书城公版camellia girl
22904200000015

第15章

As for me,I felt as though my head was being constricted by an iron band:a mist settled over my eyes,my ears were filled with buzzing noises,and it was as much as I could manage to open a small bottle I had brought with me just in case,and take deep breaths of the salts which it contained.

At the height of my dizziness,I heard the superintendent say to Monsieur Duval:

'Do you identify the body?'

'Yes,'the young man answered dully.

'All right,close it up and take it away,'the superintendent said.

The grave-diggers pulled the shroud back over the dead woman's face,closed up the coffin,took one end each and headed for the spot which had been pointed out to them.

Armand did not move.His eyes were riveted on the empty grave:he was as pale as the corpse which we had just seen……He might have been turned to stone.

I saw what would happen when,away from this scene,his grief subsided and would consequently be no longer able to sustain him.

I went up to the superintendent.

'Is the presence of this gentleman,'I said,gesturing towards Armand,'required for anything else?'

'No,'he said,'and I would strongly advise you to take him away,for he seems to be unwell.'

'Come,'I said to Armand,taking him by the arm.

'What?'he said,looking at me as though he did not recognize me.

'It's over,'I added,'you must come away,my friend.You look pale,you're cold,you'll kill yourself with such emotions.'

'You're right,let's go,'he replied mechanically,but without moving one step.

So I took him by the arm and dragged him away.

He allowed himself to be led off like a little child,merely muttering from time to time:

'Did you see the eyes?'

And he turned round as though the sight of them had called him back.

But his stride became jerky;he no longer seemed capable of walking without staggering;his teeth chattered,his hands were cold,violent nervous convulsions took possession of his entire body.

I spoke to him;he did not reply.

It was as he could do to allow himself to be led.

At the gate,we found a cab.And none too soon.

He had scarcely sat down inside,when the trembling grew stronger,and he had a severe nervous seizure.Through it,his fears of alarming me made him murmur as he pressed my hand:

'It's nothing,nothing,I simply want to weep.'

And I heard him take deep breaths,and the blood rushed to his eyes,but the tears would not come.

I made him inhale from the smelling bottle which had helped me and,by the time we reached his apartment,only the trembling was still in evidence.

I put him to bed with the help of his servant,ordered a large fire to be lit in his bedroom,and hurried off to fetch my own doctor to whom I explained what had just happened.

He came at once.

Armand was blue in the face.He was raving and stammering disconnected words through which only the name of Marguerite could be distinctly heard.

'How is he?'I asked the doctor when he had examined the patient.

'Well now,he has brain fever,no more and no less,and it's as well for him.For I do believe that otherwise,God forgive me,he would have gone mad.Fortunately,his physical sickness will drive out his mental sickness,and most likely in a month he will be out of danger from both of them.'