“O mon Dieu!” said Denise; “is it possible! But, it is true, you are alone—What has become of Bertrand?”
“He has deserted me! He got tired of my follies, and he left the man who, in his prosperous days, treated him as a friend, not as a servant.”
“Bertrand deserted you—left you when you were unfortunate and a long way from home! Oh, no! no! that is impossible, monsieur! He loved and honored you! Bertrand is an old soldier, he has not forgotten all that he owes you; I will answer for his heart as surely as for my own.”
“Nevertheless, Denise, I have told you the truth. But let us go into the house; later I will tell you the story of my travels.”
“Oh! forgive me, monsieur; to think of my forgetting! Let’s go in quickly; come and rest.”
Denise led Auguste into the house. Coco followed them, jumping and crying aloud for joy.
“Here’s my kind friend come back! Denise won’t be sad any more!”
The girl ran to wake her old servant, and turned everything topsy-turvy in her haste to set before the wayfarer the best that she had; and as she went to and fro by Auguste, she stopped constantly to look at him, as if to make sure that he was not a delusion, then exclaimed:
“He is here! he has come back at last! he hadn’t forgotten us!”
And she wiped away a tear born of her emotion, which was instantly succeeded by a smile. Auguste was deeply moved by the pleasure that his arrival caused in the cottage. He did not tire of gazing at Denise, he noticed the change that had taken place in her language and manners and dress; and as he turned his eyes upon himself, he sighed and said: