Monsieur Cherami Part 88

"Well, monsieur le comte, a dear old cousin of mine, who was very fond of me in spite of my escapades, made me a present of a liquid, by the aid of which I was always on my feet in a very short time, even after the most severe wound."

"The deuce you say!"

"I have used it whenever I have been wounded, and it has never failed me yet."

"What is it made of?"

"I have no idea; that was my old cousin's secret, and she died without confiding it to me. But it must be very healthful, as it always cured me."

"Have you still got any of this liquid?"

"I have kept a few half-bottles of it, as a priceless treasure; and here is one of them, which I have taken the liberty of bringing, in the hope that monsieur le comte will have confidence in me."

"Faith, why not?"

"I shall have the honor to taste it first with monsieur le comte, to make sure that it isn't spoiled."

Monsieur de la Beriniere ordered liqueur-gla.s.ses to be brought. Cherami filled them with the superfine chartreuse, and swallowed a gla.s.s himself.

"That's good, very good!" said the count, after drinking his gla.s.s. "But it seems to me that it has just the same taste as chartreuse."

"It is true, monsieur le comte, that there is a little similarity while you are drinking it; but afterward the bouquet, the taste, is not the same at all."

"Possibly not. I never drank much chartreuse; I take liqueur very rarely."

"Then this will have all the more effect. It is a decoction of simples, of strengthening herbs, I fancy. My old cousin used often to go botanizing."

"It smells of liverwort too."

"It does, and that is very strengthening."

"It feels very warm in the chest. I seem already to feel stronger, more lively."

"It works very quickly."

"How much must I drink to be entirely cured?"

"Why, you must take this half-bottle."

"In how long a time?"

"In three days."

"Drink all that in three days!"

"Oh! this bottle doesn't hold much. Drink four small gla.s.ses to-day; to-morrow, five; the day after to-morrow, six or seven; and that will take it all. But don't mention my old cousin's remedy to your doctor. He would be sure to sneer at it; doctors are never willing that you should be cured with things that they don't prescribe."

"I know that. But, upon my word, I do feel much better."

"Take a second gla.s.s at once, and the others after dinner."

"Well, I will submit to your prescription. Yes, it has a very different taste from chartreuse; it's sweeter."

"The more you drink of it, the better you will like it."

"It is delicious; your old cousin left you something of great value."

"She pa.s.sed all her time compounding remedies. This will give you an appet.i.te too. You can eat a lot, and everything; it would digest a stone."

"Enchanting! On my word of honor! I feel my legs twitching. It seems to me that I could dance."

"The day after to-morrow, you will be in a condition to dance. Permit me to return a few days hence, monsieur le comte, to inquire for your health?"

"Whenever you choose, Monsieur Cherami; you are an excellent doctor, and I feel better already for your medicine."

"Au revoir, then, monsieur le comte! follow my prescription carefully."

"Oh! I shall take good care not to forget it."

Cherami took his leave, saying to himself:

"It can't possibly hurt him; it will warm him up a little, that's all; and he needs it, he was turning to pulp."

LIX

WHAT WAS SURE TO HAPPEN

The young widow was preparing to call on the count on the day following that on which she had sent Cherami to him, being very curious to know if he had already improved her fiance's health, when her maid announced Monsieur de la Beriniere.

f.a.n.n.y could not restrain a cry of surprise when the count entered her apartment as briskly as before his duel. It was the second day of the chartreuse treatment, and the count had taken three gla.s.ses before leaving home; that liqueur, which is really very strengthening when used with moderation, had restored his vigor; it had revived his mental powers; and Monsieur de la Beriniere, overjoyed at a change which he took as evidence of a return to his normal condition, had determined to go in person to inform the young widow of it.

f.a.n.n.y expressed all the joy she felt at finding him restored to health.

"Yes, I am feeling very well," said Monsieur de la Beriniere. "My strength is coming back with a rapidity that surprises me. Would you believe, dear lady, that our good friend Monsieur Cherami is the one to whom I owe it all?"

"Can it be? Is he a doctor?"

"No; but he has a potion left him by an old cousin, which restores convalescents to full health in a twinkling. I have been taking it only two days, and I am a different man. To-morrow, Tuesday, I shall finish the bottle; and at the end of the week, I will lead you to the altar. I will make all my arrangements accordingly."

"Oh! how happy I am to have you entirely well again! You have recovered your former amiability, your merry humor."

"Yes, I have recovered a lot of things; and when I have taken the rest of my elixir, you'll have a husband of twenty-five!"

"Indeed, you seem hardly more than that to-day."