“Ah!” he said, “I hardly know myself. Do you not see that I have lost my
head, that I do not know what to think, and what to believe?”
“Oh!”
“Yes, indeed! And yet, doctor, I am not a simpleton. I have now been
pleading five years in criminal courts: I have had to dive down into
the lowest depths of society; I have seen strange things, and met with
exceptional specimens, and heard fabulous stories”--
It was the doctor’s turn, now, to be amazed; and he actually forgot to
trouble his gold spectacles.
“Why? What did the countess say?” he asked.
“I might tell you every word,” replied M. Folgat, “and you would be none
the wiser. You ought to have been here, and seen her, and heard her!
What a woman! Not a muscle in her face was moving; her eye remained
limpid and clear; no emotion was felt in her voice. And with what an air
she defied me! But come, doctor, let us be gone!”
They went out, and had already gone about a third down the long avenue
in the garden, when they saw the oldest daughter of the countess coming
towards them, on her way to the house, accompanied by her governess.
Dr. Seignebos stopped, and pressing the arm of the young advocate, and
bending over to him, he whispered into his ear,--
“Mind!” he said. “You know the truth is in the lips of children.”
“What do you expect?” murmured M. Folgat.
“To settle a doubtful point. Hush! Let me manage it.”
By this time the little girl had come up to them. It was a very graceful
girl of eight or nine years, light haired, with large blue eyes, tall
for her age, and displaying all the intelligence of a young girl,
without her timidity.
“How are you, little Martha?” said the doctor to her in his gentlest
voice, which was very soft when he chose.
“Good-morning, gentlemen!” she replied with a nice little courtesy.
Dr. Seignebos bent down to kiss her rosy cheeks, and them, looking at
her, he said,--
“You look sad, Martha?”
“Yes, because papa and little sister are sick,” she replied with a deep
sigh.
“And also because you miss Valpinson?”
“Oh, yes!”
“Still it is very pretty here, and you have a large garden to play in.”