For myself, I could not
understand what was taking place. I fancy that my brain, already
bewildered by my previous emotions, must have been completely paralyzed.
I sat down on the ground by Edmee's side. She had been shot in the
breast in two places. I gazed on her lifeless eyes in a state of
absolute stupor.
"Take away that creature," said Patience to the abbe, casting a look of
contempt on me. "His perverse nature is what it always was."
"Edmee, Edmee!" cried the abbe, throwing himself upon the grass and
endeavouring to stanch the blood with his handkerchief.
"Dead, dead!" said Patience. "And there is the murderer! She said so as
she gave up her pure soul to God; and Patience will avenge her! It is
very hard; but it must be so! It is God's will, since I alone was here
to learn the truth."
"Horrible, horrible!" exclaimed the abbe.
I heard the sound of this last word, and with a smile I repeated it like
an echo.
Some huntsmen now appeared. Edmee was carried away. I believe that I
caught sight of her father walking without help. However, I should not
dare to affirm that this was not a mere extravagant vision (for I had no
definite consciousness of anything, and these awful moments have left
in my mind nothing but vague memories, as of a dream), had I not been
assured that the chevalier got out of the carriage without any help,
walked about, and acted with as much presence of mind as a young man.
Pages:
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382