The marriage was sudden, but no doubt
there was an attachment: he had some reason to believe in sudden
attachments. Colonel Dujardin, an old acquaintance, had come back
to France wounded, and the good doctor had undertaken his cure: this
incident appeared neither strange nor any way important. What affected
him most deeply was the death of Raynal, his personal friend and patron.
But when his tyrants, as he called the surgeon and his uncle, gave him
leave to go home, all feelings were overpowered by his great joy at the
prospect of seeing Rose. He walked over to Beaurepaire, his arm in a
sling, his heart beating. He was coming to receive the reward of all he
had done, and all he had attempted. "I will surprise them," thought he.
"I will see her face when I come in at the door: oh, happy hour! this
pays for all." He entered the house without announcing himself; he went
softly up to the saloon; to his great disappointment he found no one
but the baroness: she received him kindly, but not with the warmth he
expected. She was absorbed in her new grief. He asked timidly after her
daughters.
Pages:
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289