Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Part III - II
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THE CONFESSION OF A FOOL 185
But generosity was not one of her virtues. She burst
into a torrent of angry words : My origin was very evident ;
I had no education, no manners, since I rebuked her
before a servant, a stupid girl who had misunderstood
her instructions. There was no doubt that I, and I only,
was to blame. Hysterics followed, she grew more and
more violent, jumped up from her chair, threw herself on
the sofa, raved like a maniac, sobbed and screamed that
she was dying.
I was sceptical, and remained untouched.
Such a fuss, and all about a dog !
But she continued to scream ; it was a frightful scene ;
a terrible cough shook her frame, which since her con-
finement had grown even more fragile ; I was deceived
after all, and sent for the doctor.
He came, examined her heart, felt her pulse, and surlily
turned to go i I stopped him on the threshold.
"Well?"
" H’m ! nothing at all," he answered, putting on his
overcoat.
"Nothing? . . . But. . .
."
’•Nothing whatever. . . . You ought to know
women. . . . Good day! "
If I had only known then what I know now, if I had
known the secret, the remedy for hysteria which I have
discovered since ! But the only thing which occurred to
me at the time was to kiss her eyes and ask her pardon.
And that was what I did. She pressed me to her heart,
called me her sensible child who should take care of her
because she was very delicate, very weak, and would die
one day if her little boy had not the sense to avoid scenes.
To make her quite happy I took her dog upon my knees
and stroked its back ; and for the next half hour I was
rewarded with looks full of the tenderest affection and
gratitude.
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