Why should he veer round so quickly? Eugene
was an intelligent fellow, but his mother had perhaps exaggerated the
significance of some sentence in his letter. In any case, it would be
better to wait and hold his tongue.
An hour later Angele called at the bookseller's, feigning deep emotion.
"My husband has just severely injured himself," she said. "He jammed his
four fingers in a door as he was coming in. In spite of his sufferings,
he has dictated this little note, which he begs you to publish
to-morrow."
On the following day the "Independant," made up almost entirely of
miscellaneous items of news, appeared with these few lines at the head
of the first column:
"A deplorable accident which has occurred to our eminent contributor
Monsieur Aristide Rougon will deprive us of his articles for some
time. He will suffer at having to remain silent in the present grave
circumstances. None of our readers will doubt, however, the good wishes
which he offers up with patriotic feelings for the welfare of France."
This burlesque note had been maturely studied. The last sentence might
be interpreted in favour of all parties. By this expedient, Aristide
devised a glorious return for himself on the morrow of battle, in the
shape of a laudatory article on the victors. On the following day he
showed himself to the whole town, with his arm in a sling. His mother,
frightened by the notice in the paper, hastily called upon him, but
he refused to show her his hand, and spoke with a bitterness which
enlightened the old woman.
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