White Lies [137]
for my own duties will soon demand me."
"It is so important that, command or no command, I should have come further than the Rhine to say it to you."
Let a man be as bold as a lion, a certain awe still waits upon doubt and mystery; and some of this vague awe crept over Camille Dujardin at Raynal's mysterious speech, and his grave, quiet, significant manner.
Had he discovered something, and what? For Josephine's sake, more than his own, Camille was on his guard directly.
Raynal looked at him in silence a moment.
"What?" said he with a slight sneer, "has it never occurred to you that I MUST have a serious word to say to you? First, let me put you a question: did they treat you well at my house? at the chateau de Beaurepaire?"
"Yes," faltered Camille.
"You met, I trust, all the kindness and care due to a wounded soldier and an officer of merit. It would annoy me greatly if I thought you were not treated like a brother in my house."
Colonel Dujardin writhed inwardly at this view of matters. He could not reply in few words. This made him hesitate.
His inquisitor waited, but, receiving no reply, went on, "Well, colonel, have you shown the sense of gratitude we had a right to look for in return? In a word, when you left Beaurepaire, had your conscience nothing to reproach you with?"
Dujardin still hesitated. He scarcely knew what to think or what to say. But he thought to himself, "Who has told him? does he know all?"
"Colonel Dujardin, I am the husband of Josephine, the son of Madame de Beaurepaire, and the brother of Rose. You know very well what brings me here. Your answer?"
"Colonel Raynal, between men of honor, placed as you and I are, few words should pass, for words are idle. You will never prove to me that I have wronged you: I shall never convince you that I have not. Let us therefore close this painful interview in the way it is sure to close. I am at your service, at any hour and place you please."
"And pray is that all the answer you can think of?" asked Raynal somewhat scornfully.
"Why, what other answer can I give you?"
"A more sensible, a more honest, and a less boyish one. Who doubts that you can fight, you silly fellow? haven't I seen you? I want you to show me a much higher sort of courage: the courage to repair a wrong, not the paltry valor to defend one."
"I really do not understand you, sir. How can I undo what is done?"
"Why, of course you cannot. And therefore I stand here ready to forgive all that is past; not without a struggle, which you don't seem to appreciate."
Camille was now utterly mystified. Raynal continued, "But of course it is upon condition that you consent to heal the wound you have made. If you refuse--hum! but you will not refuse."
"But what is it you require of me?" inquired Camille impatiently.
"Only a little common honesty. This is the case: you have seduced a young lady."
"Sir!" cried Camille angrily.
"What is the matter? The word is not so bad as the crime, I take it. You have seduced her, and under circumstances-- But we won't speak of them, because I am resolved to keep cool. Well, sir, as you said just now, it's no use crying over spilled milk; you can't unseduce the little fool; so you must marry her."
"M--m--marry her?" and Dujardin flushed all over, and his heart beat, and he stared in Raynal's face.
"Why, what is the matter again? If she has played the fool, it was with you, and no other man: it is not as if she was depraved. Come, my lad, show a little generosity! Take the consequences of your own act--or your share of it--don't throw it all on the poor feeble woman. If she has loved you too much, you are the man of all others that should forgive her. Come, what do you say?"
This was too much for Camille; that Raynal should come and demand of him to marry his own wife, for so he understood the proposal. He stared at Raynal in silence ever so long, and even when he spoke it was only to mutter, "Are you out of your senses, or am I?"
At this it cost Raynal a considerable effort
"It is so important that, command or no command, I should have come further than the Rhine to say it to you."
Let a man be as bold as a lion, a certain awe still waits upon doubt and mystery; and some of this vague awe crept over Camille Dujardin at Raynal's mysterious speech, and his grave, quiet, significant manner.
Had he discovered something, and what? For Josephine's sake, more than his own, Camille was on his guard directly.
Raynal looked at him in silence a moment.
"What?" said he with a slight sneer, "has it never occurred to you that I MUST have a serious word to say to you? First, let me put you a question: did they treat you well at my house? at the chateau de Beaurepaire?"
"Yes," faltered Camille.
"You met, I trust, all the kindness and care due to a wounded soldier and an officer of merit. It would annoy me greatly if I thought you were not treated like a brother in my house."
Colonel Dujardin writhed inwardly at this view of matters. He could not reply in few words. This made him hesitate.
His inquisitor waited, but, receiving no reply, went on, "Well, colonel, have you shown the sense of gratitude we had a right to look for in return? In a word, when you left Beaurepaire, had your conscience nothing to reproach you with?"
Dujardin still hesitated. He scarcely knew what to think or what to say. But he thought to himself, "Who has told him? does he know all?"
"Colonel Dujardin, I am the husband of Josephine, the son of Madame de Beaurepaire, and the brother of Rose. You know very well what brings me here. Your answer?"
"Colonel Raynal, between men of honor, placed as you and I are, few words should pass, for words are idle. You will never prove to me that I have wronged you: I shall never convince you that I have not. Let us therefore close this painful interview in the way it is sure to close. I am at your service, at any hour and place you please."
"And pray is that all the answer you can think of?" asked Raynal somewhat scornfully.
"Why, what other answer can I give you?"
"A more sensible, a more honest, and a less boyish one. Who doubts that you can fight, you silly fellow? haven't I seen you? I want you to show me a much higher sort of courage: the courage to repair a wrong, not the paltry valor to defend one."
"I really do not understand you, sir. How can I undo what is done?"
"Why, of course you cannot. And therefore I stand here ready to forgive all that is past; not without a struggle, which you don't seem to appreciate."
Camille was now utterly mystified. Raynal continued, "But of course it is upon condition that you consent to heal the wound you have made. If you refuse--hum! but you will not refuse."
"But what is it you require of me?" inquired Camille impatiently.
"Only a little common honesty. This is the case: you have seduced a young lady."
"Sir!" cried Camille angrily.
"What is the matter? The word is not so bad as the crime, I take it. You have seduced her, and under circumstances-- But we won't speak of them, because I am resolved to keep cool. Well, sir, as you said just now, it's no use crying over spilled milk; you can't unseduce the little fool; so you must marry her."
"M--m--marry her?" and Dujardin flushed all over, and his heart beat, and he stared in Raynal's face.
"Why, what is the matter again? If she has played the fool, it was with you, and no other man: it is not as if she was depraved. Come, my lad, show a little generosity! Take the consequences of your own act--or your share of it--don't throw it all on the poor feeble woman. If she has loved you too much, you are the man of all others that should forgive her. Come, what do you say?"
This was too much for Camille; that Raynal should come and demand of him to marry his own wife, for so he understood the proposal. He stared at Raynal in silence ever so long, and even when he spoke it was only to mutter, "Are you out of your senses, or am I?"
At this it cost Raynal a considerable effort