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Nostradamus free e-book novel - The Greatest Sinner Ever

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“I am alive,” he teased, which made Yolande mockingly attack him with a<br />

pillow. <strong>The</strong> plague, meanwhile, continued to rage and the doctor worked<br />

around the clock during those days.<br />

A few weeks later fate knocked on the <strong>Nostradamus</strong> family’s door.<br />

Yolande and Victor got sick. Michel was confronted with it when he came<br />

home from work, late in the evening. As white as a sheet, he diagnosed<br />

them with the feared disease.<br />

“It’s the damn plague,” he swore, when he was alone in the kitchen and<br />

punched the walls with his fists. It was a horrible concurrence: the plague<br />

fighter defeated at the home front. Deeply upset, he broke the bad news to<br />

his wife.<br />

“All my attention was on my patients instead of on you,” he lamented.<br />

“Michel, please don’t blame yourself and promise me that you will go on<br />

living with Isabelle.”<br />

“I don’t know if I can live without you!”<br />

“A higher power will come through for you, darling,” she tried to comfort<br />

him. He washed their wounds as they appeared, prepared the best food he<br />

could think of and hoped for a miracle up to the last minute, but to no<br />

avail. His flower quickly faded and died in his arms. He watched the last<br />

glow disappear from her eyes, and saw her spirit leave her body. <strong>The</strong> next<br />

day, Victor also left his life and while he was kissing his son goodbye, he<br />

heard his daughter calling him. Isabelle had been locked up in her room to<br />

keep her safe. <strong>The</strong> devastated physician left his daughter in the care of the<br />

servant for a day and brought the remains of his family members to<br />

Puivert. His wife had wanted to be buried in the family grave. <strong>The</strong> De<br />

Vaudemonts, watched in horror as a wagon carrying coffins approached.<br />

Of course, they understood what had happened, but out of fear they left the<br />

gate shut.<br />

“This is killing us,” the count called through a window, “but there are<br />

others here that I love too.”<br />

“I understand. Can someone help me dig a grave at a safe distance?” the<br />

son-in-law asked.<br />

“No, sorry. Good luck,” the count heartlessly ended the conversation and<br />

closed the shutters. Bitter and alone, the widower buried his wife and child<br />

in the family grave, which was just outside the gate. His wife’s family<br />

secretly watched from the castle. Back in Agen, the doctor took charge of<br />

his daughter, who forced him to go on with his life. <strong>The</strong> first lie about him<br />

began to spread through the city: Yolande, buried by her own father. That<br />

evening, the maid knocked on the door. A heavily depressed <strong>Nostradamus</strong><br />

opened it as asked what was the matter.<br />

“Doctor, I came to warn you. <strong>The</strong> De Vaudemonts have set the<br />

townspeople against you. <strong>The</strong>y are accusing you of purposely letting your<br />

wife die, so that you can run off with the dowry. It is also being rumored<br />

that you are a friend of the Jews. I had to tell you, sir, because I know you<br />

are a good person,” and she ran away. Michel bolted the front door,<br />

44

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