Honorine interrupted herself, for she had caught sight of Ami’s master, who was standing a few steps away, regarding her attentively; he still held in his hand the little phial he had used to restore her to consciousness.
It was an easy matter for the two ladies to examine at their ease the individual of whom they had heard so much; and the result of their examination was not unfavorable to him; for although, when seen at a distance, his bushy beard gave him a somewhat forbidding aspect, on looking at him nearer at hand and at leisure, one saw that his features were handsome and distinguished, that his eyes were not always fierce, that his expression was neither threatening nor calculated to inspire alarm.
Agathe, divining her friend’s amazement, made haste to say:
“This gentleman came to my assistance, for you didn’t come to yourself—I did not know what to do—oh! I was very unhappy!”
“But that cow that was running at me—how did I escape being hurt?”
“Because this good old dog here ran up to defend you, threw himself in front of her and barked and jumped at her nose! Oh! it was magnificent! And then, after putting the cow to flight, he ran to fetch his master to help me bring you to yourself.—Oh! how fine that was, Ami! Come, come here and let me embrace you!”
The girl put her arms about the dog’s neck and patted and caressed him; he submitted with a very good grace, wagging his tail, and looking at his master from time to time, as if to inform him that he already knew the two ladies.
Honorine rose and bowed gracefully to the owner of the Tower, saying:
“Pray accept all my thanks, monsieur, and excuse me for having disturbed you in your walk.”
“You owe me no thanks, madame; it is a duty to make oneself of use when one has the opportunity. You do not need this phial any more?”