PAGE 9
"There were Ninety and Nine"
by
“The train for Paris leaves at midnight,” he said, “and you will be there by morning. Then you must close your bargain with this old Carbut, and never return here again.”
The Frenchman had turned during the ride from an angry, indignant prisoner to a joyful madman, and was now tearfully and effusively humble in his petitions for pardon and in his thanks. Their benefactor, as they were pleased to call him, hurried them into the waiting train and ran to purchase their tickets for them.
“Now,” he said, as the guard locked the door of the compartment, “you are alone, and no one can get in, and you cannot get out. Go back to your home, to your new home, and never come to this wretched place again. Promise me–you understand?–never again!”
They promised with effusive reiteration. They embraced each other like children, and the man, pulling off his hat, called upon the good Lord to thank the gentleman.
“You will be in Paris, will you not?” said the woman, in an ecstasy of pleasure, “and you will come to see us in our own shop, will you not? Ah! we should be so greatly honored, sir, if you would visit us; if you would come to the home you have given us. You have helped us so greatly, sir,” she said; “and may Heaven bless you!”
She caught up his gloved hand as it rested on the door and kissed it until he snatched it away in great embarrassment and flushing like a girl. Her husband drew her toward him, and the young bride sat at his side with her face close to his and wept tears of pleasure and of excitement.
“Ah, look, sir!” said the young man, joyfully; “look how happy you have made us. You have made us happy for the rest of our lives.”
The train moved out with a quick, heavy rush, and the car-wheels took up the young stranger’s last words and seemed to say, “You have made us happy–made us happy for the rest of our lives.”
It had all come about so rapidly that the Plunger had had no time to consider or to weigh his motives, and all that seemed real to him now, as he stood alone on the platform of the dark, deserted station, were the words of the man echoing and re-echoing like the refrain of the song. And then there came to him suddenly, and with all the force of a gambler’s superstition, the thought that the words were the same as those which his father had used in his letter, “you can make us happy for the rest of our lives.”
“Ah,” he said, with a quick gasp of doubt, “if I could! If I made those poor fools happy, mayn’t I live to be something to him, and to her? O God!” he cried, but so gently that one at his elbow could not have heard him, “if I could, if I could!”
He tossed up his hands, and drew them down again and clenched them in front of him, and raised his tired, hot eyes to the calm purple sky with its millions of moving stars. “Help me!” he whispered fiercely, “help me.” And as he lowered his head the queer numb feeling seemed to go, and a calm came over his nerves and left him in peace. He did not know what it might be, nor did he dare to question the change which had come to him, but turned and slowly mounted the hill, with the awe and fear still upon him of one who had passed beyond himself for one brief moment into another world. When he reached his room he found his servant bending with an anxious face over a letter which he tore up guiltily as his master entered. “You were writing to my father,” said Cecil, gently, “were you not? Well, you need not finish your letter; we are going home.