He was very poor company, himself, and even his acute preoccupation and his general lack of the habit of pondering the impression he produced did not prevent him from reflecting that his companions must be puzzled to see how poor Bellegarde came to take such a fancy to this taciturn Yankee that he must needs have him at his death-bed.After breakfast he strolled forth alone into the village and looked at the fountain, the geese, the open barn doors, the brown, bent old women, showing their hugely darned stocking-heels at the ends of their slowly-clicking sabots, and the beautiful view of snowy Alps and purple Jura at either end of the little street.The day was brilliant; early spring was in the air and in the sunshine, and the winter's damp was trickling out of the cottage eaves.
It was birth and brightness for all nature, even for chirping chickens and waddling goslings, and it was to be death and burial for poor, foolish, generous, delightful Bellegarde.
Newman walked as far as the village church, and went into the small grave-yard beside it, where he sat down and looked at the awkward tablets which were planted around.
They were all sordid and hideous, and Newman could feel nothing but the hardness and coldness of death.
He got up and came back to the inn, where he found M.Ledoux having coffee and a cigarette at a little green table which he had caused to be carried into the small garden.
Newman, learning that the doctor was still sitting with Valentin, asked M.Ledoux if he might not be allowed to relieve him;he had a great desire to be useful to his poor friend.
This was easily arranged; the doctor was very glad to go to bed.
He was a youthful and rather jaunty practitioner, but he had a clever face, and the ribbon of the Legion of Honor in his buttonhole;Newman listened attentively to the instructions he gave him before retiring, and took mechanically from his hand a small volume which the surgeon recommended as a help to wakefulness, and which turned out to be an old copy of "Faublas."Valentin was still lying with his eyes closed, and there was no visible change in his condition.Newman sat down near him, and for a long time narrowly watched him.Then his eyes wandered away with his thoughts upon his own situation, and rested upon the chain of the Alps, disclosed by the drawing of the scant white cotton curtain of the window, through which the sunshine passed and lay in squares upon the red-tiled floor.
He tried to interweave his reflections with hope, but he only half succeeded.What had happened to him seemed to have, in its violence and audacity, the force of a real calamity--the strength and insolence of Destiny herself.It was unnatural and monstrous, and he had no arms against it.At last a sound struck upon the stillness, and he heard Valentin's voice.
"It can't be about me you are pulling that long face!" He found, when he turned, that Valentin was lying in the same position;but his eyes were open, and he was even trying to smile.
It was with a very slender strength that he returned the pressure of Newman's hand."I have been watching you for a quarter of an hour,"Valentin went on; "you have been looking as black as thunder.
You are greatly disgusted with me, I see.Well, of course!
So am I!"
"Oh, I shall not scold you," said Newman."I feel too badly.
And how are you getting on?"
"Oh, I'm getting off! They have quite settled that; haven't they?""That's for you to settle; you can get well if you try,"said Newman, with resolute cheerfulness.
"My dear fellow, how can I try? Trying is violent exercise, and that sort of thing isn't in order for a man with a hole in his side as big as your hat, that begins to bleed if he moves a hair's-breadth.I knew you would come,"he continued; "I knew I should wake up and find you here;so I'm not surprised.But last night I was very impatient.
I didn't see how I could keep still until you came.
It was a matter of keeping still, just like this; as still as a mummy in his case.You talk about trying; I tried that!
Well, here I am yet--these twenty hours.It seems like twenty days."Bellegarde talked slowly and feebly, but distinctly enough.
It was visible, however, that he was in extreme pain, and at last he closed his eyes.Newman begged him to remain silent and spare himself; the doctor had left urgent orders.
"Oh," said Valentin, "let us eat and drink, for to-morrow--to-morrow"--and he paused again."No, not to-morrow, perhaps, but today.
I can't eat and drink, but I can talk.What's to be gained, at this pass, by renun--renunciation? I mustn't use such big words.
I was always a chatterer; Lord, how I have talked in my day!""That's a reason for keeping quiet now," said Newman.
"We know how well you talk, you know."
But Valentin, without heeding him, went on in the same weak, dying drawl.
"I wanted to see you because you have seen my sister.Does she know--will she come?"
Newman was embarrassed."Yes, by this time she must know.""Didn't you tell her?" Valentin asked.And then, in a moment, "Didn't you bring me any message from her?"His eyes rested upon Newman's with a certain soft keenness.
"I didn't see her after I got your telegram," said Newman.
"I wrote to her."
"And she sent you no answer?"
Newman was obliged to reply that Madame de Cintre had left Paris.
"She went yesterday to Fleurieres."
"Yesterday--to Fleurieres? Why did she go to Fleurieres?
What day is this? What day was yesterday? Ah, then I shan't see her," said Valentin, sadly."Fleurieres is too far!"And then he closed his eyes again.Newman sat silent, summoning pious invention to his aid, but he was relieved at finding that Valentin was apparently too weak to reason or to be curious.Bellegarde, however, presently went on.
"And my mother--and my brother--will they come?
Are they at Fleurieres?"
"They were in Paris, but I didn't see them, either," Newman answered.
"If they received your telegram in time, they will have started this morning.