Joseph Balsamo (21 page)
” Reflect seriously on what you are going to do.”
“Yes, mademoiselle ; I shall reflect on it.”
” That is right. Make yourself happy in the way you propose, if you can ; but do not be foolish.”
” You are very kind, mademoiselle. And let me say now that I was very foolish this morning ; but I hope mademoiselle will forgive me. When one is in love “
” Then you are really in love with Gilbert ? “
” Yes, mademoiselle ; I I love him,” said Nicole.
” Is it possible ? ” said Andre, smiling. ” What can you see to admire in the young man ? The first time I meet him I must take a look at this Monsieur Gilbert, who steals young girls’ hearts.”
” Is he not going with us to Paris, mademoiselle ? ” inquired Nicole, who wished to be fnlly informed on every point before taking the step she meditated.
” Of what use would he be there ? He is not a domestic, and could not take charge of a horse in Paris. Idle people
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at Taverney live like the birds ; however poor the soil, it feeds them. But in Paris an idle person would cost too much we could not support him.”
” But if I marry him ? ” stammered Nicole.
” Well, if you marry him, you shall live here with him at Taverney. You shall take care of this house which my mother was so fond of.”
Andre pronounced these words in so firm a voice, that Nicole could no longer doubt. Yet she hesitated before speaking again. Andre, seeing her hesitation, thought that her mind was wandering from the pleasures of a Parisian life to those of the quiet country, and that she knew not how to decide. So she went on, gently : ” Nicole, the decision which you are now to make will affect all your future life. Be not hasty ; 1 shall give you one hour ; it is little, but you are prompt, and I think it will be sufficient to enable you to choose between continuing to serve me or having a husband between me and Gilbert.”
* An hour ! Oh, .yes, mademoiselle, I can decide in an hour.”
” Collect all my clothes, and my mother’s ; I would not leave behind these relics so dear to me. Then go, and return in an hour fully decided ; but whatever your determination be, here are your twenty-five louis d’ors. If you marry, they shall be your dowry ; if you continue in my service, your wages for two years.”
Nicole took the purse from Andre’s hands and kissed it. Then she completed her task not a great one, certainly hurried down-stairs, and Andre saw her cross the courtyard and enter the avenue. Not finding Gilbert there, she flew to a windoAV on the ground floor, which was that of his room, and tapped at it. He was bustling about with his back to the window ; but hearing her drumming, he turned, and, like a thief caught in the act, he quickly abandoned his occupation.
” Oh, is it you, Nicole ?” said he.
” Yes, it is,” she replied, smiling, but with something very decided in her tone.
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” You are welcome ‘ said he, coming forward and opening the window.
Nicole felt that there was kindness in his reception of her, and held out her hand ; he took it, pressed it. ” This is a good beginning,” thought she. ” Farewell, my journey to Paris ! ” and to Nicole’s praise it must be said, she did not sigh at this thought.
” You know ‘ said the young girl, leaning her elbows on the window, ” yon know, Gilbert, that the family are leaving Taverney and going to Paris. ” Yes, I know.”
‘ Well, I am to go to Paris, too.”
‘ I did not know that ; but I congratulate you if you are pleased at going ‘
How you say that ! “
I say it plainly, I think if yon are pleased at going.”
‘ My being pleased depends “
‘ Why do yon stop ? depends ? “
My being pleased or not depends on you.” ‘ I don’t understand you,” said Gilbert, seating himself on the window so that his knees touched Nicole’s arm, and they could thus converse unseen and unheard.
Nicole looked at him tenderly : he shook his head, insinuating that he understood her look no more than her words.
” Well,” said she, ” since all must be told, listen to what I am going to say.”
” I hear you, ” replied Gilbert, coldly.
” In plain words, my young lady offers to take me to
Paris with her “
“Very well ; go on.”
“Unless “
“Unless what?” ” Unless I get married here.”
” Then you still think of getting married ? ” he answered, quite unmoved.
” Yes ; more particularly since I have become rich.” . ” Oh, you have become rich ?” he asked, so phlegmatically that Nicole knew not what to think.
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“Very rich, Gilbert.”
“Indeed?”
“Yes, indeed.”
” And how did that miracle come about ? “
” My young lady has given rne a marriage portion.”
“You are very fortunate. I congratulate you, Nicole.”
” Look ! ” said she, pouring out of the purse into her hand the twenty-five louis d’ors, and watching Gilbert’s eyes to discover some n.y of pleasure or covetousness in them.
Gilbert moved not a muscle. ” On my word, it is a nice little sum,” said he.
“And that is not all,” continued Nicole; “the baron will be rich once more. The old castle will be rebuilt, and the care of it given “
” To the fortunate husband of Nicole,” said Gilbert, with an irony not so well concealed but that it grated on Nicole’s fine ear ; yet she restrained her anger.
” And Nicole’s husband do you not know him ? “
“I? No.”
” Have you, then, grown stupid, or do I no longer speak French ? ” cried the young girl, who began to show symptoms of impatience.
” I understand you perfectly,” replied Gilbert. “You offer to make me your husband do you not, Mademoiselle Legay ? “
” Yes, Monsieur Gilbert.”
” And it is since you have become rich that you have thought of this,” returned Gilbert, hastily. ” I am truly grateful to you, indeed I am, indeed ! “
“Well,” said Nicole, frankly, and holding out her hand, ” take it. You accept it, do you not ?”
” No ; I refuse it.”
Nicole sprung up from her leaning position. ” Gilbert,” said she, “you have a bad heart ; and, trust me, what you now do will not bring you happiness. If I felt any warmer sentiment in making the offer I have just done, than a sense of duty and honor, trust me, I would now be miserable indeed ; but. having become rich, I did not wish it to be said that Nicole would look down on her
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old friend Gilbert. However, all is now over bet ween us.” Gilbert made a gesture of indifference.
” What I think of your conduct in the matter, you must be well aware. I, whose character you know to be as free and independent as your own, had decided to bury my-self here, from an old prepossession for you, when I had it in my power to go to Paris, which may be for me a scene of triumph. I would have borne to see before me, every day of the year, for a whole lifetime, that cold and impenetrable face, the mask of so many wicked thoughts. You have not felt that there was any sacrifice in this. So much the worse for you, Gilbert ! I do not say that you will regret me ; but remember, you may yet feel remorse for the contempt and scorn you have shown me. Guided by you, I should have been a virtuous, happy, and contented woman ; now, I am abandoned on the ocean of life, without a keeping or protecting hand ! Gilbert, if I fall, God will not hold you as the cause of my fall ! Farewell ! “
And the proud young girl turned away without anger or impatience, but having shown, as all impassioned natures do in the time of trial, true generosity of soul.
Gilbert shut his window quietly and returned to the mysterious occupation in which she had interrupted him.
CHAPTER XVIII.
FAREWELL TO TAVERNEY.
NICOLE, before entering her mistress’s apartment, stopped on the staircase to subdue some gathering emotions of resentment rising in her bosom. The baron encountered her as she stood motionless, thoughtful, her brows contracted and leaning on her hand, and, seeing her so pretty, he kissed her, as the Duke de Richelieu would have done at thirty years of age. Roused from her reverie by this piece of gallantry, Nicole hurried up to AndreVs room, and found her just closing her trunk.
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“Well,” said Mile, de Taverney, ” have your reflections ended ? “
” Yes, madame,” replied Nicole, very decidedly.
” You will marry ? “
” No, madame.”
” What ! after all your first love ? “
” My love will never do for me what the kindness of mademoiselle has done for me. I belong to you, mademoiselle, and wish always to belong to you. I know the mistress I have ; I do not know the master I might have ‘
Andre was touched with this unlooked-for exhibition of affectionate feeling in the giddy Nicole, and was far from suspecting that this choice had been a forced one. She smiled, pleased to find one human being better than she had expected.
“You do well, Nicole,” she replied, “to attach yourself to me. I shall not forget this trust to me ; and if any good fortune befall me,, you shall share it.”
” Oh, mademoiselle, I have quite decided I will go with you.”
” Without regret ? “
” Blindly.”
” I do not like that answer, Nicole. I should not wish you, at some future day, to reproach yourself with having blindly trusted me and followed me.”
” I shall never have to reproach any one but myself, mademoiselle.”
” Then you have had an explanation with your lover ? I saw you talking with him.”
Nicole blushed, then bit her lip. She forgot that An-dree’s window was opposite that at which she had spoken to Gilbert.
” It is true, mademoiselle,” replied Nicole.
” And you told him all ? “
Nicole thought Andre had some particular reason for this question, and, all her former suspicions returning, she answered : “I told him I would have nothing more to do with him.”
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It was plain that the two women would never understand each other the one pure as a diamond, the other without any fixed principle of conduct, though having occasional impulses of goodness.
In the meantime, the baron had completed all his arrangements. An old sword, which he had won at Foute-noy, some parchments establishing his right to travel in his majesty’s carriages, and a litter of old papers, formed the most bulky part of his baggage. La Brie followed, tottering under the weight of an almost empty trunk. In the avenue they found the gentlemen of the king’s body-guard, who, while waiting, had drained to the last drop his bottle of wine. The gallant had remarked the fine waist and pretty ankle of Nicole, who was going back and forward with messages, and he had kept peeping about in the hope of exchanging a word with her. He was roused, however, to more active occupation by the baron’s request that he would order the carriage to the door. He started, bowed, and in a sonorous voice summoned the coachman.
The carriage drew up ; La Brie put the trunk on be-hind with an indescribable mixture of joy and pride in his looks. ” I am, really,” murmured he, carried away by his enthusiasm, and thinking he was alone, “going to get into the king’s carriage ! “
” Behind it, behind it, my worthy friend,” replied Beausire, with a patronizing smile.
” What, sir, are you going to take La Brie with you ? ” said Andre. ” Who will take care of Taverney ? “
“Why, pardieu ! the good-for-nothing philosopher.”
“Gilbert?”
” Yes ; has he not a gun ? “
” But how will he live ?”
” By his gun, to be sure. Don’t be uneasy, he will have excellent fare ; blackbirds and thrushes are not scarce at Taverney.”
Andre looked at Nicole ; the latter began to laugh. ” And is that all the compassion you show for him, un-grateful girl ? “
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” Oh, mademoiselle ! ” replied Nicole, ” he is very clever with his guu ; he Avill not die of hunger.”
” But, sir ‘ continued Andre, ” we mu”st leave him two or three lonis d’ors.”
“To spoil him? Very fine, indeed! He is vicious enough as he is.”
” He must have something to live on,” persisted Andre.
” The neighbors will help him, if he is in want.”
” Don’t be uneasy, madame,” said Nicole ; ” he will have no cause to ask their assistance.”
” At all events,” replied Andre, “leave him two or three crowns.”
” He would not accept them.”
” He would not accept them ? Then he is proud, this Mr. Gilbert of yours ? “
” Oh, mademoiselle, he is not mine Heaven be praised ! “
” Come, come ! ” said the baron, ” let Gilbert go to the devil ; the carriage is waiting ; get in, my love.”
Andre did not reply. She cast a farewell look on the old chateau, and then got into the heavy and ponderous carriage. The baron seated himself beside her. La Brie, still wearing his splendid livery, and Nicole, who seemed never to have known such a person as Gilbert, mounted on the box ; the coachman rode one of the horses, as postilion.
” But Monsieur TExempt, where shall he sit ? ” exclaimed the baron.
” On my horse, sir, on my horse,” replied Beansire, still eying Nicole, who colored with delight at having so soon replaced a rude peasant admirer by an elegant gentleman.
The carriage, drawn by four strong horses, started into rapid motion. The trees of the avenue glided away on each side, and disappeared one by one, sadly bending be-fore the east wind, as if to bid farewell to their owners who abandoned them. The carriage reached the gate. Gilbert stood there, upright, immovable, his hat in his hand ; he did not seem to see Andre, and yet he watched her least movement. Her eyes were fixed on the dear home she was leaving, so as to keep it in view as long as possible.
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“Stop an instant!” cried the baron to the postilion. The carriage stopped.
” So, Monsieur Good-for-nothing, you are going to be happy quite alone, like a real philosopher ! Nothing to do nobody to scold you. Don’t let the house take fire and, hark ye, take care of Mahon.”
Gilbert bowed, but did not reply. He felt as if Nicole’s looks were a weight too great to be borne he feared to meet her triumphant ironical smile, as he would the touch of reel-hot iron.