Thus at last fatigue overcame
her, and she fell asleep.
In the morning, about seven o'clock, Madame Leon was obliged to
shake her to rouse her from the kind of lethargy into which she
had fallen. "Mademoiselle," said the housekeeper, in her honeyed
voice; "dear mademoiselle, wake up at once!"
"What is the matter? What is it?"
"Ah! how can I explain? My dear young lady, the undertaker's men
have come to make arrangements for the ceremony."
Those in charge of the last rites had indeed arrived, and their
heavy tread could be heard in the hall and in the courtyard. M.
Casimir, who was bursting with self-sufficiency, hurried here,
there? and everywhere, indicating, with an imperious gesture,
where he wished the black hangings, embroidered with silver and
emblazoned with the De Chalusse arms, to be suspended. As the
magistrate had given him carte-blanche, he deemed it proper, as he
remarked to Concierge Bourigeau, to have everything done in grand
style. But he took good care not to reveal the fact that he had
exacted a very handsome commission from all the people he
employed. The hundred francs derived from Chupin had only whetted
his appetite for more. At all events, he had certainly spared no
pains in view of having everything as magnificent as possible; and
it was not until he considered the display thoroughly satisfactory
that he went to warn Mademoiselle Marguerite. "I come to beg
mademoiselle to retire to her own room," he said.
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