"De Casimir tells me that I must
finish. Write and tell me everything. How is Mathilde? And your
father? Is he in good health? How does he pass his day? Does he
still go out in the evening to his cafe?"
This seemed to be an afterthought, suggested perhaps by conversation
passing in the room in which he sat.
The other exile, writing from Stockholm, was briefer in his
communications.
"I am well," wrote Antoine Sebastian, "and hope to arrive soon after
you receive this. Felix Meyer, the notary, has instructions to
furnish you with money for household expenses."
It would appear that Sebastian possessed other friends in Dantzig,
who had kept him advised of all that passed in the city.
For neither Mathilde nor Desiree had obeyed Barlasch's blunt order
to write to their father. They did not know whither he had fled,
neither had they received any communication giving an address or a
hint as to his future movements. It would appear that the same
direct and laconic mind which had carried out his escape deemed it
wiser that those left behind should be in no position to furnish
information.
In fairness to Barlasch, Desiree had made little of that soldier's
part in Sebastian's evasion, and Mathilde displayed small interest
in such details. She rather fastened, however, upon the assistance
rendered by Louis d'Arragon.
"Why did he do it?" she asked.
"Oh, because I asked him," was the reply.
"And why did you ask him?"
"Who else was there to ask?" returned Desiree, which was indeed
unanswerable.
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