The following Thursday I went to the hunt in spite of the terrible accident of the Sunday.
The rendezvous was at la Bruyère-aux-Loups this time.
M. Deviolaine had summoned everybody except Choron, but, summoned or not, Choron was not the man to fail in his duty. He turned up at the same hour as the rest; but he had neither carbine nor musket.
"There he is!" said M. Deviolaine; "I was sure he would turn up!"
Then, turning to him, he said:—
"Why the devil have you come, Choron?"
"Because I am head keeper, inspector."
"But I did not summon you to come."
"Yes, I understood, and I thank you. But it must not be. I must do my duty before everything else. God knows I would gladly have given my life to have prevented this; but, if I were to stay at home lamenting, it would not lighten the earth over his body, poor fellow.... And one thing troubles me terribly, M. Deviolaine."
"What is it, Choron?"