"Well! well!" he said, in the tone usually employed towards children, and idiots; "you are right, my good sir; pull away! pull away! you do nobody any harm, and there will always be plenty left. I wish you good sport; such as it is. I shall see you again."
And, whistling his dogs, he proceeded a few steps, but almost immediately returned.
"One word more," he said, addressing the doctor, who had already forgotten him, and was again busied in the employment which the arrival of the hunter had forced him to interrupt.
"Speak!" he replied, raising his head.
"I hope that the young lady who came to visit my hatto yesterday, in company with her uncle, is well? Poor dear child, you cannot imagine how much I am interested in her, my good sir!"
The doctor rose up suddenly, striking his forehead.
"Fool that I am!" he cried, "I had completely forgotten it."
"Forgotten what?" the astonished hunter asked.
"This is always my way!" the savant muttered; "fortunately the mischief is not great; as you are here, it can easily be repaired."
"What mischief are you talking about?" said the trapper, beginning to feel uneasy.