""Where are we?" I asked, beginning to be frightened; for I began to suspect treachery. I couldn"t see any light; but the trees made me think that we might be on the outer boulevards. But why should he have taken me there? At that time of night, in winter, all the restaurants must be closed.
"Without answering my question, Monsieur Bouqueton took my arm and led me away; we walked for some minutes, but didn"t meet a soul.
""I won"t go any farther," I said suddenly, and stopped. "You have deceived me, and I want to go back to Paris."
""Well! all right! we won"t go any farther," said my conductor, in a voice whose savage accent froze the blood in my veins. "We are well enough here for what I have to say to you, and for the lesson I propose to give you."
"He had no sooner said this than he knocked me down with a blow of his fist. I shrieked as I fell; but the miserable villain knew well enough that no one would come to my rescue. He called me the most horrible names--beggar--oh! I can"t tell you all the vile names he called me!
Certainly, I deserved some of them! But he wasn"t content with treating me like the lowest of the low; he kicked me in the head and breast and everywhere."
"What a ghastly thing!" cried Balloquet, while I, restraining my feelings with the utmost difficulty, felt great drops of perspiration on my brow. The story of that loathsome conduct made my cheeks tingle.
"I begged Monsieur Bouqueton to spare me," continued Annette. "I confessed my guilt and begged for mercy; but he would not listen; he kept on kicking me and calling me vile names. At last, he hurt me so that I could not speak. I don"t know whether the monster thought he had killed me,--that was his purpose, I don"t doubt,--but, when he saw that I didn"t move, he may have been frightened, for he suddenly ran off, and I heard his steps die away in the distance. I lay there on the ground a long while, in horrible pain. At last a heavy wagon came along, and the driver heard me groaning. He came to me, put me in his wagon, and took me as far as the barrier, where he left me. There they gave me what a.s.sistance I needed. I came to myself, but when they asked me what had happened, I couldn"t tell them the truth, so I made up a story about robbers. When I felt able to go home, they called a cab and sent me home. All men aren"t as wicked as Monsieur Bouqueton, thank G.o.d! if they were, we should have to long for another Flood. The next day, I took some medicine. The blows on my hips and legs are all black and blue, but they won"t amount to anything. I hoped it would be the same with the one I got here, on the breast, but it hurts me awfully, it cuts like a knife; and that"s why I came to see you, monsieur."
"Let me see the bruise, my child; you must show us your breast--doctors, you know----"
"Oh! I"ll show you whatever you say, monsieur."
And, without any false modesty, Mademoiselle Annette unb.u.t.toned her dress and bared her breast. At that moment we could examine it without any risk to her, for the thought that the poor girl was in pain put all other thoughts to flight. Under the left breast there was a purple spot, with a yellowish circle all about it. Balloquet frowned and his face became grave and sad; I believed that I could divine his thought and I turned my head away; the sight was too distressing. The girl meanwhile smiled a wan sort of smile, and said:
"That was a famous blow I got, wasn"t it, monsieur?"
"Yes, mademoiselle, yes."
The doctor put his finger on the purple spot.
"Does that hurt?" he asked.
"Oh, yes!"
"And that?"
"Yes!"
"And that?"
"Oh! yes, it does!"
"We must look after this; you must do just what I say, and take the draught I prescribe."
"But it isn"t dangerous, is it, monsieur?"
Balloquet made an effort to resume his customary cheerful expression as he replied:
"No, mademoiselle, no; you will come out all right. But you must follow my directions carefully; you must keep a bandage on your breast all the time, wet with a liquid I will give you."
"You don"t need to feel it any more, monsieur?"
"No, mademoiselle."
"When must I come again?"
Balloquet reflected a moment, and said:
"Don"t come here again; I am going to move, and I don"t know yet where I shall go; but leave me your address; I will call to see you."
"Oh! you are very kind, monsieur; but--when a doctor puts himself out to call, it costs more than when one goes to see him."
"Never fear; it won"t cost you any more, for it won"t cost anything."
"Oh! you are very good! And you won"t forget to come?"
"If your bruise was a mere trifle, I might forget you; but it"s serious enough to prevent my neglecting it. I will come to see you."
"This is my address, monsieur: Annette--Rue Rochechouart, corner of Rue Bellefond."
"Just Annette?"
"That"s all, monsieur; when a girl has been foolish, she ought not to bear her parents" name."
"Here, my child, here are your prescriptions. Be careful to follow my directions. Don"t tire yourself, and be good. It"s a bore, I know, but it is necessary for your safety. I will see you in a few days."
The girl had reb.u.t.toned her dress and was about to leave the room.
"Have you seen Monsieur Bouqueton since?" I asked.
"Oh, no, monsieur! the monster! If I should see him, I believe I should faint with fright."
"But what about your young lover? Didn"t he promise to avenge you, when he found out what had happened?"
"Oh, yes! he is going to square accounts with him, if he ever meets him.
But he"s a thoughtless fellow, my lover is! He says that one day, but forgets all about it the next."
"Well, mademoiselle, I promise you that you shall be avenged; I promise you that Monsieur--Bouqueton shall receive sooner or later the punishment that his treatment of you deserves. If your lover doesn"t administer it, I myself will undertake to do it."
"You, monsieur? Why, do you know Monsieur Bouqueton?"
"I never saw the man, but I know who he is. I tell you again--you shall be avenged."
"Oh! mon Dieu! monsieur, I am not very vindictive; just let me get well, and I won"t think any more about that old villain.--I have the honor to salute you, monsieur le medecin!"
"I expected that you were to witness an amusing consultation," said Balloquet, after Annette had gone; "for these girls come to see us so often for mere trifles. But, unluckily, I was mistaken. That poor creature made my heart ache, her injury is so serious; I antic.i.p.ate the worst--terrible suffering, and death."
"Poor girl! What a punishment for her sins! What a ghastly result of idleness, of indolence! I will not say, of coquetry, for there was nothing in her dress to indicate that she has ever been kept."
"Is it true that you know this infamous blackguard who kicked her in the breast?"
"Yes; his name is not Bouqueton; that is a name he a.s.sumes to cover up his escapades."