Page:Middle Aged Love Stories (IA middleagedlove00bacorich).djvu/175

 I tell heem I must work; I come here to work—would I rest here?

" 'You must go back to France, you fret yourself too much; you have ze weak heart, monsieur, you are here too long already.' Dame! Is it zat I stay for my pleasure?

" 'I have no medicine for you, monsieur; it is not ze doctorre nor ze tonique nor ze r-h-est for you—it is to go home. Ze systemme it runs down, down, zen ze heart it grows weak, weak, and zen, monsieur, vous savez, it stops.'...

" 'Mais, monsieur, I cannot go, I have not ze money—ze school grows small, I am so often sick.' Ah, mademoiselle, figure to yourself! I, Sylvestre Laroche, say zis to a stranger—I speak so!

" 'It is to regret, monsieur. Zere is no friend—?' " 'Monsieur, I have no money but a little; how shall I pay?

"Ah, Mlle. Sabine, how can I laugh