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124 THE CONFESSION OF A FOOL
been long- enough the cause of unpleasantness between you ;
forget me, as I will forget you."
Towards noon a second letter arrived :
"Let us once more revive our old friendship. I have
always respected you, and, in spite of your error, I am
convinced that you have behaved like a man of honour.
Let us bury the past. Come back to me as a brother,
and the matter will be forgotten."
The pathetic simplicity, the perfect confidence of the
man touched me ; in my reply I mentioned my misgivings,
and begged him not to play with fire, but leave me in
future unmolested.
At three o’clock in the afternoon I received a last com-
munication : the Baroness was dying ; the doctor had just
left her ; she had asked for me. The Baron entreated me
not to refuse her request, and I went. Poor me Î
I entered. The room smelt of chloroform. The Baron
received me with great agitation and tears in his eyes.
" What’s the matter? " I asked, with the calmness of a
doctor.
" I don’t know. But she has been at death’s door."
" And the doctor, what did he say? "
" He shook his head and said it was not a case for him."
’’Has he given her a prescription?
"
"No."
He took me into the dining-room, Avliich had been trans-
formed into a sick-room. She was lying on a couch, stiff,
haggard ; her hair was falling over her shoulders, her eyes
glowed like red-hot coals. She moved her hand, and her
husband put it into mine. Then he returned into the
drawing-room and left us by ourselves. My heart re-
mained unmoved ; I did not trust my eyes ; the unusual
spectacle roused my suspicions.
" Do you know that I nearly died ?"
"Yes."
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