When August arrived, the doctor had nothing but that to advise or
prescribe--the country. Notwithstanding the repugnance of elderly people
to move, to change their abode and the habits and regular hours of their
life; despite her domestic nature and the sort of pang that she felt at
being torn from her hearthstone, mademoiselle decided to take Germinie
into the country. She wrote to the _chick's_ daughter, who lived, with a
brood of children, on a small estate in a village of Brie, and who had
been, for many years, begging her to pay her a long visit. She requested
her hospitality for a month or six weeks for herself and her sick maid.
They set out. Germinie was delighted. On their arrival she felt
decidedly better. For some days her disease seemed to be diverted by the
change. But the weather that summer was very uncertain, with much rain,
sudden changes, and high winds. Germinie had a chill, and mademoiselle
soon heard again, overhead, just above the room in which she slept, the
frightful cough that had been so painful and hard to bear at Paris.
There were hurried paroxysms of coughing that seemed almost to strangle
her; spasms that would break off for a moment, then begin again; and the
pauses caused the ear and the heart to experience a nervous, anxious
anticipation of what was certain to come next, and always did
come,--racking and tearing, dying away again, but still vibrating in the
ear, even when it had ceased: never silent, never willing to have done.
And yet Germinie rose from those horrible nights with an energy and
activity that amazed mademoiselle and at times reassured her. She was
out of bed as early as anybody in the house. One morning, at five
o'clock, she went with the man-servant in a _char-a-banc_ to a mill-pond
three leagues away, for fish; at another time she dragged herself to the
saint's day ball, with the maids from the house, and did not return
until they did, at daybreak. She worked all the time; assisted the
servants. She was always sitting on the edge of a chair, in a corner of
the kitchen, doing something with her fingers. Mademoiselle was obliged
to force her to go out, to drive her into the garden to sit. Then
Germinie would sit on the green bench, with her umbrella over her head,
and the sun in her skirts and on her feet. Hardly moving, she would
forget herself utterly as she inhaled the light and air and warmth,
passionately and with a sort of feverish joy. Her distended lips would
part to admit the fresh, clear air. Her eyes burned, but did not move;
and in the light shadow of the silk umbrella her gaunt, wasted, haggard
face stared vacantly into space like an amorous death's head.
Weary as she was at night, no persuasion could induce her to retire
before her mistress. She insisted upon being at hand to undress her.
Seated by her side, she would rise from time to time to wait upon her as
best she could, assist her to take off a petticoat, then sit down again,
collect her strength for a moment, rise again, and insist upon doing
something for her. Mademoiselle had to force her to sit down and order
her to keep quiet. And all the time that the evening toilet lasted she
had always upon her lips the same tiresome chatter about the servants of
the house.
"Why, mademoiselle, you haven't an idea of the eyes they make at each
other when they think no one sees them--the cook and the man--I mean.
They keep quiet when I am by; but the other day I surprised them in the
bakery. They were kissing, fancy! Luckily madame here don't suspect it."
"Ah! there you are again with your tale-bearing! Why, good God!"
mademoiselle would exclaim, "what difference does it make to you whether
they _coo_ or don't _coo_? They're kind to you, aren't they? That's all
that's necessary."
"Oh! very kind, mademoiselle; as far as that's concerned I haven't a
word to say. Marie got up in the night last night to give me some
water--and as for him, when there's any dessert left, it's always for
me. Oh! he's very polite to me--in fact, Marie don't like it very well
that he thinks so much about me. You understand, mademoiselle----"
"Come, come! go to bed with all your nonsense!" said her mistress
sharply, sad, and annoyed as well, to find such a keen interest in
others' love-affairs in one so ill.