CHAPTER III.
Isidore had scarcely quitted the terrace before he was accosted byClotilde's maid, who begged him to come to her young mistress withoutdelay, and he soon reached his fair cousin's boudoir. He found hertrying to cheer up poor Marguerite, but not very successfully, it mustbe owned, for Clotilde's spirits were always of the highest, and herthoughtless raillery increased rather than allayed her friend'sdistress.
"Mercy on us!" she exclaimed as Isidore made his appearance. "If anyone ever deserved the name of 'the knight of the rueful countenance' itis certainly my doughty cousin. Well, if men put on that dismal facewhen their lady-loves accept them, I shall certainly always say 'no'for their sakes, if not for my own."
"Nay, but, my dear, sweet cousin," said Isidore, "I entreat you to beserious for half an hour, or even for a few minutes, if you can. Hasnot Marguerite told you?"
"She has told me that you have fallen in love with her, and I supposethat mamma does not like it. I have not got further than that as yet,and I do not think that is anything so very, very awful."
"Not if that were really all, my dear cousin; but the baroness, itseems, had taken it into her head that I was in love with you. It istoo absurd. Can you imagine anything so ridiculous?"
"I am infinitely obliged to you for your politeness, Monsieur deBeaujardin, in supposing it to be so very ridiculous that any oneshould fall in love with _me_. Why, there is my devoted cousin, theDuke de St. Menehould, who would make me his duchess any day, if I hadbut a million of livres for my dowry, to say nothing of the Sieur deCrillon, who declares he is dying for me, and would have married molong ago, if mamma had not made up her mind that I should have my mostuncivil cousin de Beaujardin. Dear me, only think, though, howdreadful it would have been if mamma had fancied I was in love withyou!"
"Do, pray, be serious," replied Isidore. "Can you not see, Clotilde,that your mother is not one to be thwarted with impunity in any schemeshe has formed. This affair may, if I cannot conciliate my father,prove fatal to my whole life's happiness, and, what is infinitelyworse, to dear Marguerite's also."
"Isidore! Isidore!" exclaimed the latter, passionately, "do not thinkof me; I am only distressed and unhappy for your sake. If I can onlysave you from harm, I will do anything. O Isidore! I will give upeverything, even your dear self, though I shall never cease to loveyou."
There was a pause as Isidore put his arm around her, as if to reassureher of his steadfastness, and gently kissed her forehead. EvenClotilde was subdued.
"I am afraid that you are right, and that it is a serious businessafter all," said she. "Mamma is ever either a good friend or a bitterenemy; but all must depend on my uncle, so do not lose a moment, mygood cousin, but be off to Beaujardin at once. In the meanwhile I willdo what I can to soothe mamma and comfort Marguerite. Yes, sir,although it is so very absurd to think of any one falling in love withme, I won't bear malice, but behave like a generous heroine to myodious rival here. There, off with you, and let us hear all about itas soon as you can."
The advice was obviously too sensible to be disregarded, and Isidore atonce proceeded to summon his valet, Monsieur Jasmin, for the purpose ofordering the horses and packing up for the journey. In the corridor hecame upon the very person he sought, and, perhaps somewhat curtly, gavehim the needful directions.
News travels apace in such households, where there is often enough somescheming underling, who makes it his business to know everything abouteverybody. Monsieur Jasmin had long since satisfied himself thatMademoiselle Marguerite, and not Mademoiselle Clotilde, had won hisyoung master's heart; he knew, moreover, that the baroness had set herheart on a union between the two families, and the rumour that therehad been a scene between madame and the young marquis, and thatMarguerite had fled to Clotilde's boudoir in tears, did not surprisehim much. Nevertheless he affected to be astonished at so abrupt adeparture, and, overdoing his part a little, as the most clever peoplesometimes do, he exclaimed--
"But, monsieur, it is impossible! Surely monsieur does not think ofsuch a thing?"
Isidore had had to suppress much bitterness and vexation during hisinterview with the ladies; but little was needed to bring out hisirritation pretty strongly, and Jasmin's opposition did it mosteffectually.
"Do as I bid you, insolence!" cried Isidore, turning angrily upon him,"and lose no time about it, unless you want me to chastise you for ameddling, impertinent cur." So saying he passed on, whilst the valetremained standing in the middle of the corridor chafing under thisunexpected rebuff.
The very pink of courteous servility, aping to the utmost pitch theprevalent extravagance of courtesy, Monsieur Jasmin had ever been tooadroit to bring on himself such a humiliation, and in the few monthsduring which he had been in Isidore's service he had never evensuspected his master to be capable of such rudeness even to a menial.He had not yet recovered from the shock when Madame de Valricour camesweeping along the corridor. He stepped back to allow her to pass, butinstead of doing so, she stopped, and after looking steadily at him fora few moments, as if she were making up her mind about somecontemplated step, she hastily desired him to attend her in the saloon.Jasmin bowed, and followed her.
When left to herself by Isidore, a few minutes' reflection had enabledthe baroness to realise the exact position of affairs, and she had atonce set about considering what course she would have to take if shewould prevent her cherished scheme from being utterly overthrown. Sheknew Isidore's father well, and believed it quite possible that hisaffection for his son might outweigh any considerations founded on themere absence of rank and fortune on the part of Marguerite, especiallyif he were once convinced that Isidore had plighted his word in thehonest belief that he was acting in accordance with his father'swishes. Yes, that was the point she had to look to. She knew her owninfluence over the marquis, but it must be brought to bear strongly andwithout delay, and Isidore must, if possible, be prevented fromforestalling her. All this was being weighed whilst her nephew wasdebating the matter with Clotilde and Marguerite. Having formed herresolution, the baroness had rung the bell, and ordered her coach to begot ready, saying that she desired to take an airing; she then hastenedto equip herself for a journey. Coming upon Monsieur Jasmin, however,in the corridor a fresh thought struck her.
On reaching the saloon the lady paused awhile, and then addressed thevalet thus--
"I have heard highly creditable accounts of the zeal and ability withwhich you discharge your duties, Monsieur Jasmin, and of your fidelityto your master."
The valet knew that this was not true; besides, even the overstrainedeuphuism of the day would not lead the proud Baroness de Valricour tospeak thus to a mere valet--unless, indeed, she had some covert end inview. What did she want? That was the question.
Jasmin bowed, and answered with some common-place remark, expressinghis obligations to madame for her good opinion.
"Monsieur de Beaujardin gives handsome wages, no doubt," was her nextremark, "and you would not care to leave his service, I suppose?"
Jasmin certainly had no desire to exchange the liberal _menage_ ofBeaujardin for the scarcely disguised poverty of Valricour, but it wassecond nature with him to cringe and flatter: "I could not desire toquit so noble a family, except, indeed, for the service of so exaltedand gracious a personage as the Baroness de Valricour."
"That is precisely what I wish, Monsieur Jasmin," was the promptrejoinder. "To be brief, I believe Monsieur de Beaujardin allows youfifty louis a year. For special reasons I desire to engage you in myservice, and I will give you double that amount."
However tempting the offer might seem, Jasmin happened to know thatthose who had the honour of serving Madame de Valricour were notunfrequently put to straits, from the difficulty of getting their wagespaid at all, and at any other moment he would probably have declaredthat no amount could induce him to leave so noble a master as the youngmarquis; but he thought he saw clouds gathering over Isidore's head,and the little incident in the corridor was r
ankling in him.
"But, madame," said he, "what will be said abroad if I----"
"For the present, at least," replied the baroness, "I do not desirethat it shall be known. You can still be valet to my nephew, andreceive your wages from him too. Has Monsieur Jasmin never heard ofsuch little arrangements in families where untoward circumstances haveoccurred to mar a good understanding?"
"Madame," said Jasmin, bowing, "I accept your offer. It is not for meto say more than that my doing so puts me under the necessity ofcarrying out, without question or scruple, any directions you may giveme."
"Good," rejoined the baroness. "Monsieur de Beaujardin has offended,and even insulted me. I am going to the Chateau de Beaujardin, and Iwish to reach it before he does."
Jasmin bowed again: "If monsieur's horse should unfortunately go lame,"said he, suggestively, "I am afraid there will be nothing left in thestables for him to ride, if your ladyship takes the four horses."
"It is for you to see to that," replied the lady, sharply, for she didnot relish the half sneer at the state of the Valricours' stables, northe idea of Monsieur Jasmin's presuming upon his new position andbecoming familiar. "For the rest," she added, "you will understandthat I desire to be kept exactly informed of Monsieur de Beaujardin'smovements and also those of----"
"Of Mademoiselle Lacroix," said Jasmin, filling up the pause.
"Yes; that is enough. Stay, here are twenty crowns on account of yourwages."
With these words Madame de Valricour opened her escritoire and handedthe money to Jasmin, who once more bowed low and retired. He hadscarcely gone half the length of the corridor, however, before he wasrecalled by his new mistress. "There is one thing more," said she, asthey re-entered the saloon; "it is a matter of much delicacy, but if Ithought I could entirely rely on----"
Here the baroness stopped and seemed to hesitate. Jasmin, who under ashow of servile obsequiousness noted every look, word, and gesture withunremitting keenness, thought that he detected in the lady'sembarrassment an apprehension that she might compromise or commitherself too seriously by some communication she desired to make to him,and he hastened to remove her fears.
"Madame has the best security for my executing any task she may imposeon me without any scruples on my part, as I have placed it in her powerto deprive me at her pleasure of my engagement with Monsieur Isidore,as well as of that with which she has honoured me."
Perhaps Madame de Valricour had her own ideas as to who would lose mostby an exposure of her schemes, nevertheless Monsieur Jasmin's littlespeech had its effect.
"In short, then," said she, "my nephew received yesterday a letter fromthe marquis, his father, concerning a family matter of interest to me.Monsieur Isidore has deeply offended me, and I do not choose to ask himto let me see the letter, but it is important that I should do so--infact I wish to have this letter in my possession."
"The letter shall be in madame's hands before she leaves the chateau,"replied the valet; and so ended this little supplementary conversation.
Monsieur Jasmin, who had hitherto considered Isidore's service rather atame and monotonous one, had at last found occupation congenial to histaste, and he performed his task with the greatest readiness andability. It was not until after the young marquis had twice orderedthe horses to be brought round, and had been worked up into a state ofimpatience which would brook no further delay, that he was informedthat his horse had gone dead lame. Determined not to be baffled in hispurpose, and half suspecting that some trick was being put uponhim--though his suspicion fell on the groom instead of the realdelinquent--he expressed his intention of riding Jasmin's horse, andleaving that personage to follow on foot as he best could. Thisresolve might have answered had he acted upon it at once; but just ashe was putting his foot in the stirrup the valet informed him thatMademoiselle Lacroix had a packet which she desired to send to themarquise. Should he go and ask her for it? The temptation to say afew more last words was too great. Isidore hastily re-entered thechateau, but only to hear from Marguerite that there must have beensome mistake, as she had no commands at Beaujardin. In a towering rageIsidore once more descended the staircase, and on reaching thecourtyard he would probably have carried out there and then his formerthreat of chastisement; but Monsieur Jasmin had taken good care to beabsent, and his incensed master, anxious to lose no more time, was soongalloping away in the direction of Beaujardin.
He did not gallop far, however, for the horse he rode soon showed signsthat something was amiss with him. Still Isidore urged him on, and theanimal, which was of a noble breed, seemed to gather himself together,and for a time appeared to have recovered his powers, but it was of nouse; they had gone just half-way when the creature suddenly broke downand could go no further. As he disengaged himself, Isidore mutteredsomething not very complimentary to Monsieur Jasmin, for he began tosuspect that the valet had something to do with his mishap. There wasnothing for it, however, but to proceed on foot and endeavour to obtainanother horse, if possible, at a farmhouse some distance further on.This he at last accomplished, but what with one delay and another itproved of no avail. When he reached the chateau, he learned thatMadame de Valricour had arrived there nearly half an hour before him,and as he ascended the great staircase he met her coming down. Shecurtsied to him in the most polite manner, but there was an expressionof triumph in her face which warned him to prepare for the worst.
Tailpiece to Chapter III]
Headpiece to Chapter IV]
The King's Warrant: A Story of Old and New France Page 9