Explore "The Illustrious Dr. Mathéus" by Erckmann-Chatrian on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
After galloping for a full half-hour, Frantz Mathéus, hearing nothing but the beating of his horse's hoofs on the road, and the song of the birds in the free air, ventured to open first one eye, then the other; and seeing himself in the midst of a thick forest, far from the cudgels and sophistical minds of the worthy country-folks, breathed like one who has been cut down after having been hanged.
Coucou Peter, on his side, slackened Bruno's pace, and felt his own ribs to make sure they were still intact. When he had thoroughly convinced himself that all was in its place, he turned towards the village, which was still to be seen through the trees, and extending his hands with an imploring air, cried-