Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 3).djvu/317

Rh "Alas, sir!" exclaimed Barrois, "a great misfortune has happened. Madame de Saint-Meran has arrived, and her husband is dead!"

M. de Saint-Meran and Noirtier had never been on strict terms of friendship; still, the death of one old man always considerably affects another. Noirtier let his head fall upon his chest, apparently overwhelmed and thoughtful; then, closing one eye. Barrois asked, "Mademoiselle Valentine?" Noirtier nodded his head.

"She is at the ball, as you know, since she came to say good-bye to you in full dress." Noirtier again closed his left eye.

"Do you wish to see her!" Noirtier again made an affirmative sign.

"Well, they have gone to fetch her, no doubt, from Madame de Morcerf's; I will await her return, and beg her to come up here. Is that what you wish for?"

"Yes," replied the invalid.

Barrois, therefore, as we have seen, watched for Valentine, and informed her of her grandfather's wish. Consequently, Valentine came up to Noirtier, on leaving Madame de Saint-Meran, who, in the midst of her grief, had at last yielded to fatigue, and fallen into a feverish sleep. Within reach of her hand they placed a small table, upon which stood a bottle of orangeade, her usual beverage, and a glass. Then, as we have said, the young girl left the bedside to see M. Noirtier.

Valentine kissed the old man, who looked at her with such tenderness that her eyes again rilled with tears, whose sources he thought must be exhausted. The old gentleman continued to dwell upon her with the same expression. .

"Yes, yes," said Valentine, "you mean that I have yet a kind grand father left, do you not?" The old man intimated that such was his meaning. "Alas! happily I have," continued Valentine. "Without that, what would become of me?"

It was one o'clock in the morning. Barrois, who wished to go to bed himself, observed that after such sad events every one stood in need of rest. Noirtier would not say that the only rest he needed was to see his child, but wished her good-night, for grief and fatigue had made her appear quite ill.

The next morning she found her grandmother in bed; the fever had not abated; on the contrary, her eyes glistened, and she appeared to be suffering from violent nervous irritability.

"Oh, dear grandmamma! are you worse!" exclaimed Valentine, perceiving all these signs of agitation.

"No, my child, no!" said Madame de Saint-Meran, "but I was impatiently awaiting your arrival, that I might send for your father."

"My father?" inquired Valentine, uneasily.