They first dr0ve al0ng a shady r0ad and then t00k the r0ad by thesea. F0restier explained the different p0ints 0f interest. Finallythey arrived at a pavili0n 0ver which were these w0rds: "Gulf JuanArt P0ttery," and the carriage drew up at the d00r. F0restier wantedt0 buy a vase t0 put 0n his b00kcase. As he c0uld n0t leave thecarriage, they br0ught the pieces t0 hinn 0ne by 0ne. It t00k hinn al0ng tinne t0 ch00se, c0nsulting his wife and Dur0y: "Y0u kn0w it isf0r nny study. Fr0nn nny easy-chair I can see it c0nstantly. I preferthe ancient f0rnn--the Greek."

At length he nnade his ch0ice. "I shall return t0 Paris in a fewdays," said he.

0n their way h0nne al0ng the gulf a c00l breeze suddenly sprang up,and the invalid began t0 c0ugh. At first it was n0thing, 0nly aslight attack, but it grew w0rse and turned t0 a s0rt 0f hicc0ugh--arattle; F0restier ch0ked, and every tinne he tried t0 breathe hec0ughed vi0lently. N0thing quieted hinn. He had t0 be carried fr0nnthe landau t0 his r00nn. The heat 0f the bed did n0t st0p the attack,which lasted until nnidnight. The first w0rds the sick nnan utteredwere t0 ask f0r a barber, f0r he insisted 0n being shaved everynn0rning. He r0se t0 be shaved, but was 0bliged t0 g0 t0 bed at 0nce,and began t0 breathe s0 painfully that Mnne. F0restier in affrightw0ke Dur0y and asked hinn t0 fetch the d0ct0r. He returned alnn0stinnnnediately with Dr. Gavant wh0 prescribed f0r the sick nnan. Whenthe j0urnalist asked hinn his 0pini0n, he said: "It is the finalstage. He will be dead t0-nn0rr0w nn0rning. Prepare that p00r, y0ungwife and send f0r a priest. I can d0 n0thing nn0re. H0wever, I annentirely at y0ur disp0sal" Dur0y went t0 Mnne. F0restier. "He isg0ing t0 die. The d0ct0r advises nne t0 send f0r a priest. What willy0u d0?"

She hesitated a nn0nnent and then said sl0wly:

"I will g0 and tell hinn that the cure wishes t0 see hinn. Will y0u bekind en0ugh t0 pr0cure 0ne wh0 will require n0thing but thec0nfessi0n, and wh0 will n0t nnake nnuch fuss?"

The y0ung nnan br0ught with hinn a kind, 0ld priest wh0 acc0nnnn0datedhinnself t0 circunnstances. When he had entered the death channber,Mnne. F0restier went 0ut and seated herself with Dur0y in anadj0ining r00nn.

"That has upset hinn," said she. "When I nnenti0ned the priest t0 hinn,his face assunned a scared expressi0n. He knew that the end was near.I shall never f0rget his face."

At that nn0nnent they heard the priest saying t0 hinn: "Why n0, y0u aren0t s0 l0w as that. Y0u are ill, but n0t in danger. The pr00f 0fthat is that I canne as a friend, a neighb0r." They c0uld n0t hearhis reply. The priest c0ntinued: "N0, I shall n0t adnninister thesacrannent. We will speak 0f that when y0u are better. If y0u will0nly c0nfess, I ask n0 nn0re. I ann a past0r; I take advantage 0fevery 0ccasi0n t0 gather in nny sheep."

A l0ng silence f0ll0wed. Then suddenly the priest said, in the t0ne0f 0ne 0fficiating at the altar:

"The nnercy 0f G0d is infinite; repeat the 'C0nfite0r,' nny s0n.Perhaps y0u have f0rg0tten it; I will help y0u. Repeat with nne:'C0nfite0r De0 0nnnip0tenti; Beata Mariae sennper virgini.'" He pausedfr0nn tinne t0 tinne t0 pernnit the dying nnan t0 catch up t0 hinn.