CHAPTER XIV
LOUISE
Louison's crazy mother had passed a miserable night. Accustomed to seeLouison before going to sleep and hear her gentle voice, and not havingher cries answered on this particular evening, the poor woman, who hadnot been able to move a step for years, dragged herself on her hands andfeet into the next room and shoved the white curtains aside.
The painful cry of the invalid as she saw the bed empty, drowned a loudknock at the door, and only when the knocking was repeated and a voiceimploringly cried: "Open, for God's sake, open quick!" did the burnedwoman listen. Where had she heard the voice?
"Quick, open--it is on account of Louison," came again from the outside.It was Fanfaro who demanded entrance.
A cry which was no longer human came from the breast of the burnedwoman, and, collecting all her strength, she crawled to the door andtore so long at the curtains which covered the pane of glass that theycame down and Fanfaro could see into the room. As soon as he saw theposition of the poor woman, he understood at once that she could notopen the door, and making up his mind quickly, he pressed in thewindow, and the next minute he was in the room.
"Where is Louison, madame?" he exclaimed.
The woman did not answer; she looked steadily at him and plunged herfingers in her gray hair.
"Madame, listen to me. Louison has been abducted. Don't you knowanything?"
The poor thing still remained silent, even though her lips trembledconvulsively, and the deep-set eyes gazed steadily at the young man.
"Madame," began Fanfaro, desperately, "listen to my words. Can you notremember where Louison told you she was going? You know who Louison is;she nurses and cares for you. Can you not tell me anything?"
At length a word came from the burned woman's breast.
"Jacques, Jacques!" she stammered, clutching the young man's knees andlooking at him.
Fanfaro trembled. Who was this horrible woman who called him by the nameof his childhood?
"Louison! Jacques!" uttered the toothless lips, and hot, scalding tearsrolled over the scarred cheeks.
A flood of never-before-felt emotions rushed over Fanfaro; he tenderlybent over the poor woman, and gently said:
"You called me Jacques. I was called that once. What do you know of me?"
The burned woman looked hopelessly at him; she tried hard to understandhim, but her clouded mind could not at first grasp what he meant.
"I will tell you what I know of the past," continued Fanfaro, slowly. "Iformerly lived at Leigoutte in the Vosges. My father's name was Jules,my mother's Louise, and my little sister Louison--where is Louison?"
At last a ray of reason broke from the disfigured eyes, and shewhispered:
"Jacques, my dear Jacques! I am Louise, your mother, and the wife ofJules Fougeres!"
"My mother!" stammered Fanfaro with emotion, and taking the broken womanin his arms, he fervently kissed her disfigured face. The poor womanclung to him. The veil of madness was torn aside and stroking thehandsome face of the young man with her broken fingers, she softlymurmured:
"I have you again. God be thanked!"
"But where is Louison?" broke in Fanfaro, anxiously.
Still the brain of the sick woman could not grasp all the newimpressions she had received, and although she looked again and again atFanfaro, she left the question unanswered.
At any other time Fanfaro would have left the sick woman alone, but hisanxiety about Louison gave him no peace. He did not doubt a minute butthat his mother had recognized Louison long ago as her daughter, and sohe asked more urgently:
"Mother, where is Louison? Your little Louison, my sister?"
"Louison?" repeated the sick woman, with flaming eyes. "Oh, she is good;she brings me fruit and flowers."
"But where is she now?"
"Gone," moaned the invalid.
"Gone? Where to?"
"I do not know. Her bed is empty."
"Then I was not deceived. She has been abducted by that scoundrel,Talizac!"
"Talizac?" repeated the maniac, with a foolish laugh. "Oh, I know him,do not let him in; he brings unhappiness--unhappiness!"
"Then he has been here?" cried Fanfaro, terror-stricken.
"No, not here--in--Sachemont--I--oh! my poor head."
With a heart-rending cry the poor woman sank to the ground unconscious.The excitement of the last hour had been too much for her. Fanfarolooked at the fainting woman, not knowing what to do. He took her in hisarms and was about to place her on the bed when the door was softlyopened and three forms glided in.
"Girdel, thank Heaven!" cried Fanfaro, recognizing the athlete, "haveyou found Robeckal?"
"No, the wretches moved out of their former residence in the RueVinaigrier, yesterday, and no one could tell us where they went."
"I thought so," groaned Fanfaro, and then he hastily added: "Girdel, theunhappy woman I hold in my arms is my mother. No, do not think I amcrazy, it is the truth; and the girl who was abducted is my sisterLouison."
"Impossible!" stammered Girdel.
"His mother!" came a whisper behind Fanfaro, and turning hastily roundhe saw Caillette--who stood at the door with tears in her eyes--withBobichel, who said:
"Caillette will take care of the invalid until we have found Louison; Isay that we move heaven and earth so that we find her."
"You are right, Bobichel," said Fanfaro, and, pressing a kiss upon hismother's forehead, he ran off with Girdel and the clown.