What a long day it was! How the hours seemed to double themselves, and
creep along at the slowest pace they could!
I had had some hope of running over to Sark to see Tardif, but that
could not be. I was needed too much by the party that had been left
behind by Captain Carey and Julia. We tried to while away the time by a
drive round the island, and by visiting many of my old favorite haunts;
but I could not be myself.
Everybody rallied me on my want of spirits, but I found it impossible to
shake off my depression. I was glad when the day was over, and Johanna
and I were left in the quiet secluded house in the Vale, where the moan
of the sea sighed softly through the night air.
"This has been a trying day for you, Martin," said Johanna.
"Yes," I answered; "though I can hardly account for my own depression.
Johanna, in another fortnight I shall learn where Olivia is. I want to
find a home for her. Just think of her desolate position! She has no
friends but Tardif and me; and you know how the world would talk if I
were too openly her friend. Indeed, I do not wish her to come to live in
London; the trial would be too great for me. I could not resist the
desire to see her, to speak to her--and that would be fatal to her.
Dearest Johanna, I want such a home as this for her."
Johanna made no reply, and I could not see her face in the dim moonlight
which filled the room. I knelt down beside her, to urge my petition more
earnestly.
"Your name would be such a protection to her." I went on, "this house
such a refuge! If my mother were living, I would ask her to receive her.
You have been almost as good to me as my mother. Save me, save Olivia
from the difficulty I see before us."
"Will you never get over this unfortunate affair?"' she asked, half
angrily.
"Never!" I said; "Olivia is so dear to me that I am afraid of harming
her by my love. Save her from me, Johanna. You have it in your power. I
should be happy if I knew she was here with you. I implore you, for my
mother's sake, to receive Olivia into your home."
"She shall come to me," said Johanna, after a few minutes' silence. I
was satisfied, though the consent was given with a sigh. I knew that,
before long, Johanna would be profoundly attached to my Olivia.
It was almost midnight the next day when I reached Brook Street, where I
found Jack expecting my return. He had bought, in honor of it, some
cigars of special quality, over which I was to tell him all the story of
Julia's wedding. But a letter was waiting for me, directed in queer,
crabbed handwriting, and posted in Jersey a week before. It had been so
long on the road in consequence of the bad penmanship of the address. I
opened it carelessly as I answered Jack's first inquiries; but the
instant I saw the signature I held up my hand to silence him. It was
from Tardif. This is a translation:
"DEAR DOCTOR AND FRIEND: This day I received a letter from
mam'zelle; quite a little letter with only a few lines in it.
She says, 'Come to me. My husband has found me; he is here. I
have no friends but you and one other, and I cannot send for
him. You said you would come to me whenever I wanted you. I
have not time to write more. I am in a little village called
Ville-en-bois, between Granville and Noireau. Come to the
house of the curé; I am there.'
"Behold, I am gone, dear monsieur. I write this in my boat,
for we are crossing to Jersey to catch the steamboat to
Granville. To-morrow evening I shall be in Ville-en-bois. Will
you learn the law of France about this affair? They say the
code binds a woman to follow her husband wherever he goes. At
London you can learn any thing. Believe me, I will protect
mam'zelle, or I should say madame, at the loss of my life.
Write to me as soon as you receive this. There will be an inn
at Ville-en-bois; direct to me there. Take courage, monsieur.
Your devoted TARDIF."
"I must go!" I exclaimed, starting to my feet, about to rush out of the
house.
"Where?" cried Jack, catching my arm between both his hands, and holding
me fast.
"To Olivia," I answered; "that villain, that scoundrel has hunted her
out in Normandy. Read that, Jack. Let me go."
"Stay!" he said; "there is no chance of going so late as this; it is
after twelve o'clock. Let us think a few minutes, and look at Bradshaw."
But at that moment a furious peal of the bell rang through the house.
We both ran into the hall. The servant had just opened the door, and a
telegraph-clerk stood on the steps, with a telegram, which he thrust
into his hands. It was directed to me. I tore it open. "From Jean
Grimont, Granville, to Dr. Dobrée. Brook Street, London." I did not know
any Jean Grimont, of Granville, it was the name of a stranger to me. A
message was written underneath in Norman _patois_, but so mispelt and
garbled in its transmission that I could not make out the sense of it.
The only words I was sure about were "mam'zelle," "Foster," "Tardif,"
and "_à l'agonie_." Who was on the point of death I could not tell.