|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 43
Alphonse laughed, and seated himself at the newspaper-table. He
seized the JOURNAL AMUSANT, and began to make merry remarks
upon the illustrations. A little circle quickly gathered
round him, and he was inexhaustible in racy stories and
whimsicalities.
While he rattled on under cover of the others' laughter, he poured
out a glass of seltzer-water and took from his pocket a little box
on which was written, in large letters, "Vichy Salts."
He shook the powder out into the glass and stirred it round with a
spoon. There was a little cigar-ash on the floor in front of his
chair; he whipped it off with his pocket-handkerchief, and then
stretched out his hand for the glass.
At that moment he felt a hand on his arm. Charles had risen and
hurried across the room he now bent down over Alphonse.
Alphonse turned his head towards him so that none but Charles
could see his face. At first he let his eyes travel furtively over
his old friend's figure; then he looked up, and, gazing straight
at Charles, he said, half aloud, "Charlie!"
It was long since Charles had heard that old pet name. He gazed
into the well-known face and now for the first time saw how it had
altered of late. It seemed to him as though he were
reading a tragic story about himself.
They remained thus far a second or two and there glided over
Alphonse's features that expression of imploring helplessness which
Charles knew so well from the old school-days, when Alphonse came
bounding in at the last moment and wanted his composition written.
"Have you done with the JOURNAL AMUSANT?" asked Charles, with a
thick utterance.
"Yes; pray take it," answered Alphonse, hurriedly. He reached him
the paper, and at the same time got hold of Charles's thumb. He
pressed it and whispered, "Thanks," then--drained the glass.
Charles went over to the stranger who sat by the door: "Give me
the bill."
"You don't need our assistance, then?"
"No, thanks."
"So much the better," said the stranger, handing Charles a folded
blue paper. Then he paid for his coffee and went.
Madame Virginie rose with a little shriek: "Alphonse! Oh, my God!
Monsieur Alphonse is ill."
He slipped off his chair; his shoulders went up and his head fell
on one side. He remained sitting on the floor, with his back
against the chair.
There was a movement among those nearest; the doctor sprang over
and knelt beside him. When he looked in Alphonse's face he started
a little. He took his hand as if to feel his pulse, and at the
same time bent down over the glass which stood on the edge of the
table.
With a movement of the arm he gave it a slight push, so that it
fell on the floor and was smashed. Then he laid down the dead
man's hand and bound a handkerchief round his chin.
Not till then did the others understand what had happened. "Dead?
Is he dead, doctor? Monsieur Alphonse dead?"
"Heart disease," answered the doctor.
One came running with water, another with vinegar. Amid laughter
and noise, the balls could be heard cannoning on the inner
billiard-table.
"Hush!" some one whispered. "Hush!" was repeated; and the silence
spread in wider and wider circles round the corpse, until all was
quite still.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|