[CHAPTER XIX.]
THE FIXED IDEA.
For some days Monsieur Roger made no allusion to the secret which now filled his soul, nor to that strange idea which filled his whole brain. He retired into himself, thinking that this folly which had suddenly come to him would go away as suddenly, and again feeling, in spite of all, the certain loss of a dream which had made him so happy. And still, the more he looked at Paul, which he did only on the sly, not daring to look him in the face, as formerly, for fear of betraying himself, the more and more evident and real did the mysterious resemblance appear to him. The Dalize family had remarked the absence of mind and the wandering look of Monsieur Roger. Still, they thought that that was simply because something had reminded him of his sorrows. Even Paul could not help taking notice of the new attitude which Monsieur Roger had taken up with regard to him. The kindness and sympathy which Monsieur Roger had shown him in the first few days of his acquaintance had greatly touched the motherless boy, whose father was far away on the other side of the ocean.
Now, for some days, it had seemed to Paul that Monsieur Roger sought to avoid his presence,—he neither spoke to him nor looked at him. Once only Paul had surprised a look which Monsieur Roger had given him, and in this sad look he had discovered an affection so profound that it felt to him almost like a paternal caress. Yet, Paul was forced to acknowledge that his father had never looked at him in that way.
One evening, after dinner, Monsieur Dalize led his friend Roger into the garden in front of the house, and said to him,—
"Roger, my dear friend, you have made us uneasy for some days. Now we are alone. What is the matter with you?"
"Why, nothing is the matter with me," said Monsieur Roger, surprised at the question.
"Why, certainly, something is the matter. What has happened to you?"