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for these two days past； 'If I had ONLY given him a foot…bath； he would be living now！'
〃M Benassis was hungry； he made a good dinner。 I thought that he was in higher spirits than usual； we both of us laughed a great deal； I had never seen him laugh so much before。 After dinner； towards seven o'clock； a man came with a message from Saint Laurent du Pont； it was a serious case； and M。 Benassis was urgently needed。 He said to me； 'I shall have to go； though I never care to set out on horseback when I have hardly digested my dinner； more especially when it is as cold as this。 It is enough to kill a man！'
〃For all that； he went。 At nine o'clock the postman Goguelat； brought a letter for M。 Benassis。 Jacquotte was tired out； for it was her washing…day。 She gave me the letter and went off to bed。 She begged me to keep a good fire in our bedroom； and to have some tea ready for M。 Benassis when he came in； for I am still sleeping in the little cot… bed in his room。 I raked out the fire in the salon； and went upstairs to wait for my good friend。 I looked at the letter； out of curiosity； before I laid it on the chimney… piece； and noticed the handwriting and the postmark。 It came from Paris； and I think it was a lady's hand。 I am telling you about it because of things that happened afterwards。
〃About ten o'clock； I heard the horse returning； and M。 Benassis' voice。 He said to Nicolle； 'It is cold enough to…night to bring the wolves out。 I do not feel at all well。' Nicolle said； 'Shall I go and wake Jacquotte？' And M。 Benassis answered； 'Oh！ no； no；' and came upstairs。
〃I said； 'I have your tea here； all ready for you；' and he smiled at me in the way that you know； and said； 'Thank you； Adrien。' That was his last smile。 In a moment he began to take off his cravat； as though he could not breathe。 'How hot it is in here！' he said and flung himself down in an armchair。 'A letter has come for you； my good friend；' I said； 'here it is；' and I gave him the letter。 He took it up and glanced at the handwriting。 'Ah！ mon Dieu！' he exclaimed； 'perhaps she is free at last！' Then his head sank back； and his hands shook。 After a little while he set the lamp on the table and opened the letter。 There was something so alarming in the cry he had given that I watched him while he read； and saw that his face was flushed； and there were tears in his eyes。 Then quite suddenly he fell； head forwards。 I tried to raise him； and saw how purple his face was。
〃 'It is all over with me；' he said； stammering； it was terrible to see how he struggled to rise。 'I must be bled； bleed me！' he cried； clutching my hand。 。 。 。 'Adrien；' he said again； 'burn this letter！' He gave it to me； and I threw it on the fire。 I called for Jacquotte and Nicolle。 Jacquotte did not hear me； but Nicolle did； and came hurrying upstairs； he helped me to lay M。 Benassis on my little bed。 Our dear friend could not hear us any longer when we spoke to him； and although his eyes were open； he did not see anything。 Nicolle galloped off at once to fetch the surgeon； M。 Bordier； and in this way spread the alarm through the town。 It was all astir in a moment。 M。 Janvier； M。 Dufau； and all the rest of your acquaintance were the first to come to us。 But all hope was at an end； M。 Benassis was dying fast。 He gave no sign of consciousness； not even when M。 Bordier cauterized the soles of his feet。 It was an attack of gout； combined with an apoplectic stroke。
〃I am giving you all these details； dear father； because I know how much you cared for him。 As for me； I am very sad and full of grief； for I can say to you that I cared more for him than for any one else except you。 I learned more from M。 Benassis' talk in the evenings than ever I could have learned at school。
〃You cannot imagine the scene next morning when the news of his death was known in the place。 The garden and the yard here were filled with people。 How they sobbed and wailed！ Nobody did any work that day。 Every one recalled the last time that they had seen M。 Benassis； and what he had said； or they talked of all that he had done for them； and those who were least overcome with grief spoke for the others。 Every one wanted to see him once more； and the crowd grew larger every moment。 The sad news traveled so fast that men and women and children came from ten leagues round； all the people in the district； and even beyond it； had that one thought in their minds。
〃It was arranged that four of the oldest men of the commune should carry the coffin。 It was a very difficult task for them； for the crowd was so dense between the church and M。 Benassis' house。 There must have been nearly five thousand people there； and almost every one knelt as if the Host were passing。 There was not nearly room for them in the church。 In spite of their grief； the crowd was so silent that you could hear the sound of the bell during mass and the chanting as far as the end of the High Street； but when the procession started again for the new cemetery； which M。 Benassis had given to the town； little thinking； poor man； that he himself would be the first to be buried there； a great cry went up。 M。 Janvier wept as he said the prayers； there were no dry eyes among the crowd。 And so we buried him。
〃As night came on the people dispersed； carrying sorrow and mourning everywhere with them。 The next day Gondrin and Goguelat； and Butifer； with others； set to work to raise a sort of pyramid of earth； twenty feet high； above the spot where M。 Benassis lies； it is being covered now with green sods； and every one is helping them。 These things； dear father； have all happened in three days。
〃M。 Dufau found M。 Benassis' will lying open on the table where he used to write。 When it was known how his property had been left； affection and regret for his loss became even deeper if possible。 And now； dear father； I am writing for Butifer （who is taking this letter to you） to come back with your answer。 You must tell me what I am to do。 Will you come to fetch me； or shall I go to you at Grenoble？ Tell me what you wish me to do； and be sure that I shall obey you in everything。
〃Farewell； dear father； I send my love； and I am your affectionate son；
ADRIEN GENESTAS。〃
〃Ah！ well； I must go over；〃 the soldier exclaimed。
He ordered his horse and started out。 It was one of those still December mornings when the sky is covered with gray clouds。 The wind was too light to disperse the thick fog； through which the bare trees and damp house fronts seemed strangely unfamiliar。 The very silence was gloomy。 There is such a thing as a silence full of light and gladness； on a bright day there is a certain joyousness about the slightest sound； but in such dreary weather nature is not silent； she is dumb。 All sounds seemed to die away； stifled by the heavy air。
There was something in the gloom without him that harmonized with Colonel Genestas' mood； his heart was oppressed with grief； and thoughts of death filled his mind。 Involuntarily he began to think of the cloudless s