The things we do!

I must beg of you to hand it over to my
sister. I can trust her so far, I believe; and I will not have
my child a pauper on her hands, dependent on her charity for
food and clothing; otherwise it might have been wiser--however,
it is too late now, and in two of three years much may happen.
One word more, and I have done. I have no sort of claim on
your kindness, Monsieur, but you have proved yourself a
friend, and as such I would ask you not to lose sight of
Madelon entirely. She will be but a friendless little one when
I am gone, and I have not much confidence in her aunt's tender
mercies."
"You may depend upon it that I will not," said Graham
earnestly, and hardly thinking of the sort of responsibility
he was accepting.
"Thank you; then that is all. And now, Monsieur le Docteur,
how long do you give me?"
"How long?" said Graham.
"Ah! how long to live?--to-day, to-night, to-morrow? How long,
in short?"
Then Graham spoke plainly at last, without further reticence
or concealment, so useless in the face of this indifference
and levity, real or affected.


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