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“You are insane, fellow! Don’t you know that he has unfortunately been killed
five days ago?”

“Yes, sir, I do; and that is just the very reason why you see me so much
disturbed. He rang the bell; I was in the antechamber. I opened the door, but
recoiled upon seeing him. He then entered and asked if you were in. I was so
much troubled that I told him you were; he then said, ‘Go and inform your master
that Monsieur de Franchi wishes to speak to him.’ And lo, I am here.”

“You are a fool, my friend. The antechamber was no doubt badly lighted, and
you have seen wrong. You were half-asleep and hare not heard well. Return, and
ask his name a second time.”

“Oh! sir, that’s useless. I swear to you that I have not been mistaken. I
have both seen and heard perfectly well.”

“Well, then, let him come in.”

Victor returned to the door, trembling all over, and opened it, remaining in
my room.

“Will the gentleman please to walk in?” said he.

I heard, indeed, in spite of the thick carpet, steps coming through the
salon, and approaching my room. Immediately after, I saw in reality Monsieur de
Franchi appear at the door.

I confess that my first feeling was that of terror. I rose up and took a step
back.

“Excuse me for disturbing you at this hour,” said Monsieur de Franchi, “but I
arrived in the city about ten minutes ago, and you will easily understand that I
did not wish to delay my conversation with you till to-morrow.”

“Oh! my dear Lucien,” exclaimed I, rushing up to him, and clasping him in my
arms. “Is it you? Ah! it is you!”

And in spite of myself some tears escaped from my eyes.

“Yes,” said he, “it is I.”

I calculated the time that had elapsed; the letter could hardly have arrived
at Ajaccio, and much less at Sullacaro.

“Good Godl” exclaimed I, “but then you know nothing.”

“I know all!” said he.

“How! all?”

“Yes.”

“Victor,” said I to my servant, who had not yet fully recovered, “leave us
alone, or rather come in again in a quarter of an hour with a complete supper.
You will sup with me, and stay over night, Lucien?”

“I accept all that,” said Lucien, “I have not eaten since I left Auxerre.
After that, as nobody knew me, or rather,” continued he with a smile profoundly
sad, “as every body seemed to recognize me at my poor brother’s house, they did
not admit me, and I left there after having thrown the whole house into
confusion.”

“Indeed, my dear Lucien, your resemblance to your brother Louis is so great,
that I myself just now have been struck with it.”

“How!” exclaimed Victor, who could not take his eyes off from him long enough
to pet out, “that gentleman is then the brother of—”

“Yes; but go and get our supper.”

Victor went out, and me were left alone. I took Lucien by the hand, led him
to an armchair, and sat down beside him.

“But,” continued I, still more and more astonished when I looked at him, “you
were then on your way hither when you heard the fatal news?”

“No; I was at Sullacaro.”

“Impossible! Your brother’s letter can hardly have reached there yet.”

“Have you forgotten Burger’s ballad, my dear Alexander? the dead go quick.”

I shuddered.

“What do you mean? explain yourself. I don’t understand you.”

“Have you forgotten what I told you about the apparitions peculiar to our
family?”

“You have seen your brother?”—exclaimed I.

“Yes.”

“And when was that?”

“During the night, from the 16th to the 17th.”

“And he has told you all?”

“All!”

“He told you that he had died?”

“No. He told me that he had been killed! The dead never lie.”

“And did he tell you how?”

“In a duel.”

“By whom?”

“By Monsieur de Château-Renaud!”

“No! no! it cannot be,” exclaimed I, “you have heard all this some other way;
by some other means?”

“Do you think I am disposed to jest on this subject?”

“Pardon me: but what you now tell me is so strange, and indeed all that
happens to you and your brother is so much out of the course of nature—”