And then the doctor is to come in."

"Why didn't you go?" I demanded, with a sudden remembrance that he was
staying away from happiness.

"It was because I longed for another taste of liberty, Davy," he
laughed. "You and I will have an old-fashioned time here together,--a
deal of talk, and perhaps a little piquet,--who knows?"

My strength came back, bit by bit, and listening to his happiness did
much to ease the soreness of my heart--while the light lasted. It was
in the night watches that my struggles came--though often some unwitting
speech of his would bring back the pain. He took delight in telling me,
for example, how for hours at a time I had been in a fearful delirium.

"The Lord knows what foolishness you talked, Davy," said he. "It would
have done me good to hear you had you been in your right mind."

"But you did hear me," I said, full of apprehensions.

"Some of it," said he. "You were after Wilkinson once, in a burrow, I
believe, and you swore dreadfully because he got out of the other end.
I can't remember all the things you said. Oh, yes, once you were talking
to Auguste de St. Gre about money."

"Money?" I repeated in a sinking voice.

"Oh, a lot of jargon." The Vicomtesse pushed me out of the room, and
after that I was never allowed to be there when you had those flights.
Curse the mosquitoes! He seized a fan and began to ply it vigorously. "I
remember. You were giving Auguste a lecture. Then I had to go."

These and other reminiscences gave me sufficient food for reflection,
and many a shudder over the possibilities of my ravings. She had put him
out! No wonder.

After a while I was carried to the gallery, and there I would talk
to the little doctor about the yellow fever which had swept the city.
Monsieur Perrin was not much of a doctor, to be sure, and he had
a heartier dread of the American invasion than of the scourge. He
worshipped the Vicomtesse, and was so devoid of professional pride as to
give her freely all credit for my recovery. He too, clothed her with the
qualities of statesmanship.

"Ha, Monsieur," he said, "if that lady had been King of France, do you
think there would have been any States General, any red bonnets, any
Jacobins or Cordeliers? Parbleu, she would have swept the vicemongers
and traitors out of the Palais Royal itself. There would have been a
house-cleaning there. I, who speak to you, know it."

Every day Nick wrote a bulletin to be sent to the Vicomtesse, and