Mauprat
the fatal spot; and there—a sight never to be forgotten —Edmée was lying on the ground rigid and bathed in blood. Her mare was quietly grazing a few yards away. Patience was standing by her side with his arms crossed on his breast, his face livid, and his heart so full that he was unable to answer a word to the abbé's cries and sobs. For myself, I could not understand what was taking place. I fancy that my brain, already bewildered by my previous emotions, must have been completely paralyzed. I sat down on the ground by Edmée's side. She had been shot in the breast in two places. I gazed on her lifeless eyes in a state of absolute stupor.
"Take away that creature," said Patience to the abbé, casting a look of contempt on me. "His perverse nature is what it always was."
"Edmée, Edmée!" cried the abbé, throwing himself upon the grass and endeavouring to stanch the blood with his handkerchief.
"Dead, dead!" said Patience. "And there is the murderer! She said so as she gave up her pure soul to God; and Patience will avenge her! It is very hard; but it must be so! It is God's will, since I alone was here to learn the truth."
"Horrible! horrible!" exclaimed the abbé.
I heard the sound of this last word, and with a smile I repeated it like an echo.
Some huntsmen now appeared. Edmée was carried away. I believe that I caught sight of her father walking without help. However, I should not dare to affirm that this was not a mere extravagant vision (for I had no definite consciousness of anything, and these awful moments have left in my mind nothing but vague memories, as of a dream), had I not been assured that the
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