Master Zacharius looked intently at Gerande, and did not reply. Suddenly he uttered a cry, carried his hand eagerly to his heart, and fell fainting on his old leathern chair.
“Father, what is the matter?”
“Father, what is the matter?”
“Help!” cried Aubert. “Scholastique!”
But Scholastique did not come at once. Some one was knocking at the front door; she had gone to open it, and when she returned to the shop, before she could open her mouth, the old watchmaker, having recovered his senses, spoke:—
“I divine, my old Scholastique, that you bring me still another of those accursed watches which have stopped.”
“Lord, it is true enough!” replied Scholastique, handing a watch to Aubert.
“My heart could not be mistaken!” said the old man, with a sigh.