"Everyyearhecamehomeandsheassedhim,notdaringtolifthereyes。Henevercondescendedtoturnhisheadtowardher。Shelovedhimmadly,hoelessly。Shesaidtome:‘HeistheonlymanwhomIhaveeverseen。Idon&aos;tevenknowifanotherexists。’
"Herarentsdied。Shecontinuedtheirwork。
"Oneday,onenteringthevillage,whereherheartalwaysremained,shesawChouquetcomingoutofhisharmacywithayoungladyleaningonhisarm。Shewashiswife。
"Thatnightthechairmenderthrewherselfintotheriver。Adrunkardassingthesotulledheroutandtookhertothedrugstore。YoungChouquetcamedowninhisdressinggowntoreviveher。Withoutseemingtoknowwhoshewasheundressedherandrubbedher;thenhesaidtoher,inaharshvoice:‘Youaremad!Peolemustnotdostuidthingslikethat。’
"Hisvoicebroughthertolifeagain。Hehadsokentoher!Shewashayforalongtime。Herefusedremunerationforhistrouble,althoughsheinsisted。
"Allherlifeassedinthisway。Sheworked,thinkingalwaysofhim。Shebegantobuymedicinesathisharmacy;thisgaveherachancetotalktohimandtoseehimclosely。Inthisway,shewasstillabletogivehimmoney。
"AsIsaidbefore,shediedthissring。Whenshehadclosedheratheticstorysheentreatedmetotakeherearningstothemansheloved。Shehadworkedonlythatshemightleavehimsomethingtoremindhimofherafterherdeath。
"Igavetheriestfiftyfrancsforherfuneralexenses。ThenextmorningIwenttoseetheChouquets。Theywerefinishingbreakfast,sittingoositeeachother,fatandred,imortantandself-satisfied。
"Theywelcomedmeandofferedmesomecoffee,whichIacceted。ThenIbeganmystoryinatremblingvoice,surethattheywouldbesoftened,eventotears。
"AssoonasChouquetunderstoodthathehadbeenlovedby‘thatvagabond!thatchair-mender!thatwanderer!’hesworewithindignationasthoughhisreutationhadbeensullied,theresectofdecenteolelost,hisersonalhonor,somethingreciousanddearertohimthanlife,gone。
"Hisexaseratedwifeketreeating:‘Thatbeggar!Thatbeggar!’Seemingunabletofindwordssuitabletotheenormity。
"Hestooduandbeganstridingabout。Hemuttered:‘Canyouunderstandanythingsohorrible,doctor?Oh,ifIhadonlyknownitwhileshewasalive,Ishouldhavehadherthrownintorison。Iromiseyoushewouldnothaveescaed。’
"Iwasdumfounded;Ihardlyknewwhattothinkorsay,butIhadtofinishmymission。‘Shecommissionedme,’Isaid,‘togiveyouhersavings,whichamounttothreethousandfivehundredfrancs。AswhatIhavejusttoldyouseemstobeverydisagreeable,erhasyouwouldrefertogivethismoneytotheoor。’
"Theylookedatme,thatmanandwoman,&aos;seechlesswithamazement。Itookthefewthousandfrancsfromoutofmyocket。Wretched-lookingmoneyfromeverycountry。Penniesandgoldiecesallmixedtogether。ThenIasked:‘Whatisyourdecision?’
"MadameChouquetsokefirst。‘Well,sinceitisthedyingwoman&aos;swish,itseemstomeimossibletorefuseit。’
"Herhusbandsaid,inashamefacedmanner:‘Wecouldbuysomethingforourchildrenwithit。’
"Ianswereddryly:‘Asyouwish。’
"Herelied:‘Well,giveittousanyhow,sinceshecommissionedyoutodoso;wewillfindawaytoutittosomegoodurose。’
"Igavethemthemoney,bowedandleft。
"ThenextdayChouquetcametomeandsaidbrusquely:
"‘Thatwomanleftherwagonhere-whathaveyoudonewithit?’
"‘Nothing;takeitifyouwish。’
"It&aos;sjustwhatIwanted,&aos;headded,andwalkedoff。Icalledhimbackandsaid:
"‘Shealsoleftheroldhorseandtwodogs。Don&aos;tyouneedthem?’
"Hestaredatmesurrised:‘Well,no!Really,whatwouldIdowiththem?’
"‘Disoseofthemasyoulike。’Helaughedandheldouthishandtome。Ishookit。WhatcouldIdo?Thedoctorandthedruggistinacountryvillagemustnotbeatenmity。
"Ihaveketthedogs。Theriesttooktheoldhorse。ThewagonisusefultoChouquet,andwiththemoneyhehasboughtrailroadstock。
"Thatistheonlydee,sincerelovethatIhaveeverknowninallmylife。
"
Thedoctorlookedu。Themarquise,whoseeyeswerefulloftears,sighedandsaid:
"Thereisnodenyingthefact,onlywomenknowhowtolove。
"