g group
had gathered round him. An old gentleman with a white mustache, wearing
a large round decoration, seemed particularly exasperated. He repeated:

"Confound it! When a man is as awkward as all that he should remain at
home and not come killing people in the streets, if he doesn't know how
to handle a horse."

Four men arrived on the scene, carrying the old woman. She appeared to
be dead. Her skin was like parchment, her cap on one side and she was
covered with dust.

"Take her to a druggist's," ordered the old gentleman, "and let us go to
the commissary of police."

Hector started on his way with a policeman on either side of him, a
third was leading his horse. A crowd followed them--and suddenly the
wagonette appeared in sight. His wife alighted in consternation, the
servant lost her head, the children whimpered. He explained that he
would soon be at home, that he had knocked a woman down and that there
was not much the matter. And his family, distracted with anxiety, went
on their way.

When they arrived before the commissary the explanation took place
in few words. He gave his name--Hector de Gribelin, employed at the
Ministry of Marine; and then they awaited news of the injured woman. A
policeman who had been sent to obtain information returned, saying
that she had recovered consciousness, but was complaining of frightful
internal pain. She was a charwoman, sixty-five years of age, named
Madame Simon.

When he heard that she was not dead Hector regained hope and promised to
defray her doctor's bill. Then he hastened to the druggist's. The
door way was thronged; the injured woman, huddled in an armchair, was
groaning. Her arms hung at her sides, her face was drawn. Two doctors
were still engaged in examining her. No bones were broken, but they
feared some internal lesion.

Hector addressed her:

"Do you suffer much?"

"Oh, yes!"

"Where is the pain?"

"I feel as if my stomach were on fire."

A doctor approached.

"Are you the gentleman who caused the accident?"

"I am."

"This woman ought to be sent to a home. I know one where they would take
her at six francs a day. Would you like me to send her there?"

Hector was delighted at the idea, thanked him and returned home much
relieved.

His wife, dissolved in tears, was awaiting him. He reassured her.

"It's all right. This Madame Simon is better already and will be quite
well in two or three days. I have sent her to a home. It's all righ