“Far from doing wrong, my friend, it is I who am deeply indebted to
you.”
“Not at all, monsieur, I owe you forty francs. But as soon as you get
your cloth----”
“Let’s not talk about that.”
“All right; besides, you mustn’t talk much, that’s another of the
doctor’s orders.”
“Has anyone been to see me?”
“Not a cat has entered the room except the doctor and the concierge.”
Ernest and his wife could know nothing of my accident; otherwise I was
sure that they would have come to take care of me. So henceforth I could
have only strangers about me. Ah! if my mother had known--but I was
very glad that she had not been informed of the accident, which would
have frightened her. There were many other things too which she did not
know and which I would have been glad to conceal from her forever.