer. Genevieve and Mlle.

Frahender also stayed in the room, ready in case she needed help. A dispatch was sent to the Countess.

Quiet redescended on the farm. A heavy atmosphere of sadness seemed to envelop it. Lunch was served disjointedly, n.o.body cared to eat.

Genevieve and Mlle. Frahender had been relieved by the maid, but they were anxious to return to their posts, and when Francois began to fold his napkin, they pushed back their chairs and quickly returned to the sick-chamber. The patient was becoming delirious. The name of Esperance was continually recurrent in his confused talk. Once the young girl trembled; the Count's expression had become so ferocious that she was terrified. Genevieve and the old Mademoiselle had just come in. She clung to them, clenching her hands and hiding her face.

She pointed to the Count, who, with his brows contracted and his lips sternly set, was talking volubly. All three trembled. He ground out the name of the Duke of Morlay-La-Branche in a kind of roar. Mlle.

Frahender, more composed than the girls, took the potion left by the doctor to calm the fever when it should become too raging. Esperance hardened herself against the weakness which had made her leave the bedside, and while Genevieve held the bandaged head she poured the liquid between the sick man's lips. At the same time she spoke to him very gently.

The well-known, much-loved voice had more effect than the potion. The wounded man grew gradually calmer, and still unconscious, slept quietly once more. Then Esperance sank back in an easy chair, begging Mlle. Frahender to see that no one should make any noise. When the doctor returned at nine, he found the patient had been sleeping for an hour. He was well satisfied, and waited a half-hour more before disturbing him to dress the wound. He could say nothing definitely as yet, except that the patient had lost no ground.

He took his leave until next day, and when Francois asked him to insist upon his daughter's rest, he refused, saying, ”I shall do nothing of the kind. She risks nothing except a slight fatigue, and she is performing a good work. It may be that she is the real doctor.”

A telegram from Madame Styvens announced that she would arrive next day with the doctor who had attended Albert from childhood, and a friend. She asked that rooms be reserved at the hotel at Palais. But Francois would reserve only the ”Five Divisions of the World” for the three travellers. They prepared one of the rooms as a dressing-room for the Countess, and Maurice and Jean went to lodge at the farmer's.

It was with infinite discretion that Esperance broke the news of his mother's coming to Albert.

”Poor mother,” he said, ”she must be living through hours of anguish in her anxiety. But the doctor said that I am out of danger.”

”What! you were not asleep!”

He smiled with the almost childish smile of the very ill returning to life.

”Then I shall be on my guard, henceforth,” she threatened him gently with a slender finger.

He stretched his hand out towards her. She pressed it tenderly.

”Be careful, Albert, don't move too much.”

They had completely dropped the ”Monsieur” and ”Mademoiselle,” and this intimacy filled the young man's heart with joy.