"He has looked after it well?" continued Armand. Two big tears
rolled down the cheeks of the sick man, and he turned away his
head to hide them from me. I pretended not to see them, and tried
to change the conversation. "You have been away three weeks," I
said.

Armand passed his hand across his eyes and replied, "Exactly
three weeks."

"You had a long journey."

"Oh, I was not travelling all the time. I was ill for a fortnight
or I should have returned long ago; but I had scarcely got there
when I took this fever, and I was obliged to keep my room."

"And you started to come back before you were really well?"

"If I had remained in the place for another week, I should have
died there."

"Well, now you are back again, you must take care of yourself;
your friends will come and look after you; myself, first of all,
if you will allow me."

"I shall get up in a couple of hours."

"It would be very unwise."

"I must."