The viscount may have been about to enter upon a catalogue of Arnauld du Thill's misdeeds; but he was interrupted by his nurse, who returned to the room, followed by a man in the garb of a peasant.
"Well, what does this mean?" said Aloyse. "Here is a man who claims that he was sent here to announce your death, Martin-Guerre!"
CHAPTER VI
IN WHICH MARTIN-GUERRE'S CHARACTER BEGINS TO BE
REHABILITATED
"My death!" ejaculated Martin, turning pale at Dame Aloyse's terrible words.
"Oh, God be merciful unto me!" cried the peasant, as soon as he cast his eye upon the squire.
"Can it be that my other self is dead? God be praised!" said Martin. "Am I at last relieved from this continual changing back and forth? Bah! On the whole, upon reflection, I should be a little sorry if it is so, but still reasonably satisfied. Why don't you speak, friend? Speak!" he added, addressing himself to the bewildered peasant.
"Ah, Master," replied the latter, when he had looked closely at Martin and touched him with his hands, "how does it happen that you are here before me? I swear to you, Master, that I came as quickly as a man could come to do your errand, and earn the ten crowns; and unless you came in the saddle, Master, it is absolutely impossible for you to have passed me on the road, and in that case I must have seen you."
"To be sure; but, my good fellow, I never saw you before," said Martin-Guerre; "and yet you talk as if you knew me!"
"As if I knew you!" said the stupefied peasant. "Do you mean to say that you didn't send me here to say that Martin-Guerre had been hanged and was dead?"