“For five days now you’ve been there in bed, and in that time fever and delirium have been playing a fine game with you! Your brain galloped like the infernal horse that knocked you down. We tried in vain to calm you; you called me Eugénie, you talked about nothing but Eugénie. Sometimes you adored her, and the next minute you cursed her; so that the concierge, who is a bit of a gossip, said that some woman named Eugénie must have been playing tricks on you; and I replied: ‘You must see that monsieur is delirious, and consequently he doesn’t know what he is saying.’ In short, I don’t know whether I did right, monsieur, but seeing you in that condition, and no one with you to nurse you, I stationed myself here and I haven’t budged. The concierge undertook to object, he wanted his niece, who is nine years old, to nurse you; but prout! I didn’t listen to him, and I said: ‘I was the one who brought monsieur home wounded, and I won’t leave him until he’s cured.’ If I did wrong, I ask your pardon, and I will go away.” I offered my hand to Pettermann again. “Far from doing wrong, my friend, it is I who am deeply indebted to you.” “Not at all, monsieur, I owe you forty francs. But as soon as you get your cloth----” “Let’s not talk about that.” “All right; besides, you mustn’t talk much, that’s another of the doctor’s orders.” “Has anyone been to see me?” “Not a cat has entered the room except the doctor and the concierge.” Ernest and his wife could know nothing of my accident; otherwise I was sure that they would have come to take care of me. So henceforth I could have only strangers about me. Ah! if my mother had known--but I was very glad that she had not been informed of the accident, which would have frightened her. There were many other things too which she did not know and which I would have been glad to conceal from her forever. I tried to rest, but Eugénie’s image often disturbed my sleep. It was she who was the cause of my being in that bed. It was impossible that she should not have recognized me, for her horse passed close to me; and she did not return! Had she heard the commotion caused by my accident? That I did not know. While I shunned society as if I were guilty, Eugénie was indulging in all forms of pleasure. She, who used to mount a horse only in fear and trepidation, and to ride very quietly, now rode through the Bois de Boulogne at a fast gallop and displayed the rash courage of an experienced horseman! It still seemed to me that I was dreaming, that I was delirious. Since the Eugénie of the old days no longer existed, it seemed to me I must forget the new one, I must think no more of the woman who had wrecked my life.