Ought he to go and dine with his father? Could
he leave Madame Gerdy? He longed to dine at the de Commarin mansion;
yet, on the other hand, to leave a dying woman!
"Decidedly," he murmured, "I can't go."
He sat down at his desk, and with all haste wrote a letter of apology
to his father. Madame Gerdy, he said, might die at any moment; he must
remain with her. As he bade the servant give the note to a messenger, to
carry it to the count, a sudden thought seemed to strike him.
"Does madame's brother," he asked, "know that she is dangerously ill?"
"I do not know, sir," replied the servant, "at any rate, I have not
informed him."
"What, did you not think to send him word? Run to his house quickly.
Have him sought for, if he is not at home; he must come."
Considerably more at ease, Noel went and sat in the sick-room. The lamp
was lighted; and the nun was moving about the room as though quite at
home, dusting and arranging everything, and putting it in its place. She
wore an air of satisfaction, that Noel did not fail to notice.
"Have we any gleam of hope, sister?" he asked.
"Perhaps," replied the nun. "The priest has been here, sir; your dear
mother did not notice his presence; but he is coming back.
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