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swear to you that I will be your devoted and faithful servant。〃
It happened further that Dr。 Naudin pressed to his lips the hand
that reached him the precious gift； and that upon this hand two
tears fell from the eyes of the physician； long accustomed to look
upon human misery and pain； and which had not for years been
suffused with moisture。
Just then； approaching steps being heard in the corridor； the doctor
rose quickly； concealed the pears in his pocket； and entered the
chamber of the sick woman at the same instant when Simon returned
from his visit above…stairs。
Tne boy slipped； with the doctor； into the sick…room； and as no one
paid any attention to him； he stole softly into his room； crouched
down upon his straw bed； with fluttering heart； to think over all he
had experienced or dreamed of that day。
〃And how is it with our sick one to…day？〃 asked Doctor Naudin；
sitting down near the bed； and giving a friendly nod to Simon to do
the same。
〃It goes badly with me；〃 moaned Mistress Simon。 〃My heart seems to
be on fire； and I have no rest day or night。 I believe that it is
all over with me； and that I shall die； and that is the best thing
for me； for then I shall be free again； and not have to endure the
torments that I have had to undergo in this dreadful dungeon。〃
〃What kind of pains are they？〃 asked the doctor。 〃Where do you
suffer？〃
〃I will tell you； citizen doctor；〃 cried Simon； impatiently。 〃Her
pains are everywhere； in every corner of this lonely and cursed
building； and if it goes on so long； we shall have to pack and move。
The authorities have done us both a great honor； for they have had
confidence enough in us to give the little Capet into our charge；
but it is our misfortune to be so honored； and we shall both die of
it。 For； not to make a long story of it； we both cannot endure the
air of the prison； the stillness and solitude； and it is a dreadful
thing for us to see nothing else the whole day than the stupid face
of this youngster； always looking at me so dreadfully with his great
blue eyes； that it really affects one。 We are neither of us used to
such an idle； useless life； and it will be the death of us； citizen
doctor。 My wife； Jeanne Marie； whom you see lying there so pale and
still； used to be the liveliest and most nimble woman about； and
could do as much with her strong arms and brown hands as four other
women。 And then she was the bravest and most outrageous republican
that ever was； when it came to battling for the people。 We both
helped to storm the Bastile； both went to Versailles that time； and
afterward took the wolf's brood from the Tuileries and brought them
to the Convention。 Afterward Jeanne Marie was always the first on
the platform near the guillotine； and when Samson and his assistants
mounted the scaffold in the morning； and waited for the cars； the
first thing they did was to look over to the tribune to see if
Mistress Simon was there with her knitting； for it used to seem to
them that the work of hewing off heads went more briskly on if
Jeanne Marie was there and kept the account in her stocking。 Samson
himself told me this； and said to me that Jeanne Marie was the
bravest of all the women； and that she never trembled； and that her
eyes never turned away； however many heads fell into the basket。 And
she was there too when the Austrian〃
〃Hush！〃 cried Jeanne Marie； rising up hastily in bed； and motioning
to her husband to be silent。 〃Do not speak of that； lest the
youngster hear it； and turn his dreadful eyes upon us。 Do not speak
of that fearful day； for it was then that my sickness began； and I
believe that there was poison in the brandy that we drank that
evening。 Yes； yes； there was poison in it； and from that comes the
fire that burns in my heart； and I shall die of it！ Oh！ I shall burn
to death with it！〃
She put her hands before her face and sank back upon the pillows；
sobbing。 Simon shook his head and heaved a deep sigh。 〃It is not
that；〃 murmured he； 〃it is not from that； doctor！ The thing is； that
Jeanne Marie has no work and no exercise； and that she is going to
wreck； because we are compelled to live here as kings and
aristocrats used to live； without labor and occupation； and without
doing any more than to nurse our fancies。 We shall all die of this；
I tell you！〃
〃But if you know this； citizen； why do you not give up your
situation？ Why do you not petition the authorities to dismiss you
from this service； and give you something else to do？〃
〃I have done that twice already；〃 answered Simon； bringing his fist
down upon the table near the bed so violently that the bottles of
medicine standing there were jerked high into the air。 〃Twice
already have I tried to be transferred to some other duty； and the
answer has been sent back； that the country orders me to stand at my
post； and that there is no one who could take my place。〃
〃That is very honorable and flattering；〃 remarked the physician。
〃Yes； but very burdensome and disagreeable；〃 answered Simon。 〃We are
prisoners while holding these honorable and flattering posts。 We can
no more leave the Temple than Capet can； for； since his father died；
and the crazy legitimists began to call him King Louis XVII。； the
chief magistrate and the Convention have been very anxious。 They are
afraid of secret conspiracies； and consider it possible that the
little prisoner may be taken away from here by intrigue。 We have to
watch him day and night； therefore； and are never allowed to leave
the Temple； lest we should meet with other people； and lest the
legitimists should make the attempt to get into our good graces。
Would you believe； citizen doctor； that they did not even allow me
to go to the grand festival which the city of Paris gave in honor of
the taking of Toulan！ While all the people were shouting； and having
a good time； Jeanne Marie and I had to stay here in this good…for…
nothing Temple； and see and hear nothing of the fine doings。 And
this drives the gall into my blood； and it will make us both sick；
and it is past endurance！〃
〃I believe that you are right； citizen；〃 said the physician；
thoughtfully。 〃Yes； the whole trouble of your wife comes from the
fact that she is here in the Temple； and if she must be shut up here
always she will continue to suffer。〃
〃Yes； to suffer always； to suffer dreadfully；〃 groaned Jeanne Marie。
Then； all at once； she raised herself up and turned with a
commanding bearing to her husband。 〃Simon；〃 she said； 〃the doctor
shall know all that I suffer。 He shall examine my breast； and the
place where I have the greatest pain； but in your presence I shall
say nothing。〃
〃Well； well； I will go；〃 growled Simon。 〃But I think those are
pretty manners！〃
〃They are the manners of a respectable and honorable woman；〃 said
the doctor； gravely〃a woman who does not show the pains and
ailments of her body to any one excepting her physician。 Go； go；
Citizen Simon； and you will esteem your good wife none the less for
not letting you hear what she has to say to her old physician。〃
〃No； certainly not；〃 answered Simon； 〃and that you may both see that
I am not curious to hear what you have to say to one another； I will
go with the youngster up to the platform and remain a whole hour
with him。〃
〃You will beat him again； and I shall hear him；〃 said Jeanne Marie；
weeping。 〃I hear every thing now that goes on in the Temple； and
whenever you strike； the youngster； I feel every blow in my brain；
and that gives me pain enough to drive me to distraction。〃
〃I promise you； Jeanne Marie； that I will not strike him； and will
not trouble myself about him at all。 He can play with his ball。
Halloa； Capet！ Come！ We are going up on the platform。 Take your ball
and any thing else you like； for you shall play to…day and have a
good time。〃
The child stole out of his room with his ball； not looking
particularly delighted； and the prospect of 〃playing〃 did not give
wings to his steps； nor call a smile to his swollen face。 He left
the room noiselessly； and Simon slammed the doors violently behind
him。
〃And now we are alone；〃 said Doctor Naudin； 〃and you can tell me
about your sickness； and about every thing that troubles you。〃
〃Ah； doctor； I do not dare to；〃 she whispered。 〃I am overpowered by
a dreadful fear； and I think you will betray me； and bring my
husband and myself to the scaffold。〃
〃I am no betrayer；〃 answered the doctor； solemnly。 〃The physician is
like a priest； he receives the secrets and disclosures of his
patients； and lets not a word of them pass his lips。 But； in order
that you may take courage； I will first prove to you that I put
confidence in you； by showing you that I understand you。 I will tell
you what the disease is that you are suffering from； and also its
locality。 Jeanne Marie Simon； you are enduring that with which no
pains of the body can be compared。 Your sickness has its seat in the
conscience； and its name is remorse and despair。〃
Jeanne Marie uttered a heart…rending cry； and sprang like an
exasperated tiger from her bed。 〃You lie！〃 she said； seizing the
doctor's arm with both hands； 〃that is a foul； damnable calumny；
that you have thought out me