Aubert found that Valancourt had passed a restless
night; that he was feverish, and his wound very painful. The
surgeon, when he dressed it, advised him to remain quietly at
Beaujeu; advice which was too reasonable to be rejected. St. Aubert,
however, had no favourable opinion of this practitioner, and was
anxious to commit Valancourt into more skilful hands; but learning,
upon enquiry, that there was no town within several leagues which
seemed more likely to afford better advice, he altered the plan of
his journey, and determined to await the recovery of Valancourt, who,
with somewhat more ceremony than sincerity, made many objections to
this delay.
By order of his surgeon, Valancourt did not go out of the house that
day; but St. Aubert and Emily surveyed with delight the environs of
the town, situated at the feet of the Pyrenean Alps, that rose, some
in abrupt precipices, and others swelling with woods of cedar, fir,
and cypress, which stretched nearly to their highest summits. The
cheerful green of the beech and mountain-ash was sometimes seen, like
a gleam of light, amidst the dark verdure of the forest; and
sometimes a torrent poured its sparkling flood, high among the woods.
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