Part 46 (1/2)
”I have a sad headache.”
He cast his eyes over the table and took mechanically the pen which Frowenfeld extended toward him.
”What can I do for you, Professor? Sign something? There is nothing I would not do for Professor Frowenfeld. What have you written, eh?”
He felt helplessly for his spectacles.
Frowenfeld read:
”_Mr. Sylvestre Grandissime: I spoke in haste_.”
He felt himself tremble as he read. Agricola fumbled with the pen, lifted his eyes with one more effort at the old look, said, ”My dear boy, I do this purely to please you,” and to Frowenfeld's delight and astonishment wrote:
”_Your affectionate uncle, Agricola Fusilier_.”
CHAPTER x.x.xIX
LOUISIANA STATES HER WANTS
”'Sieur Frowenfel',” said Raoul as that person turned in the front door of the shop after watching Agricola's carriage roll away--he had intended to unburden his mind to the apothecary with all his natural impetuosity; but Frowenfeld's gravity as he turned, with the paper in his hand, induced a different manner. Raoul had learned, despite all the impulses of his nature, to look upon Frowenfeld with a sort of enthusiastic awe. He dropped his voice and said--asking like a child a question he was perfectly able to answer--
”What de matta wid Agricole?”
Frowenfeld, for the moment well-nigh oblivious of his own trouble, turned upon his a.s.sistant a look in which elation was oddly blended with solemnity, and replied as he walked by:
”Rush of truth to the heart.”
Raoul followed a step.
”'Sieur Frowenfel'--”
The apothecary turned once more. Raoul's face bore an expression of earnest practicability that invited confidence.
”'Sieur Frowenfel', Agricola writ'n' to Sylvestre to stop dat dool?”
”Yes.”
”You goin' take dat lett' to Sylvestre?”
”Yes.”
”'Sieur Frowenfel', dat de wrong g-way. You got to take it to 'Polyte Brahmin-Mandarin, an' 'e got to take it to Valentine Grandissime, an'
'_e_ got to take it to Sylvestre. You see, you got to know de manner to make. Once 'pon a time I had a diffycultie wid--”
”I see,” said Frowenfeld; ”where may I find Hippolyte Brahmin-Mandarin at this time of day?”
Raoul shrugged.