Striding on, he reached his carriage. Perrine wanted him to say more, but he jumped in quickly and was driven off. She returned to the wagon.
"Go quickly to the druggist; then get some eggs. Take all the money; I must get well," said the mother.
"The doctor said he could cure you," said Perrine. "I'll go quickly for the things."
But all the money she took was not enough. When the druggist had read the prescription he looked at Perrine.
"Have you the money to pay for this?" he asked.
She opened her hand.
"This will come to seven francs, fifty," said the man who had already made his calculation.
She counted what she had in her hand and found that she had six francs eighty-five centimes, in counting the Austrian florin as two francs. She needed thirteen sous more.
"I have only six francs eighty-five centimes. Would you take this florin? I have counted that," she said.
"Oh, no; I should say not!" replied the man.