“Reine, your cousin, your godmother? I consent to it with all my heart Elzear, my brother, will you go and tell her?”
“Your moments are numbered, you must think on God, my son,” said Father Elzear to Erebus.
“For pity’s sake, let me see her, or I shall die in despair,” said Erebus in such a heart-broken voice that Father Elzear went in search of Reine.
Raimond V. took both hands of his nephew in his own. Already they were cold.
“She does not come,” said Erebus, “and yet I must—”
His voice grew weaker, he could not continue.
Reine entered, accompanied by Father Elzear.
Erebus raised himself on his elbow; with his right hand he had the strength to break a little chain of gold he wore around his neck. He handed it to Reine, showing her, with a faint smile, the little enamelled dove that he had fastened to it, formerly taken from Reine in the rocks of Ollioules, and said to her:
“I return it to you. Will you forgive me?”
“I will always wear this chain in memory of the day you saved the life of my father,” replied Reine, full of emotion.