The marriage of Gustave and Adolphine had been decided for four days; and as they were in great haste to be united and to make sure at last of a happiness which had constantly eluded the grasp of one, and which the other had never hoped to attain, they were hurrying forward the indispensable preliminaries to the celebration of their union.
Monsieur Grandcourt did not make a wry face when his nephew told him of the new choice he had made; on the contrary, he congratulated him.
"That one is all right," he said; "she's a charming girl, with all the good qualities which her sister lacks; therefore, she has a great many."
More than once, while her young mistress was trying on the gowns and jewels which were brought to her, Madeleine cried:
"Oh! mamzelle, how lovely you will look as a bride! But there's your sister! When she knows who you're going to marry, won't she make a row?"
"Hush, Madeleine, don't talk about my sister! I have a sort of feeling that she is going to interfere with my happiness again."
"Nonsense! There's no danger of that, mamzelle; I'll answer for Monsieur Gustave!"
They were conversing one morning in this same strain, when someone rang the doorbell violently.
"Mon Dieu! if it were she!" exclaimed Adolphine.
"Your sister? Well, if it is, she won't eat us."
It proved to be Fanny, who entered her sister's room with an insolent air, crying:
"What does this mean? Who ever heard of such a thing? Monsieur Gustave in Paris a whole week, I hear, and no one lets me know! And that tall scamp of a Cherami assured me that he was going to Russia! Ah! I'll fix him when I see him! Haven't you seen Gustave? Hasn't he been here?"
"Why, yes," Adolphine replied, trying to conceal her emotion, "he has been here. He comes every day."
"And you couldn't send me word?"
"I have been to your house several times. You are always out."
"You might have written me a line."
"But I could not guess that you were so anxious to see Gustave, after your treatment of him."
"Oh! my dear girl, I beg you not to bore me by going all over that! What has passed is a dream; but what has not been done may still be done."
"I don't understand you."
"I understand myself, and that's enough. How is Gustave now? still sad and depressed?"
"Oh! not at all. He is cheerful and light-hearted; he's not the same man. You wouldn't recognize him."
"Indeed! he's cheerful, is he?"
"And then, he has a beautiful scar across his face; it gives him a martial air, it's very becoming to him."
"Perhaps that is what makes his spirits so good. So he has been fighting duels, has he?"
"Yes, with an Irish officer."
"Everybody seems to be duelling, nowadays! He must have wanted to follow his friend Cherami's example. What about his business?"
"His uncle has just made him his partner. Gustave will have at least forty thousand francs a year for his share."
"Is it possible! he's a lucky fellow! And he's been in Paris a week, and I had no idea of it! Hallo! everything seems to be topsy-turvy here! Have you been buying all these things?"
"Yes."
"Are you going to a ball?"
"Better than that: I am going to a wedding."
"To a wedding! and I am not invited! Who's to be married, pray?"
Adolphine was hesitating over her reply, when the door opened and Gustave appeared. When she saw the man whom she had twice promised to marry, Fanny dropped into an easy-chair, threw back her head, and pretended to faint. Adolphine became deathly pale; but a glance from Gustave reassured her. He went to her side, took her hand, and pressed it affectionately in his.
Fanny, seeing that nobody thought of coming to her assistance, decided to recover; so she straightened herself up, and said in a tremulous voice:
"Ah! mon Dieu! Monsieur Gustave, your presence caused me such a thrill of emotion! I almost fainted."
Gustave bowed gravely to Fanny, saying, in an indifferent tone:
"Madame is well, I trust?"
"Why, no, I have been ill, I have suffered a great deal. You must find me changed, do you not?"
"I fancy we shall have fine weather to-day," said Gustave, turning to Adolphine, who whispered:
"She knows nothing."
"Very well! we will give her a surprise."
"What does this mean? He doesn't listen to me," thought Fanny.
She sprang to her feet and went up to the young man, saying:
"I have a great deal to say to you, monsieur. I have some important explanations to make to you. I hope that you will be kind enough to escort me home, where we can talk without disturbing anyone."
Adolphine clung to Gustave's arm, as he replied with perfect tranquillity:
"Madame, I am very sorry to refuse; but I have determined never to enter your house again, and I do not require any explanation."
The little widow bit her lips in her wrath, while Adolphine breathed more freely.
"What, monsieur! Do you mean that you are afraid to come to my house?" said Fanny, trying to smile.
"I know very well, madame, that I have nothing to fear from your presence now. But I have no reason for calling upon you. Allow me to say, further, that I have every reason to be surprised at your invitation."
Fanny paced the floor, with every indication of the most intense annoyance; at last she returned to Gustave, and said in a determined tone:
"I tell you again, monsieur, that I must speak to you alone, that I have some things to make known to you, which I can tell only to you. As you absolutely refuse to come to my house, I will speak to you here. My sister will be good enough, I trust, to leave us for a moment.—Oh! I will not abuse monsieur's good-nature."
Adolphine was sorely disturbed; she seemed not at all inclined to leave her sister alone with Gustave; but he took her hand and put it to his lips, saying:
"Since madame insists upon it, go, my dear Adolphine; but don't go far, for our interview will not be a long one."
"How gallant he is to my sister!" said Fanny to herself, as Gustave escorted Adolphine to the door. "Well! we'll see about it!"
"We are alone, madame, and I am listening," said Gustave.
Instantly Fanny threw herself at the young man's feet, crying in a tone which she tried to make heart-rending:
"Gustave! forgive me! Oh! in pity's name, forgive me, or I shall die here at your feet!"
"Rise, madame, I beg; I do not understand this scene at all."
"Ah! you do not choose to understand me; but I will not shrink from accusing myself! Yes, I was guilty, very guilty! Ambition, the longing to bear a title, had turned my head. I did not know what I was doing; I was mad. You must know that it was not love which attracted me to the count. Poor man! No, I have never loved but one man, and that man—was you; yes, you—despite my idiotic conduct. And then—I don't know—but the last time that you found fault with me,it seemed to me that you were jealous. I am too sensitive; I lost my temper all of a sudden. But, I tell you again, I didn't know what I was doing! Gustave! my dear Gustave! I will not rise until you have granted my pardon!"
"Have you said all that you have to say, madame?" rejoined Gustave, with a calmness which disconcerted the little widow and induced her to rise.
"Yes, of course. I think that I have fully expressed my regret and my remorse, at least."
"Very well, madame, your wish is gratified; I forgive you—all the more freely, because, by not marrying me, you actually did me a very great service."
"What do you mean by that, monsieur? Surely that answer of yours is far from gallant."
"Oh! madame, you have given me the right not to be gallant to you. Observe that I am not reproaching you; God forbid! But, frankly, you might well have spared yourself this last comedy. I can understand that you must have a very poor opinion of my sense—I have given you the right. But, after all, there are bounds to everything; and I didn't suppose that you considered me an absolute idiot. It seems that I flattered myself too much."
"What do you mean bycomedy, monsieur? What is the significance of this tone, this satirical air?"
"Oh! let us not lose patience, madame; and to put an end to the discussion, allow me to present my wife."
As he spoke, Gustave stepped to the door and opened it. Adolphine appeared with a radiant face, for she had heard every word. She gave her hand to Gustave, and they both bowed to the little widow, who became white, red, and green, in turn, and who cried at last:
"Ah! so you are to marry my sister! I might have suspected as much! As you please, monsieur. In fact, you will suit each other admirably. Accept my congratulations."
"Won't you come to my wedding, Fanny?" said Adolphine, offering her sister her hand.
"Go to the devil!" she retorted, pushing the hand away. And she rushed from the room, exclaiming: "I'd much rather you would marry him than I, for I think the fellow's perfectly frightful with his scar!"
On returning home from Monsieur Gerbault's, Gustave found Cherami waiting for him.
"Well! how is everything?" inquired Beau Arthur, when Gustave appeared. "Simply by looking at you, my dear fellow, I can see that everything is satisfactory."
The young man replied by throwing his arms about Cherami and crying:
"Ah! you had guessed right. Adolphine loved me; Adolphine still loves me. In three days she will be my wife, and I shall owe my happiness to you; for without you I should never have discovered her secret."
"What a charming fellow! He will be persuading me that he is the one who owes me gratitude! Dear Gustave! so at last you are going to be as happy as you deserve! Par la sambleu! I am satisfied! I may fairly say that I have my cue! And the uncle?"
"My uncle doesn't laugh at my love now; on the contrary, he approves my choice."
"He's a man of sense."
"He has taken me into partnership."
"Bravo!"
"And now, as you may imagine, I am going to look out for you. You must have a lucrative and agreeable place."
"Get married first! you can attend to me afterward."
"No. I have an idea that I want to suggest to my uncle."
"Your uncle thinks that I am not good for anything."
"He'll get over his prejudice. I am going to talk with him about you this very day. Come again, about noon, to-morrow; I shall have a favorable answer for you, I am sure."
"All right; noon to-morrow. Here, or at your office?"
"At my office. By the way, I have changed my office. You pass my uncle's private room, go to the end of a long corridor leading to the cashier's office; turn to the left, and my door is in front of you."
"Very good: a long corridor, then turn to the left. I will find it. Until to-morrow, my dear Gustave! By the way, shall I be invited to the wedding?"
"Will you be? you, who made the match! You, who called my attention to that angel, whom my idiotic passion had hidden from me! Why, if you were not there, something would be lacking in my happiness."
"Ah! that's very prettily said! Never fear; I will do you honor, and I will make myself agreeable to everybody."
As soon as Cherami had left him, Gustave went to Monsieur Grandcourt.
"Now that I am to be married, my dear uncle," he said, "you can understand that I don't care about travelling any more. But, in our business, we always need someone to represent us in foreign countries. Wouldn't it be possible——"
"I see what you are coming at," interrupted the banker, shaking his head; "you are going to talk to me again about your Monsieur Cherami."
"Well, yes. Am I wrong about it; hasn't he given me proof enough of his friendship and his devotion? He had shrewdly guessed that Adolphine loved me."
"Why didn't he tell you sooner, then?"
"Would I have listened to him?—Come, uncle, you are so good to me! You overwhelm me with kindness. You give me an interest in your business. Will you do nothing for a man who is my friend? He was wild and dissipated in his youth; now he has reformed."
"Where's the proof of it?"
"Why, his most earnest desire is to find a place; and I assure you that he is capable of filling it."
"I don't doubt that. The fellow is intelligent and talented, and has excellent manners when he chooses, but——"
"But what?"
"Well, he doesn't inspire me with confidence; and, to represent us, we must have a man of honor, above all things."
"You have an erroneous opinion of Cherami. He may have borrowed money, have incurred debts which he hasn't paid, but solely from lack of means. In a word, he has been very unfortunate. Do you impute it to him as a crime that he has endured poverty cheerfully, and has had confidence in the future? Poor fellow! And I led him to hope for a favorable answer, and told him to come here for it to-morrow!"
Monsieur Grandcourt made no reply; he seemed to be lost in thought. Gustave was distressed by the ill-success of his attempt. Suddenly his uncle exclaimed:
"Did you say that Monsieur Cherami was to come here to see you to-morrow?"
"Yes, uncle."
"Where are you to meet him, in your room or your office?"
"At my office."
"Did you indicate to him exactly that he was to follow the corridor, then turn to the left?"
"Yes, uncle."
"At what time is he to be here?"
"At noon. He will be prompt; he never fails to keep an appointment."
"Very well; about two o'clock to-morrow, I will give you a definite answer on the subject of your protégé."
"And it will be favorable, will it not, uncle?"
"I can't tell you yet. By the way, I shall be obliged to you if you will not be in your office at noon."
"Not be there, uncle? But Cherami is coming!"
"Don't be disturbed about that; that's my affair. Go to pass the morning with your fiancée."
"Oh! I ask nothing better."
"And return about two o'clock. I will tell you then my decision as to Monsieur Cherami."
The clock had just struck twelve when Cherami entered the banking-house on the following day. He cherished no vain hopes; he did not anticipate a favorable reply; but, with his customary philosophy, he said to himself:
"That won't prevent me from going to Gustave's wedding and enjoying myself."
As he was perfectly familiar with the way to the offices, Cherami entered the vestibule on the street floor; at the right was a door leading to the general offices, and in front, the door of a long corridor on which several other doors opened. That was the corridor he was to take to reach Gustave's office. Cherami passed through the door and walked straight ahead. He had just passed Monsieur Grandcourt's private office, when his foot struck something of considerable size; he stooped, looked to see what it was, and picked up a portfolio.
His first impulse was to examine what he had found. It was a very simple portfolio, of green morocco, with no monogram or initials; but in one of the compartments was a thick package of banknotes. Cherami counted them; they amounted to twenty-five thousand francs. He looked through all the other compartments, but found no letters, no papers, nothing to tell him to whom it belonged.
"Par la sambleu! this is a find!" said Cherami to himself. "Twenty-five thousand francs! A very pretty little sum! Who can have lost it? I don't see anybody; but I mustn't forget that Gustave is waiting for me."
He put the portfolio in his pocket, and kept on to the end of the corridor; then turned to the left, took another short corridor, saw a door in front of him, and turned the knob; but the door did not open.
"What's this? locked? Yes, it is locked," said Cherami to himself. "Gustave must have forgotten the appointment. When he's just on the brink of matrimony, it's quite excusable. I may as well go. But that portfolio? Let's go and inquire at the cashier's office."
The counting-room was at the end of the long corridor. Cherami had passed it once without noticing that it was closed: it was Sunday, a holiday.
But as he turned back toward the door of the counting-room, Cherami exclaimed:
"Upon my word! everything is closed to-day! It's very strange! One would say that circumstances conspired to enable me to appropriate this portfolio with impunity!"
He walked back along the corridor as far as the banker's door; there he halted, saying:
"Let's see if this one is locked, too."
But that door yielded to his pressure, and Cherami found Monsieur Grandcourt in his usual seat. He could not master a slight movement as Cherami appeared, but he instantly repressed it, and greeted him with the customary cool nod, and without rising.
"I have come once more to bore you, monsieur," said his visitor; "I had no intention of doing so, however; but Gustave made an appointment with me for this noon, and I do not find him."
"I don't know where he is, monsieur."
"He was to give me an answer about—about something. I can guess that he had nothing favorable to tell me; that is why he is not here."
"In that case, monsieur, what do you want of me?"
"Oh! mon Dieu! nothing, except to hand you this portfolio, which I found in your corridor; and as the person who lost it will probably come here in search of it, you will please return it to him. If I had found anybody in the counting-room, I would not have disturbed you, I promise you!"
As he spoke, Cherami took the portfolio from his pocket and placed it on the banker's desk. The latter's expression had changed completely; the liveliest satisfaction was depicted on every feature. However, he strove to conceal his pleasure, as he said:
"Aha! you found this, you say—near here?"
"In the corridor. I knocked at several doors, but they are all locked."
"Do you know what it contains?"
"Yes; twenty-five thousand francs in banknotes. Count them, and you will see. Nothing else: no letters, no address, nothing to indicate to whom it belongs."
"Do you know, monsieur, that this is very well done of you?" said Monsieur Grandcourt, turning to Cherami, and looking at him for the first time with a kindly expression.
"Well done of me! because I return a portfolio that I found? Tell me, in God's name, did you take me for a thief, for a man who keeps what doesn't belong to him? Sapristi! I don't propose that people shall hold that opinion of me, and you must——"
"Come, come! cool down, hot-head! I haven't a bad opinion of you. Do you propose to pick a quarrel with me?"
"You seem surprised that I do a perfectly simple thing—that I am honest!"
"Let us forget that.—Now, do you care to accept the position of our travelling man? The duties are simply to go to see our correspondents abroad, and keep us informed as to their orders. As you see, it's by no means an unpleasant post. We will give you six thousand francs a year and all your expenses paid. Does that suit you?"
"Does it suit me! why, it delights me beyond words! Dear uncle of my friend! Permit me—no, it's foolish for men to kiss—give me your hand, that's better."
"There it is, Monsieur Cherami; and henceforth you can number me among your true friends."
"Their number isn't very great: you and Gustave, that's all."
"Permit me also to advance you two thousand francs on your salary; you may have purchases to make, some troublesome little debts to pay."
"Faith! I have, indeed. I will pay Capucine and Blanquette, two creditors of long standing, who have not been very troublesome. I am sure that they were never anxious; but they have waited long enough. This evening, I will send them what I owe them. They will be surprised; but they'll take it."
A few days later, Gustave married Adolphine, who obtained at last the reward of the sincere and devoted love which she had hidden so long in the bottom of her heart.
Fanny never saw her sister after she became Gustave's wife. The little widow could not forgive herself for having refused a man who eventually had more than forty thousand francs a year; especially as nobody else came forward to take his place.
Monsieur Batonnin was greatly vexed by the rejection of his hand. When he learned that it was Gustave whowas preferred to him, he was tempted to make ill-natured remarks, because he, in common with many others, thought that Gustave must be a coward, as he allowed Cherami to fight for him. But when he came face to face with Adolphine's beloved, when he saw the scar of the famous sword-cut, Monsieur Batonnin became smiling and soft-spoken once more, and congratulated Gustave on his new choice.
Some months after Gustave's marriage, Cherami, who had become a dandy once more in respect to dress, happening to pass the omnibus office near Porte Saint-Martin, met Madame Capucine and her two boys. He greeted the corpulent dame cordially, saying:
"Do you happen to be going to your aunt's again? But, no; this isn't the direction."
"Excuse me; she isn't at Saint-Mandé now, she's gone back to Romainville; she feels better there."
"Does she eat as many rabbits?"
"No, too many were stolen; she got sick of 'em."
"Then, I will call again to see dear Madame Duponceau."
"Oh! yes, as you did before; when you leave the house, that's the last we see of you. Come now, with us."
"I can't possibly to-day; I see two young ladies yonder looking for me."
Cherami had caught sight of Mesdemoiselles Laurette and Lucie at the corner of the boulevard, where they had stopped to stare at him, and were saying to each other:
"Is it really him? How finely he's dressed now!"
"Yes, it certainly is him. Don't you see, his nose is still crooked."
"But now he's dressed so fine, that don't look very bad; he has a very stylish air, I tell you."
Cherami approached the two friends, and saluted them with a gracious bow, saying:
"Really, this square is very good to me; for I remember, mesdemoiselles, that it was in front of this same omnibus office that I first had the pleasure of seeing you."
"That is true, monsieur; but we are still simple working-girls, while you, monsieur, you seem to have made your fortune."
"No, mesdemoiselles; I haven't made my fortune. I have just straightened myself out, reformed a bit, and I have found a place which I am determined to fill satisfactorily. Twice before, when I met you, I invited you to dine; and I should have been sadly embarrassed if you had accepted, for I hadn't a sou in my pocket. To-day, my pocket is well lined, and yet I shall not repeat my invitation, because I represent the firm of Grandcourt & Nephew, and, as such representative, I have determined to change my mode of life. But that will not prevent me from offering each of you a bouquet, for the most virtuous man is always at liberty to be gallant."
With that, Cherami purchased, from a flower-girl at the corner, two superb bouquets, which he bestowed upon Mesdemoiselles Laurette and Lucie. Then he saluted them anew and took his leave of them, saying to himself:
"I behaved like Cato! And I am the more inclined to congratulate myself, because, in my new lodgings on Rue de Richelieu, I have, on the same floor, a charming neighbor—well dressed, with a distinguished air—a widow with a modest competence—who has responded to my salutations with the most gracious smiles; and, faith! I have my cue!"
FOOTNOTES:[A]Chienlit is the equivalent of the gibing expression "shirt hanging out" used by urchins among ourselves. It also signifies the strip of paper surreptitiously fastened to the clothes to render a person a laughing-stock; or, again, it alludes to the eccentric fashions of certain Carnival masqueraders.[B]Cher amimeans "dear friend."[C]Blanquette, in its culinary acceptation, signifies a "ragout."[D]"Woman is forever changing, and he is a great fool who trusts her."[E]Vous me faites suer; literally, "you make me sweat," which explains Cherami's retort.
[A]Chienlit is the equivalent of the gibing expression "shirt hanging out" used by urchins among ourselves. It also signifies the strip of paper surreptitiously fastened to the clothes to render a person a laughing-stock; or, again, it alludes to the eccentric fashions of certain Carnival masqueraders.
[A]Chienlit is the equivalent of the gibing expression "shirt hanging out" used by urchins among ourselves. It also signifies the strip of paper surreptitiously fastened to the clothes to render a person a laughing-stock; or, again, it alludes to the eccentric fashions of certain Carnival masqueraders.
[B]Cher amimeans "dear friend."
[B]Cher amimeans "dear friend."
[C]Blanquette, in its culinary acceptation, signifies a "ragout."
[C]Blanquette, in its culinary acceptation, signifies a "ragout."
[D]"Woman is forever changing, and he is a great fool who trusts her."
[D]"Woman is forever changing, and he is a great fool who trusts her."
[E]Vous me faites suer; literally, "you make me sweat," which explains Cherami's retort.
[E]Vous me faites suer; literally, "you make me sweat," which explains Cherami's retort.