Mathieu's heart contracted as he observed that senile terror, that
shivering obedience on the part of a woman whose harsh, dry, aggressively
quarrelsome disposition he so well remembered. Industrious, self-willed,
full of life as she had once been, she was now but a limp human rag. And
yet her case was recorded in medical annals as one of the renowned
Gaude's great miracles of cure. Ah! how truly had Boutan spoken in saying
that people ought to wait to see the real results of those victorious
operations which were sapping the vitality of France.
Cecile, however, with eager affection, kissed the three children, who
somehow continued to grow up in that wrecked household. Tears came to her
eyes, and directly Madame Joseph had given her back the work-materials
entrusted to Euphrasie she hurried Mathieu away. And, as they reached the
street, she said: "Thank you, Monsieur Froment; I can go home on foot
now--. How frightful, eh? Ah! as I told you, we shall be in Paradise,
Norine and I, in the quiet room which you have so kindly promised to rent
for us."
On reaching Beauchene's establishment Mathieu immediately repaired to the
workshops, but he could obtain no precise information respecting his
threshing-machine, though he had ordered it several months previously.
Pages:
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389