Other People's Money [128]
his old friend called him, he jumped to his feet, and collecting all his coolness and self-possession, he walked in.
Maxence had risen to receive him; but, when he saw him, he stepped back, his eyes glaring in utter surprise.
"Ah, great heavens!" he muttered in a smothered voice.
But M. de Tregars seemed not to notice his stupor. Quite self-possessed, notwithstanding his emotion, he cast a rapid glance over the Count de Villegre, Mme. Favoral and Mlle. Gilberte. At their attitude, and at the expression of their countenance, he easily guessed the point to which things had come.
And, advancing towards Mme. Favoral, he bowed with an amount of respect which was certainly not put on.
"You have heard the Count de Villegre, madame," he said in a slightly altered tone of voice. " I am awaiting my fate."
The poor woman had never before in all her life been so fearfully perplexed. All these events, which succeeded each other so rapidly, had broken the feeble springs of her soul. She was utterly incapable of collecting her thoughts, or of taking a determination.
"At this moment, sir," she stammered, taken unawares, " it would be impossible for me to answer you. Grant me a few days for reflection. We have some old friends whom I ought to consult."
But Maxence, who had got over his stupor, interrupted her.
"Friends mother!" he exclaimed. "And who are they? People in our position have no friends. What! when we are perishing, a man of heart holds out his hand to us, and you ask to reflect? To my sister, who bears a name henceforth disgraced, the Marquis de Tregar offers his name, and you think of consulting "
The poor woman was shaking her head.
"I am not the mistress, my son," she murmured; "and your father - "
My father! interrupted the young man, - "my father! What rights can he have over us hereafter?" And without further discussion, without awaiting an answer, he took his sister's hand, and, placing it in M. de Tregar's hand,
"Ah! take her, sir," he uttered. "Never, whatever she may do, will she acquit the debt of eternal gratitude which we this day contract towards you."
A tremor that shook their frames, a long look which they exchanged, betrayed alone the feelings of Marius and Mlle. Gilberte. They had of life a too cruel experience not to mistrust their joy.
Returning to Mme. Favoral,
"You do not understand, madame," he went on, "why I should have selected for such a step the very moment when an irreparable calamity befalls you. One word will explain all. Being in a position to serve you, I wished to acquire the right of doing so."
Fixing upon him a look in which the gloomiest despair could be read,
"Alas!" stammered the poor woman, "what can you do for me, sir? My life is ended. I have but one wish left, - that of knowing where my husband is hid. It is not for me to judge him. He has not given me the happiness which I had, perhaps, the right to expect; but he is my husband, he is unhappy: my duty is to join him wherever he may be, and to share his sufferings."
She was interrupted by the servant, who was calling her at the parlor-door, "Madame, madame!"
"What is the matter?" inquired Maxence.
"I must speak to madame at once.
Making an effort to rise and walk, Mme. Favoral went out. She was gone but a minute; and, when she returned, her agitation had further increased. "It is the hand of Providence, perhaps," she said. The others were all looking at her anxiously. She took a seat, and, addressing herself more especially to M. de Tregars,
"This is what happens," she said in a feeble voice. "M. Favoral was in the habit of always changing his coat as soon as he came home. As usual, he did so last evening. When they came to arrest him, he forgot to change again, and went off with the coat he had on. The other remained hanging in the room, where the girl took it just now to brush it, and put it away; and this portfolio, which my husband always carries with him, fell from its pocket."
It was an old Russia leather portfolio, which
Maxence had risen to receive him; but, when he saw him, he stepped back, his eyes glaring in utter surprise.
"Ah, great heavens!" he muttered in a smothered voice.
But M. de Tregars seemed not to notice his stupor. Quite self-possessed, notwithstanding his emotion, he cast a rapid glance over the Count de Villegre, Mme. Favoral and Mlle. Gilberte. At their attitude, and at the expression of their countenance, he easily guessed the point to which things had come.
And, advancing towards Mme. Favoral, he bowed with an amount of respect which was certainly not put on.
"You have heard the Count de Villegre, madame," he said in a slightly altered tone of voice. " I am awaiting my fate."
The poor woman had never before in all her life been so fearfully perplexed. All these events, which succeeded each other so rapidly, had broken the feeble springs of her soul. She was utterly incapable of collecting her thoughts, or of taking a determination.
"At this moment, sir," she stammered, taken unawares, " it would be impossible for me to answer you. Grant me a few days for reflection. We have some old friends whom I ought to consult."
But Maxence, who had got over his stupor, interrupted her.
"Friends mother!" he exclaimed. "And who are they? People in our position have no friends. What! when we are perishing, a man of heart holds out his hand to us, and you ask to reflect? To my sister, who bears a name henceforth disgraced, the Marquis de Tregar offers his name, and you think of consulting "
The poor woman was shaking her head.
"I am not the mistress, my son," she murmured; "and your father - "
My father! interrupted the young man, - "my father! What rights can he have over us hereafter?" And without further discussion, without awaiting an answer, he took his sister's hand, and, placing it in M. de Tregar's hand,
"Ah! take her, sir," he uttered. "Never, whatever she may do, will she acquit the debt of eternal gratitude which we this day contract towards you."
A tremor that shook their frames, a long look which they exchanged, betrayed alone the feelings of Marius and Mlle. Gilberte. They had of life a too cruel experience not to mistrust their joy.
Returning to Mme. Favoral,
"You do not understand, madame," he went on, "why I should have selected for such a step the very moment when an irreparable calamity befalls you. One word will explain all. Being in a position to serve you, I wished to acquire the right of doing so."
Fixing upon him a look in which the gloomiest despair could be read,
"Alas!" stammered the poor woman, "what can you do for me, sir? My life is ended. I have but one wish left, - that of knowing where my husband is hid. It is not for me to judge him. He has not given me the happiness which I had, perhaps, the right to expect; but he is my husband, he is unhappy: my duty is to join him wherever he may be, and to share his sufferings."
She was interrupted by the servant, who was calling her at the parlor-door, "Madame, madame!"
"What is the matter?" inquired Maxence.
"I must speak to madame at once.
Making an effort to rise and walk, Mme. Favoral went out. She was gone but a minute; and, when she returned, her agitation had further increased. "It is the hand of Providence, perhaps," she said. The others were all looking at her anxiously. She took a seat, and, addressing herself more especially to M. de Tregars,
"This is what happens," she said in a feeble voice. "M. Favoral was in the habit of always changing his coat as soon as he came home. As usual, he did so last evening. When they came to arrest him, he forgot to change again, and went off with the coat he had on. The other remained hanging in the room, where the girl took it just now to brush it, and put it away; and this portfolio, which my husband always carries with him, fell from its pocket."
It was an old Russia leather portfolio, which