She understood absolutely nothing of what
was passing.
"These people are very foolish," she muttered, "to pay so much attention
to the ramblings of a person out of her mind."
She thought she had more sense than the others, so, approaching the bed,
she began to cover up the sick woman.
"Come, madame," said she, "cover yourself, or you will catch cold."
"Sister!" remonstrated the doctor and priest at the same moment.
"For God's sake!" exclaimed the soldier, "let her speak."
"Who," continued the sick woman, unconscious of all that was passing
about her, "who told you I was deceiving you? Oh, the wretches! They set
spies upon me; they discovered that an officer came frequently to see
me. But that officer was my brother, my dear Louis! When he was eighteen
years old, and being unable to obtain work, he enlisted, saying to my
mother, that there would then be one mouth the less in the family. He
was a good soldier, and his officers always liked him. He worked whilst
with his regiment; he taught himself, and he quickly rose in rank. He
was promoted a lieutenant, then captain, and finally became major. Louis
always loved me; had he remained in Paris I should not have fallen.
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