When Agathe was beginning to lose hope she saw the noble beast returning toward her, while his eyes seemed to say:
“Help is coming!”
And his master was soon by his side.
“Oh! monsieur—I beg you—my dear friend has fainted!” cried Agathe.
Paul had already taken a phial from his pocket, and he held it to Honorine’s nose, saying to the girl:
“It’s nothing; don’t be alarmed; your friend will come to herself in a moment. What was the cause of this accident?”
“Fright; a cow came running straight toward my friend, who is terribly afraid of them; and but for your good dog, who ran up and drove the cow away, she would certainly have been wounded.”
“See, she is coming to herself.”
Honorine opened her eyes at that moment. The first person she saw was Agathe, who was leaning over her and gazing anxiously into her face. The young woman smiled as she muttered:
“I am an awful coward, am I not? But it isn’t my fault; I was so frightened that——”