And Mathieu, seized with
terror at the thought, rushed away, eager to seek consolation by the side
of Marianne, amid the peacefulness, the wisdom, and the health which were
their happy lot.
IX
ONE Thursday morning Mathieu went to lunch with Dr. Boutan in the rooms
where the latter had resided for more than ten years, in the Rue de
l'Universite, behind the Palais-Bourbon. By a contradiction, at which he
himself often laughed, this impassioned apostle of fruitfulness had
remained a bachelor. His extensive practice kept him in a perpetual
hurry, and he had little time free beyond his dejeuner hour. Accordingly,
whenever a friend wished to have any serious conversation with him, he
preferred to invite him to his modest table, to partake more or less
hastily of an egg, a cutlet, and a cup of coffee.
Mathieu wished to ask the doctor's advice on a grave subject. After a
couple of weeks' reflection, his idea of experimenting in agriculture, of
extricating that unappreciated estate of Chantebled from chaos,
preoccupied him to such a degree that he positively suffered at not
daring to come to a decision. The imperious desire to create, to produce
life, health, strength, and wealth grew within him day by day.
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