Fortunately, the others arrived and were able to release the victim. But Saturnin, who was raving mad, had to be shut up: and, two hours later, the commissary of police having been sent for, he was taken for the second time to the Asile des Moulineaux, with the consent of the family. Poor Auguste lay trembling. He said to Duveyrier, who informed him of the arrangement that had been come to with Octave:
“No, I should have preferred to have fought the duel. One cannot defend oneself against a madman. Why has he such a mania for wishing to bleed me, the brigand? because his sister has made a cuckold of me? Ah! I’ve had enough of it, my friend, I’ve had enough of it, on my word of honor!”
CHAPTER XVI.
On the Wednesday morning, when Marie brought Berthe to Madame Josserand, the latter, bursting with anger at the thought of an adventure which she felt was a sad blow to her pride, became quite pale and unable to utter a word.
She caught hold of her daughter’s hand with the roughness of a teacher dragging a refractory scholar to the black-hole, and, leading her to Hortense’s room, she pushed her inside, saying at length:
“Hide yourself, never show yourself again. You will kill your father if you do.”
“What’s up? Whatever have you done?” asked her sister, whose astonishment increased on seeing her wrapped in an old shawl which Marie had lent her. “Has poor Auguste fallen ill at Lyons?”
But Berthe would not answer. No, later on; there were things she could not speak about; and she beseeched Hortense to go away, to let her have the room to herself, so that she could at least weep there in peace. The day passed thus. Monsieur Josserand had gone off to his office, without having the faintest idea of what had occurred; then, when he returned home in the evening, Berthe still remained in hiding. As she had refused all food, she ended by ravenously devouring the little dinner which Adèle brought to her in secret. The maid remained watching her, and, in presence of her appetite, said:
“Don’t worry yourself so much, pick up your strength. The house is quite quiet. And as for any one being killed or wounded, there’s nobody hurt at all.”
“Ah!” said the young woman.