CHAPTER XXIX.
IN THE HOSPITAL.
Gilbert had obeyed Cagliostro's injunction to go to the GroscaillouHospital to attend to a patient.
At this period hospitals were far from being organized as at present,particularly military ones like this which was receiving the injured inthe massacre, while the dead were bundled into the river to save burialexpenses and hide the extent of the crime of Lafayette and Bailly.
Gilbert was welcomed by the overworked surgeons amid the disorder whichopposed their desires being fulfilled.
Suddenly in the maze, he heard a voice which he knew but had notexpected there.
"Ange Pitou," he exclaimed, seeing the peasant in National Guardsuniform by a bed; "what about Billet?"
"He is here," was the answer, as he showed a motionless body. "His headis split to the jaw."
"It is a serious wound," said Gilbert, examining the hurt. "You mustfind me a private room; this is a friend of mine," he added to the malenurses.
There were no private rooms but they gave up the laundry to Dr.Gilbert's special patient. Billet groaned as they carried him thither.
"Ah," said the doctor, "never did an exclamation of pleasure give mesuch joy as that wrung by pain; he lives--that is the main point."
It was not till he had finished the dressing that he asked the news ofPitou.
The matter was simple. Since the disappearance of Catherine, whomIsidore Charny had had transported to Paris with her babe, and thedeparture of Billet to town also, Mother Billet, whom we have neverpresented as a strong-minded woman, fell into an increasing state ofidiocy. Dr. Raynal said that nothing would rouse her from this torporbut the sight of her daughter.
Without waiting for the cue, Pitou started to Paris. He seemedpredestined to arrive there at great events.
The first time, he was in time to take a hand in the storming of theBastile; the next, to help the Federation of 1790; and now he arrivedfor the Massacre of the Champ de Mars. He heard that it had all comeabout over a petition drawn up by Dr. Gilbert and presented by Billet tothe signers.
Pitou learnt at the doctor's house that he had come home, but there wereno tidings of the farmer.
On going to the scene of blood, Pitou happened on the nearly lifelessbody which would have been hurled in the river but for hisinterposition.
It was thus that Pitou hailed the doctor in the hospital and the woundedman had his chances improved by being in such skillful hands as hisfriend Gilbert's.
As Billet could not be taken to his wife's bedside, Catherine was morethan ever to be desired there. Where was she? The only way to reach herwould be through the Charny family.
Happily Ange had been so warmly greeted by her when he took Sebastian toher house that he did not hesitate to call again.
He went there with the doctor in the latter's carriage; but the housewas dark and dismal. The count and countess had gone to their countryseat at Boursonnes.
"Excuse me, my friend," said the doctor to the janitor who had receivedthe National Guards captain with no friendliness, "but can you not giveme a piece of information in your master's absence?"
"I beg pardon, sir," said the porter recognizing the tone of a superiorin this blandness and politeness.
He opened the door and in his nightcap and undress came to take theorders of the carriage-gentleman.
"My friend, do you know anything about a young woman from the country inwhom the count and countess are taking interest?"
"Miss Catherine?" asked the porter.
"The same," replied Gilbert.
"Yes, sir; my lord and my lady sent me twice to see her and learn ifshe stood in need of anything, but the poor girl, whom I do not believeto be well off, no more than her dear little child, said she wanted fornothing."
Pitou sighed heavily at the mention of the dear little child.
"Well, my friend," continued the doctor, "poor Catherine's father waswounded on the Field of Mars, and her mother, Mrs. Billet, is dying outat Villers Cotterets, which sad news we want to break to her. Will youkindly give us her address?"
"Oh, poor girl, may heaven assist her. She was unhappy enough before.She is living at Villedavray, your honor, in the main street. I cannotgive you the number, but it is in front of the public well."
"That is straight enough," said Pitou; "I can find it."
"Thanks, my friend," said Gilbert, slipping a silver piece into theman's hand.
"There was no need of that, sir, for Christians ought to do a goodturn amongst themselves," said the janitor, doffing his nightcap andreturning indoors.
"I am off for Villedavray," said Pitou.
He was always ready to go anywhere on a kind errand.
"Do you know the way?"
"No; but somebody will tell me."
"You have a golden heart and steel muscles," said the doctor laughing;"but you want rest and had better start to-morrow."
"But it is a pressing matter----"
"On neither side is there urgency," corrected the doctor; "Billet'sstate is serious but not mortal unless by mischance. Mother Billet maylinger ten days yet."
"She don't look it, but, of course, you know best."
"We may as well leave poor Catherine another night of repose andignorance; a night's rest is of importance to the unfortunate, Pitou."
"Then, where are we going, doctor?" asked the peasant, yielding to theargument.
"I shall give you a room you have slept in before; and to-morrow at six,my horses shall be put to the carriage to take you to Villedavray."
"Lord, is it fifty leagues off?"
"Nay, it is only two or three."
"Then I can cover it in an hour or two--I can lick it up like an egg."
"Yes, but Catherine can lick up like an egg the distance fromVilledavray to Paris and the eighteen leagues from Paris to VillersCotterets?"
"True: excuse me, doctor, for being a fool. Talking of fools--no, I meanthe other way about--how is Sebastian?"
"Wonderfully well, you shall see him to-morrow."
"Still at college? I shall be downright glad."
"And so shall he, for he loves you with all his heart."
At six, he started in the carriage and by seven was at Catherine's door.She opened it and shrieked on seeing Pitou:
"I know--my mother is dead!"
She turned pale and leaned against the wall.
"No; but you will have to hasten to see her before she goes," repliedthe messenger.
This brief exchange of words said so much in little that Catherine wasat once placed face to face with her affliction.
"That is not all," added the peasant.
"What's the other misfortune?" queried Catherine, in the sharp tone ofone who has exhausted the measure of human ails and has no fear of anoverflow.
"Master Billet was dangerously wounded on the parade-grounds."
"Ah," said she, much less affected by this news than the other.
"So I says to myself, and Dr. Gilbert bears me out: 'Miss Catherinewill pay a visit to her father at the hospital on the way down to hermother's.'"
"But you, Pitou?" queried the girl.
"While you go by stage-coach to help Mother Billet to make her longjourney, I will stay by the farmer. You understand that I must stick tohim who has never a soul to look after him, see?"
Pitou spoke the words with that angelic simplicity of his, with no ideathat he was painting his whole devoted nature.
"You have a kind heart, Ange," said she, giving him her hand. "Come andkiss my little Isidore."
She walked into the house, prettier than ever, though she was clad inblack, which drew another sigh from Pitou.
She had one little room, overlooking the garden, its furniture a bed forthe mother and a cradle for the infant. It was sleeping.
She pulled a muslin curtain aside for him to see it.
"Oh, the sweet little angel!" exclaimed Pitou.
He knelt as it were to an angel, and kissed the tiny hand. He wasspeedily rewarded
for his devotion for he felt Catherine's tresses onhis head and her lips on his forehead. The mother was returning thecaress given her son.
"Thank you, good Pitou," she said; "since the last kiss he had from hisfather, I alone have fondled the pet."
"Oh, Miss Catherine!" muttered Pitou, dazzled and thrilled by the kissas by an electrical shock.
And yet it was purely what a mother's caress may contain of the holy andgrateful.
Ten minutes afterwards, Catherine, little Isidore and Pitou were rollingin the doctor's carriage towards the hospital, where she handed thechild to the peasant with as much or more trust as she would have had ina brother, and walked in at the door.
Dr. Gilbert was by his patient's side. Little change had taken place.Despite the beginning of fever, the face was still deadly pale from thegreat loss of blood and one eye and the left cheek were swelling.
Catherine dropped on her knees by the bedside, and said as she raisedher hands to heaven,
"O my God, Thou knowest that my utmost wish has been for my father'slife to be spared."
This was as much as could be expected from the girl whose lover's lifehad been attempted by her father.
The patient shuddered at this voice, and his breathing was more hurried;he opened his eyes and his glance, wandering for a space over the room,was fixed on the woman. His hand made a move to repulse this figurewhich he doubtless took to be a vision. Their glances met, and Gilbertwas horrified to see the hatred which shot towards each, rather thanaffection.
She rose and went to find Pitou by the door. He was on all fours,playing with the babe.
She caught up her boy with a roughness more like a lioness than a woman,and pressed it to her bosom, crying,
"My child, oh, my child!"
In the outburst were all the mother's anguish, the widow's wails, andthe woman's pangs.
Pitou proposed seeing her to the stage, but she repulsed him, saying:
"Your place is here."
Pitou knew nothing but to obey when Catherine commanded.
The Royal Life Guard; or, the flight of the royal family. Page 29