December 29.
When I arrived at Madame de Gabry's, I found Jeanne completelytransfigured.
Had she also, like myself, at the very first light of dawn, called uponHim who made the sky and the dew? She smiled with such a sweet calmsmile!
Madame de Gabry called her away to arrange her hair for the amiable ladyhad insisted upon combing and plaiting, with her own hands, the hair ofthe child confided to her care. As I had come a little before thehour agreed upon, I had interrupted this charming toilet. By way ofpunishment I was told to go and wait in the parlour all by myself.Monsieur de Gabry joined me there in a little while. He had evidentlyjust come in, for I could see on his forehead the mark left mythe lining of his hat. His frank face wore an expression of joyfulexcitement. I thought I had better not ask him any questions; and we allwent to lunch. When the servants had finished waiting at table, MonsieurPaul, who had been keeping his good story for the dessert, said to us,
"Well! I went to Levallois."
"Did you see Maitre Mouche?" excitedly inquired Madame de Gabry.
"No," he replied, curiously watching the expression of disappointmentupon our faces.
After having amused himself with our anxiety for a reasonable time, thegood fellow added:
"Maitre Mouche is no longer at Levallois. Maitre Mouche has gone awayfrom France. The day after to-morrow will make just eight days sincehe decamped, taking with him all the money of his clients--a tolerablylarge sum. I found the office closed. A woman who lived close by toldme all about it with an abundance of curses and imprecations. Thenotary did not take the 7:55 train all by himself; he took with him thedaughter of the hairdresser of Levallois, a young person quite famous inthat part of the country for her beauty and her accomplishments;--theysay she could shave better than her father. Well, anyhow Mouche has runaway with her; the Commissaire de Police confirmed the fact for me. Now,really, could it have been possible for Maitre Mouche to have left thecountry at a more opportune moment? If he had only deferred his escapadeone week longer, he would have been still the representative of society,and would have had you dragged off to gaol, Monsieur Bonnard, like acriminal. At present we have nothing whatever to fear from him. Here isto the health of Maitre Mouche!" he cried, pouring out a glass of whitewine.
I would like to live a long time if it were only to remember thatdelightful morning. We four were all assembled in the big whitedining-room around the waxed oak table. Monsieur Paul's mirth was'of the hearty kind,--even perhaps a little riotous; and the good manquaffed deeply. Madame de Gabry smiled at me, with a smile so sweet, soperfect, and so noble, that I thought such a woman ought to keep smileslike that simply as a reward for good actions, and thus make everybodywho knew her do all the good of which they were capable. Then, to rewardus for our pains, Jeanne, who had regained something of her formervivacity, asked us in less than a quarter of an hour one dozenquestions, to answer which would have required an exhaustive expositionon the nature of man, the nature of the universe, the science of physicsand of metaphysics, the Macrocosm and the Microcosm--not to speak of theIneffable and the Unknowable. Then she drew out of her pocket her littleSaint-George, who had suffered most cruelly during our flight. His legsand arms were gone; but he still had his gold helmet with the greendragon on it. Jeanne solemnly pledged herself to make a restoration ofhim in honour of Madame de Gabry.
Delightful friends! I left them at last overwhelmed with fatigue andjoy.
On re-entering my lodgings I had to endure the very sharpestremonstrances from Therese, who said she had given up trying tounderstand my new way of living. In her opinion Monsieur had really losthis mind.
"Yes, Therese, I am a mad old man and you are a mad old woman. Thatis certain! May the good God bless us both, Therese, and give us newstrength; for we now have new duties to perform, but let me lie downupon the sofa; for I really cannot keep myself on my feet any longer."