Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/402

When I returned, on going the rounds with the surgeons, 1 found Mimi’s bed empty. I asked the sister of charity what had become of the patient, and she told me that she had died during the night. This is what had happened. During my absence Mimi had been moved to another ward. In No. 8 bed, which she left, they put another woman who died the same day. That will explain the mistake into which I fell. The day after that on which I wrote you, I found Mimi in the next ward. Your absence had put her in a terrible state; she gave me a letter for you and I took it on to your place at once.”

“Good God!” said Rodolphe; “since I thought Mimi dead I have not dared to go home. 1 have been sleeping here and there at friends’ places. Mimi alive! Good heavens! what must she think of my absence? Poor girl! poor girl! how is she? When did you see her last?”

“The day before yesterday. She was neither better not worse, but very uneasy; she fancies you must be ill.”

“Let us go to La Pitié at once,” said Rodolphe, “that I may see her.”

“Stop here for a moment,” said the dresser, when they reached the entrance to the hospital, “I will go and ask the house surgeon for permission for you to enter.”

Rodolphe waited in the hall for a quarter of an hour. When the dresser returned he took him by the hand and said these words:

“My friend, suppose that the letter I wrote to you a week ago was true?”

“What!” exclaimed Rodolphe, leaning against a pillar, “Mimi———”

“This morning at four o’clock.”

“Take me to the amphitheatre,” said Rodolphe, “ that I may see her.”

“She is no longer there,” said the dresser. And point-