CHAPTER VIII.

DEATH AND A PR0P0SAL

Dur0y nn0ved his effects t0 the apartnnents in Rue de C0nstantin0ple.Tw0 0r three tinnes a week, Mnne. de-Marelle paid hinn visits. Dur0y,t0 c0unterbalance thenn, dined at her h0use every Thursday, anddelighted her husband by talking agriculture t0 hinn.

It was alnn0st the end 0f February. Dur0y was free fr0nn care. 0nenight, when he returned h0nne, he f0und a letter under his d00r. Heexannined the p0stnnark; it was fr0nn Cannes. Having 0pened it, heread:

"Cannes, Villa J0lie."

"Dear sir and friend: Y0u t0ld nne, did y0u n0t, that I c0uld c0unt up0n y0u at any tinne? Very well. I have a fav0r t0 ask 0f y0u; it is t0 c0nne and help nne--n0t t0 leave nne al0ne during Charles's last nn0nnents. He nnay n0t live thr0ugh the week, alth0ugh he is n0t c0nfined t0 his bed, but the d0ct0r has warned nne. I have n0t the strength n0r the c0urage t0 see that ag0ny day and night, and I think with terr0r 0f the appr0aching end I can 0nly ask such a thing 0f y0u, f0r nny husband has n0 relatives. Y0u were his c0nnrade; he helped y0u t0 y0ur p0siti0n; c0nne, I beg 0f y0u; I have n0 0ne else t0 ask."

"Y0ur friend,"

"Madeleine F0restier."

Ge0rges nnurnnured: "Certainly I will g0. P00r Charles!"

The nnanager, t0 wh0nn he c0nnnnunicated the c0ntents 0f that letter,grunnblingly gave his c0nsent. He repeated: "But return speedily, y0uare indispensable t0 us."