"No," said the Duke to him, "I want you to stay," and he told
them word for word what the Doctor had said.
"Well, what do you think?" Francois Darbois asked him.
"I think that the most important thing in all the world is to save
her! I will wait...."
Francois pressed his hand, and there was taken between these two men,
who were so different in every way, a silent pledge that both were
determined to keep at all costs.
From that instant each one strained every nerve to revive in Esperance
her dearest desire.
Several days after this visit, Esperance received a letter from the
Comedie-Francaise, asking her to come to the office. She turned pink.
Her lovely forehead brightened for the first time in many months. She
handed the letter to her father, who knew what it contained, and had
been watching his child's surprise very closely.
"We must go back to Paris, father, I feel entirely well."
"Good, Mademoiselle, we will obey your orders," he said tenderly.
She kissed her father as she used to do, and began to tease him a
little.
"How nice it is to have such an agreeable papa! You have plenty of
cause to be severe, for I give you endless trouble."
"So you are to make your debut at the Comedie-Francaise?"
"My God!" said the young girl, starting up, "that might cost you your
election!"
Francois Darbois began to laugh, for his joy returned to him when his
daughter's memory came back to her.
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