Publisher's Synopsis
"You have not told us yet, monsieur le docteur," said Agathe, "how the little fellow fell into the water. I fancy that he was not trying to play a trick on himself?" "Oh, no! mademoiselle; but still that accident happened to him as a result of his evil disposition. In the first place, he did not fall into the water-he went in himself. My young gentleman was pleased to bathe, although it isn't warm enough yet for bathing in the river; but he had been forbidden to do it, and that was a sufficient reason for him to do it. He had also been told, when he did bathe, not to go to that particular part of the Marne, because, on account of the eddies and currents, it was very dangerous and even the best swimmer might be drowned.
