the brotherhood of consolation-第44节

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with　a　good　grace。

〃What　is　your　mother's　name？〃　he　asked。

〃My　mother　is　the　Baronne　de　Mergi；　my　father　was　the　son　of　the
president　of　the　Royal　Court　at　Rouen。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Godefroid；　〃then　your　grandfather　married　his　daughter　to
the　son　of　the　famous　president　Mergi。〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃Now；　my　little　friend；　leave　me；〃　said　Godefroid。　He　went　with　young
Mergi　to　the　landing；　and　called　to　Madame　Vauthier。

〃Mere　Vauthier；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　let　my　rooms。　I　shall　not　come　back
any　more。〃

He　gathered　his　things　together；　went　downstairs；　and　got　into　the
cab。

〃Have　you　given　anything　to　that　gentleman？〃　said　the　Vauthier　to
Auguste。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　young　man。

〃You're　a　pretty　fellow！　that's　the　agent　of　your　grandfather's
enemies。　He　managed　this　whole　business；　and　the　proof　is　that；　now
that　the　trick　is　played；　he　goes　off　and　isn't　coming　back　any　more。
He　has　just　told　me　I　can　let　his　lodgings。〃

Auguste　flew　to　the　boulevard　and　ran　after　the　cab　shouting　so　loudly
that　he　finally　stopped　it。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　asked　Godefroid。

〃My　grandfather's　manuscripts。〃

〃Tell　them　he　can　get　them　from　Monsieur　Joseph。〃

The　youth　thought　the　words　were　intended　as　a　cruel　joke。　He　sat　down
in　the　snow　as　he　saw　the　cab　disappearing　rapidly。　Presently　he
sprang　up　with　momentary　vigor；　returned　to　his　room　and　went　to　bed
worn　out　with　fatigue　and　distress。

The　next　morning；　when　the　poor　boy　woke　alone　in　that　apartment　so
lately　occupied　by　his　mother　and　grandfather；　the　painful　emotions　of
his　cruel　position　filled　his　mind。　The　solitude　of　his　home；　where　up
to　this　time　every　moment　had　had　its　duty　and　its　occupation；　seemed
so　hard　to　bear　that　he　went　down　to　Madame　Vauthier　to　ask　if　she　had
received　any　news　of　his　grandfather。　The　woman　answered　sneeringly
that　he　knew　very　well；　or　he　might　know；　where　to　find　his
grandfather；　the　reason　why　he　had　not　come　in；　she　said；　was　because
he　had　gone　to　live　at　the　chateau　de　Clichy。　This　malicious　speech；
from　the　woman　who　had　coaxed　and　wheedled　him　the　evening　before；　put
the　lad　into　another　frenzy；　and　he　rushed　to　the　hospital　once　more；
desperate　with　the　idea　that　his　grandfather　was　in　prison。

Baron　Bourlac　had　wandered　all　night　round　the　hospital；　where　he　was
refused　entrance；　and　round　the　private　residence　of　Dr。　Halpersohn
from　whom　he　wished；　naturally；　to　obtain　an　explanation　of　such
treatment。　The　doctor　did　not　get　home　till　two　in　the　morning。　At
half…past　one　the　old　man　was　at　his　door；　on　being　told　he　was
absent；　he　turned　and　walked　about　the　grand　alley　of　the　Champs
Elysees　until　half…past　two。　When　he　again　went　to　the　house；　the
porter　told　him　that　Monsieur　Halpersohn　had　returned；　gone　to　bed；
was　asleep；　and　could　not　be　disturbed。

The　poor　father；　in　despair；　wandered　along　the　quay　and　under　the
frost…laden　trees　of　the　Cours…la…reine；　waiting　for　daylight。　At　nine
o'clock　in　the　morning　he　again　presented　himself　at　the　doctor's
house；　demanding　to　know　the　reason　why　his　daughter　was　thus
virtually　imprisoned。

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　doctor；　to　whose　presence　he　was　admitted；
〃yesterday　I　told　you　I　would　answer　for　your　daughter's　recovery；　but
to…day　I　am　responsible　for　her　life　and　you　will　readily　understand
that　I　must　be　the　sovereign　master　in　such　a　case。　Yesterday　your
daughter　took　a　medicine　intended　to　bring　out　her　disease；　the　/plica
polonica/；　until　that　horrible　disease　shows　itself　on　the　surface　you
cannot　see　her。　I　will　not　allow　excitement　or　any　mistake　of
management　to　carry　off　my　patient　and　your　daughter。　If　you
positively　insist　on　seeing　her；　I　shall　call　a　consultation　of　three
physicians；　so　as　to　relieve　myself　of　responsibility；　for　the　patient
may　die　of　it。〃

The　old　man；　worn　out　with　fatigue；　dropped　on　a　chair；　but　he　rose
immediately；　saying：

〃Forgive　me；　monsieur。　I　have　spent　the　night　waiting　for　you　in
dreadful　distress　of　mind。　You　cannot　know　to　what　degree　I　love　my
daughter；　I　have　nursed　her　for　fifteen　years　hovering　between　life
and　death；　and　this　week　of　waiting　is　torture　to　me。〃

The　baron　left　the　room　staggering　like　a　drunken　man。　The　doctor
followed　and　supported　him　by　the　arm　until　he　saw　him　safely　down　the
staircase。

An　hour　later　Auguste　de　Mergi　entered　the　doctor's　room。　On
questioning　the　porter　at　the　hospital　the　unhappy　lad　heard　that　his
grandfather　had　been　refused　an　entrance　and　had　gone　away　to　find
Monsieur　Halpersohn；　who　could　probably　give　information　about　him。　As
Auguste　entered　the　doctor's　study　Halpersohn　was　breakfasting　on　a
cup　of　chocolate　and　a　glass　of　water。　He　did　not　disturb　himself　at
the　young　man's　entrance；　but　went　on　sopping　his　bread　in　the
chocolate；　for　he　never　ate　anything　for　breakfast　but　a　small　roll
cut　into　four　strips　with　careful　precision。

〃Well；　young　man；〃　he　said；　glancing　at　Vanda's　son；　〃so　you　have
come；　too；　to　find　out　about　your　mother？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　replied　Auguste　de　Mergi。

Auguste　was　standing　near　the　table　on　which　lay　several　bank…notes
among　a　pile　of　gold　louis。　Under　the　circumstances　in　which　the
unhappy　boy　was　placed　the　temptation　was　stronger　than　his
principles；　solid　as　they　were。　He　saw　a　means　of　saving　his
grandfather　and　the　fruits　of　almost　a　lifetime　of　toil。　He　yielded。
The　fascination　was　rapid　as　thought；　and　it　was　justified　to　the
child's　mind　by　the　idea　of　self…devotion。　〃I　destroy　myself；　but　I
save　my　mother　and　my　grandfather；〃　he　thought。　Under　the　strain　put
upon　his　reason　by　this　criminal　temptation　he　acquired；　like　madmen；
a　singular　and　momentary　dexterity。

Halpersohn；　an　experienced　observer；　had　divined；　retrospectively；　the
life　of　the　old　man　and　that　of　the　lad　and　of　the　mother。　He　felt　or
perceived　the　truth；　the　Baronne　de　Mergi's　remarks　had　helped　to
unveil　it　to　him；　and　the　result　was　a　feeling　of　benevolent　pity　for
his　new　clients。　As　for　respect　or　admiration；　he　was　incapable　of
those　emotions。

〃Well；　my　dear　boy；〃　he　replied　familiarly；　〃I　am　taking　care　of　your
mother；　and　I　shall　return　her　to　you　young　and　handsome　and　perfectly
well　in　health。　Here　is　one　of　those　rare　cases　in　which　physicians
take　an　interest。　Besides；　through　her　mother；　she　is　a　compatriot　of
mine。　You　and　your　grandfather　must　for　two　weeks　have　the　courage　to
keep　away　from　Madame？〃

〃The　Baronne　de　Mergi。〃

〃Ah！　if　she　is　a　baroness；　you　must　be　a　baron；〃　remarked　Halpersohn。

At　that　instant　the　theft　was　accomplished。　While　the　doctor　was
looking　at　his　sopped　bread　heavy　with　chocolate；　Auguste　snatched
four　notes　and　put　them　into　his　pocket；　as　if　he　were　merely　putting
his　hand　there　by　accident。

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　he　replied；　〃I　am　a　baron；　and　so　is　my　grandfather；
he　was　attorney…general　under　the　Restoration。〃

〃You　blush；　young　man；　there's　no　need　to　blush　for　being　a　poor
baron；　that's　common　enough。〃

〃Who　told　you；　monsieur；　that　we　are　poor？〃

〃Your　grandfather　told　me　he　had　spent　the　night　in　the　Champs
Elysees；　and　though　I　know　no　palace　with　half　so　fine　a　ceiling　as
that　of　the　skies　at　two　o'clock　this　morning；　I　assure　you　it　was
pretty　cold　in　the　palace　where　your　grandfather　passed　the　night。　We
don't　select　the　'Star'　inn　from　choice。〃

〃Has　my　grandfather　been　here　this　morning？〃　said　Auguste；　seizing　the
opportunity　to　get　away。　〃I　thank　you；　monsieur；　and　I　will　call
again；　if　you　will　permit　me；　to　ask　for　news　of　my　mother。〃

As　soon　as　he　was　in　the　street　the　young　baron　took　a　cab　to　go　as
rapidly　as　he　could　to　the　sheriff's　office；　where　he　paid　his
grandfather's　debt。　The　sheriff　gave　him　the　papers　and　a　receipted
bill　of　costs；　and　told　one　of　his　clerks　to　accompany　the　young　man
home　and　relieve　the　legal　guardian　of　her　functions。

〃As　Messieurs　Barbet　and　Metivier　live　in　your　quarter；〃　he　said；　〃I
will　tell　my　young　man　to　carry　the　money　there　and　obtain　the　bill　of
sale　of　the　books　and　return　it　to　you。〃

Auguste　who　did　not　understand　either　the　terms　or　the　formalities　of
the　law；　did　exactly　as　he　was　told。　He　received　seven　hundred　francs
change　from　the　four　thousand　francs　he　had　stolen；　and　went　away　with
the　clerk。　He　got　back　into　the　cab　in　a　condition　of　semi…stupor；
for；　the　result　being　now　obtained；　remorse　began；　he　saw　himself
dishonored；　cursed　by　his　grandfather；　whose　inflexible　nature　was
well…known　to　him；　and　he　felt　that　his　mother　would　surely　die　if　she
knew　him　guilty。　All　nature　changed　for　him。　He　was　hot；　he　did　not
see　the　snow；　the　houses　looked　like　spectres　flitting　past　him。

By　the　time　he　reached　home　the　young　baron　had　decided　on　his　course
which　was　certainly　that　of　an　honest　man。　He　went　to　his　mother's
room；　took　the　gold　snuff…box　set　with　diamonds　given　to　his
grandfather　by　the　Emperor；　and　wrapped　it　in　a　parcel　with　the　seven
hundred　francs　and　the　following　letter；　which　required　several　rough
copies　before　it　was　satisfactory。　Then　he　directed　the　whole　to
Doctor　Halpersohn：

　　Monsieur；The　fruits　of　twenty　years　of　my　grandfather's　toil
　　were　about　to　be　seized　by　usurers；　who　even