“You say ‘probably.’”

“Because I am not yet quite certain that I have the pelagre.  For about two weeks I have felt a slight itching in my head and, naturally, I paid no attention to it.  I had other things to do; and besides, I was not going to believe I was attacked with a parasitic malady merely on account of an itching.  But, after some time, my hair became dry and began to fall out.  I had no time to attend to it, and the days passed; besides, the excitement of my examinations was enough to make my hair fall.  To-day, just before you came, I had a few minutes to spare, and I examined one of my hairs through a microscope; if I had not been disturbed I should have finished by this time.”

“Continue your examination.”

“It would take some time to do it thoroughly.  If it is really the pelagre, as I have reason to believe, tomorrow you will see me without hair and beard.  I would not hesitate, in spite of the astonishment that my appearance would cause.”

“What good will that do?”

“I cannot tell people that I had my hair and beard cut because I have a parasitic disease.  Every one knows it is contagious.”

“When the hair is cut, what will become of the disease?”

“With energetic treatment it will rapidly disappear.  Before long you may embrace me if—­you do not find me too ugly.”

“O dearest!”

“And now for you; you have come from Madame Dammauville?”

He did not need to persist; Phillis accepted his story so readily that he felt reassured on her side; she would not alarm herself about it.  As for others, the embarrassment of confessing a contagious malady would be a sufficient explanation, if he were ever obliged to furnish one.

“What did she say to you?” he asked.

“Good and kind words to begin with, which show what an excellent woman she is.  After having presented myself twice at her house yesterday, you understand that I was not quite easy on asking her to receive me again to-day.  As I tried to excuse myself, she said she was glad to see my devotion to my brother, that I need never excuse myself for asking her assistance, and that she would help me all she could.  With this encouragement I explained what we want her to do, but she did not appear disposed to do it.  Without giving her Monsieur Nougarede’s reasons, I said we were obliged to conform to the counsels of those who directed the affair, and I begged her to help us.  Finally she was won over, but reluctantly, and said she would do as we wished.  But she could not assure me that her servants had not talked about it, nor could she promise to leave her bed to go to court, for she had not left her room for a year.”

“Does she expect to be able to rise soon?”