Doctor Dubourg and Inspector Setter then "bowed" themselves out of the lady"s presence and returned to the bedside of the wounded man.
The abbess gave a few more directions to the lay sisters who were engaged in restoring the room to order, and then she withdrew from the refectory and returned to her own apartment, where she had left Salome and the little Sister Felecitie.
She found them still waiting there; and both engaged in the little bit of knitting or embroidery that they always carried in their pockets to take up at odd moments that would otherwise be wasted in idleness, which was held to be a grave fault, if not a deadly sin, by the sisterhood, and, besides, from the sale of this work they realized a very considerable income.
"I waited here, good mother, to learn more of the poor wounded man.
Sister Felecitie tells me that he is a suicide. I hope that is a mistake," said Salome.
"It is too true, _helas_! But, my daughter," said the abbess, turning to the young nun, "leave us alone for a few minutes."
The little sister retired obediently, but very unwillingly, for she was tormented with unsatisfied curiosity concerning the unfortunate stranger, who had committed suicide at their convent gate.
"Salome! do you know, can you conjecture, who the unhappy man is?"
solemnly inquired the abbess, as soon as she was left alone with her young friend.
"I do not know. I--_fear to conjecture_," whispered the young wife; growing pale.
"Yet your very fear proves that you _have_ conjectured, and conjectured correctly. Yes! the wretched suicide is no other than John Scott, the "double" of the Duke of Hereward."
"Heaven of heavens! What drove him to the fatal deed? But why should I ask? Of course, it was remorse! remorse that was slowly killing him!
too slowly for his suffering and his impatience!" exclaimed the young lady, with a shudder.
"Yes, it was remorse, and--_desperation_."
"Desperation!"
"Yes! The English detectives had traced him down to this neighborhood; they followed him down here with a warrant for his arrest, countersigned by our chief of police. They surprised him near the south gate of the convent; but he was too quick for them; and before they could prevent him, driven to desperation, he caught a pistol from his pocket and shot himself through the body, inflicting a mortal wound. They brought him into the convent. I have had him placed in a comfortable room in the Old Men"s Home, where he is attended by Doctor Dubourg, of L"Ange, who Providentially happened to be pa.s.sing the convent at the time of the occurrence."
Salome covered her face with her hands, and sank back in her chair, with a groan.
A few moments elapsed, and then Salome, still vailing her face, murmured a question:
"How long may the dying man last? Surely--surely--" Her voice faltered, and broke down with a sob.
"He _can_ not last more than a very few days. He _may_ not last more than a few hours," said the abbess, in a low tone.
"Surely--surely, then," resumed Salome, in a broken voice, "he will make a confession before he dies. He will vindicate his brother, and so save his own soul."
"I think that he will do so, Sister Salome. Calm yourself. He has caused a telegram to be sent to the Duke of Hereward, calling him here."
Salome started and trembled violently. She could scarcely gasp forth the words of her broken exclamation:
"The Duke of Hereward! Called! Here!"
"Yes, my daughter. So you perceive that your proposed journey to England is forestalled."
"My husband coming here! Oh! how soon will he come? He cannot be here in less than twenty-four hours, can he?" eagerly demanded Salome.
"He may be here in less than six hours. The Duke of Hereward does not have to come from London; he is not there, but in Paris; so you perceive, also, that if you had gone to England, as you proposed to do, you would have missed seeing him there," added the lady, smiling.
"My husband in Paris--so near. My husband to be here this evening--so soon. Oh, this is too much, too much happiness!" exclaimed the young wife, bursting into tears of joy.
"Then you have no dread of meeting him?" suggested the elder lady.
""Dread of meeting him?" Dread of meeting my own dear husband? Ah, no, no, no! No dread, but an infinite longing to meet him. Oh! I know and feel how I have wronged him. How deeply and bitterly I have wronged him.
But I know, also, how utterly he will pardon me. Yes, I know that, as surely as I know that my Heavenly Lord pardons us all of our repented sins!" fervently exclaimed Salome.
"Heaven grant that you may be happy, my child"" said the lady, earnestly.
At that moment the door opened, and an aged nun, one of the attendants in the Old Men"s Home, entered the room.
"Well, Mere Pauline, what is it?" calmly inquired the abbess.
"Holy mother, I have come from Monsieur le Docteur to say that the messenger has come back from L"Ange, and brought an answer to the telegram. Monsieur le Duc d" Hereward will be here by the midday express from Paris, which reaches L"Ange at five o"clock this afternoon,"
answered Mere Pauline.
"Thanks for your news. Sit down and breathe after climbing all these stairs. And now tell me, how is the wounded man?" inquired the abbess, as the old nun sank wearily into the nearest chair.
"_Helas!_ holy mother, he is sinking fast. The doctor thinks he will not outlive the night; and meanwhile he is anxious, so anxious, for the arrival of Monsieur le Duc! He asks from time to time if the duke has come, or is coming; if we have heard from him, and so on," sighed the old nun.
"But have you not soothed him by communicating the message received from the duke, that his grace will be here at five o"clock?"
"No, holy mother! for he was sleeping under the influence of opium, which the good surgeon had felt obliged to administer in order to quiet him just before the message came. If he wakes and inquires about the duke again, we will give him the message."
"Quite right. Has the wretched man seen a priest, or asked to see one?"
"No, mother! but I was not unmindful of his immortal weal. I asked him if he would see Pere Garbennetti. He brightened up at the name, and inquired if le pere was here. I told him yes, and at his service, waiting to attend him, indeed. But then he gloomed again, and said no; he would see no one until he had seen the Duke of Hereward. He would rest and save his strength for his interview with the Duke of Hereward. I will return to my charge now, if my good mother will permit me," said the old nun, rising from her chair.
"Go, then, Mere Pauline, if you are sufficiently rested. Keep me advised of the state of your patient, but do not tax your aged limbs to climb these stairs again. Send one of the younger nuns, and give yourself some rest," said the abbess, kindly.
"_Helas!_ holy mother, I shall have time enough to rest in the grave, whither I am fast tending," sighed the old nun, as she withdrew from the room.
"Oh, mother!" joyfully exclaimed Salome, as soon as they were left alone, "he comes by the midday express! It is midday now! The train has already left Paris! He is speeding toward us, even now, as fast as steam can bring him. I can almost see and hear and _feel_ him coming!"
"Calm your transports, dear daughter; think of the dying sinner so near us, even now," gravely replied the elder lady.
"I can think of nothing but my living husband," exclaimed the young wife.
"Oh, these young hearts! these young hearts! "From all inordinate and sinful affections, good Lord, deliver us!"" prayed the abbess.
She had scarcely spoken, when the door opened and Sister Francoise entered the room.
"I came with a message from the portress, good mother. She says that a young woman has come from L"Ange, who claims to be the wife of the wounded man, and insists upon being admitted to see him. The portress does not know what to do, and has sent me to you for instructions," said Sister Francoise.
"The wounded man is sleeping and must not be awakened. Tell the portress to keep the young woman in the parlor until she can be permitted to see the patient, then do you go to the Old Men"s Home, inquire for Monsieur le Doctor Dubourg, and announce to him the arrival of this woman, and let him use his medical discretion about admitting her. Go."
"Yes, holy mother," said Sister Francoise, retreating.