“This picture became an ineffaceable memory, and when she saw him, the following year, playing marbles near the school with his comrades, she threw herself upon him, seized him in her arms, and kissed him with such violence that he began to howl with fear. Then, in order to appease him, she gave him all her money—three francs and twenty centimes, a real treasure which he looked at with bulging eyes.
“He took it and let her caress him as much as she wished.
“During the next four years she turned into his hand all her surplus, which he pocketed with a clear conscience, in exchange for permitted kisses. Once it was thirty sous, sometimes forty, and once only twelve—and she wept with grief and humiliation at this, but it had been a bad year. The last time there was a five-franc piece, a great round piece that made him laugh with content.
“She thought of nothing but him; and he waited her return with a certain impatience, running to meet her, which made the heart of the girl leap with joy.
“Then he disappeared. They had sent him away to college. She found it out by skilful questioning. Then she used her diplomacy to change her parents’ itinerary and make them pass through here during the holidays. She succeeded but only after two years of diplomacy. Then she had been two years without seeing him, and she scarcely recognized him, so much was he changed; he was so large and handsome in his coat with the brass buttons, and so imposing. He pretended not to see her and passed proudly by near her.
“She wept over it for two days, and after that she suffered without ceasing.
“Every year she returned here, passing him without daring to bow, and without his deigning to raise his eyes to her. She loved him passionately. She said to me: ‘Doctor, he is the only man I have seen on earth; I have not known that there are others existing.’
“Her parents died. She continued their trade, but took with her two dogs instead of one, two terrible dogs that no one would dare encounter.
“One day on entering this village, where her heart still remained, she perceived a young woman coming out of the Chouquet shop on the arm of her well-beloved. It was his wife. He was married.
“That evening she threw herself into the pond which is on the Town Hall square. A drunken man got her out and took her to the pharmacy. Chouquet, the son, came down in his dressing-gown, to care for her; and, without appearing to recognize her, loosed her clothing and rubbed her, then said, in a hard voice: ‘Why, you are mad! You must not do such foolish things.’
“That was sufficient to cure her. He had spoken to her! She was happy for a long time.
“He wanted no remuneration for his services, although she insisted upon paying him. And all her life was spent like this. She made chair seats and thought of Chouquet. Every year she saw him behind his large windows. She got into the habit of buying from him all her medical needs. In this way she could see him, speak to him, and still give him a little money.
“As I told you in the beginning, she died this spring. After having related her sad history, she begged me to give to him she had so patiently loved all the savings of her life, because she had worked only for him, she said, fasting even, in order to put aside, and to be sure that he would think of her at least once after she was dead.
“She then gave me two thousand three hundred and twenty-seven francs. I allowed the priest twenty-seven for burial, and carried off the rest when she had drawn her last breath.
“The next day, I took myself to the house of the Chouquets. They had just finished breakfast, sitting opposite each other, large and red, smelling of their pharmaceutical products, important and satisfied.
“They asked me to sit down; they offered me a kirsch which I accepted; then I commenced my discourse in an emotional voice, persuaded that they were going to weep.
“When he understood that he had been loved by this vagabond, this chair mender, this tramp, Chouquet bounced with indignation, as if she had robbed him of his reputation, of the esteem of honest people, of his honour, of something rare that was dearer to him than life.
“His wife, as exasperated as he, kept repeating: ‘The beggar! The beggar! The beggar!’ without being able to find any other word.
“He got up and walked around the table with long strides, his Greek cap tipped over his ear. He muttered: ‘Think of it, Doctor! This is a horrible thing to happen to a man! What is to be done? Oh! if I had known this while she was alive I would have had her arrested and shut up in prison. And she wouldn’t have got out, I can tell you!’
“I was stupefied at the result of my pious errand. I neither knew what to say nor what to do. But I had to end my mission. I said: ‘She has charged me to give you all her savings, which amount to two thousand three hundred francs. As what I have told you seems to be so very disagreeable to you, perhaps it would be better to give this money to the poor.’
“They looked at me, the man and the woman, unable to move from surprise. I drew the money from my pocket, miserable money from all countries, and of every denomination, gold and copper mixed. Then I asked: ‘What do you decide?’
“Madame Chouquet spoke first. She said: ‘Since it was the last wish of this woman—it seems to me that it would be difficult to refuse it.’
“The husband, somewhat confused, answered: ‘We could always buy with that money something for our children.’
“I remarked, dryly: ‘As you wish.’
“He continued: ‘Yes, give it to us, since she
