“Poor Dmitri!” said a man who was not a disciple; “he gets worse and worse! His madness is incurable.”
Hundreds of men and woman crowded round him, but Jacques was one of the first to reach his side. With the help of others, he led Dmitri from the crowd and took him home.
A month passed.
Dmitri came downstairs to the room in which Jacques and Madelein were sitting. His face had no meaning. His eyes were empty.
He sat down at the table, and tears began to run down his cheeks.
Jacques stared at him for some little time in profound distress.
“We must get rid of him,” he said, aloud, to Madelein, “if only for your sake.”
“Yes,” answered his wife, sorrowfully; “I can bear him no longer. He must go.”