“James, James!” said Mr. Desgranges; but the poor man could not be silenced.
“It is enough to know he is in the village; this makes my heart easy. I do not always wish to come in, but I pass before his house, it is always there; and when he is gone a journey I make Juliana lead me into the plain of Noiesemont, and I say—'turn me towards the place where he is gone, that I may breathe the same air with him.'”
Mr. Desgranges put his hand before his mouth. James stopped.
“You are right, Mr. Desgranges, my mouth is rude, it is only my heart which is right. Come, wife,” said he, gayly, and drying his great tears which rolled from his eyes, “Come, we must give our children their supper. Good-by, my dear friend, good-by, sir.”
He went away, moving his staff before him. Just as he laid his hand upon the door, Mr. Desgranges called him back.
“I want to tell you a piece of news which will give you pleasure. I was going to leave the village this year; but I have just taken a new lease of five years of my landlady.”
“Do you see, Juliana,” said James to his wife, turning round, “I was right when I said he was going away.”
“How,” replied Mr. Desgranges, “I had told them not to tell you of it.”
“Yes; but here,” putting his hand on his heart, “everything is plain here. I heard about a month since, some little words, which had begun to make my head turn round; when, last Sunday, your landlady called me to her, and showed me more kindness than usual, promising me that she would take care of me, and that she would never abandon me. When I came home, I said to Juliana, 'Wife, Mr. Desgranges is going to quit the village; but that lady has consoled me.'”
In a few moments the blind man had returned to his home.