CHAPTER XV
GATHERING THISTLES
"What happened?" asked Andre abruptly. "Were you ill, or--or offended?"
"I was dizzy and warm, that was all."
"Renee," he began presently, "that man is playing with you. He isendeavoring to win your affections, and he will go away soon and youwill be left to get over it as best you may."
"Get over what?" Her look and tone were so demure, so innocent, that hestudied her in amaze.
"Why," with some embarrassment, "if you care for him--and now Iremember----"
A definite feeling that could hardly be called emotion swept over him.And he knew now he was cherishing a vague dream that some day she wouldlove him.
"Well, what is it you remember?" in a sweet, half malicious, halfmocking tone.
"He has been with you a great deal of late. On the ice and at sledging,and at the last dance. Men of his stamp love to flirt with prettygirls--yes, love to win their hearts and then leave them in the lurch.That is what he is doing. He is not in earnest."
That vexed her. She flushed and looked prettier than ever, buttormenting as well, as a half-veiled touch of indignation seemed to passfrom her shining eyes.
"As if I cared!" with a laugh like the softest ripple.
"Then--you do not--love him?"
Andre's voice had the hoarseness of an unspoken fear in it. He wasamazed at the boldness of his question.
"Why should I love him? Why should I want to go away from this dearhome, from Uncle Gaspard?"
"But he will persuade you----"
"Will he?" She glanced up so daring, so defiant and resolute, that hegave a happy laugh.
"That is right. Oh, Renee, child, do not let any one persuade you! Youare too young. And then, by and by--yes, you will know some one cares foryou with his whole soul, will lay all that he has at your feet----"
"He had better not. I should simply dance over it. Now let us go back. Iam all rested. You shall have the next dance with me."
Monsieur Laflamme made no movement toward her, but seemed quite devotedto a new partner. Did he really care so much? Renee felt piqued withthis display of indifference. This dance had a chain of persons going inand out and turning partners. As that gentleman approached she gave herrose a caressing touch and glanced up with eyes so alight and full ofbeseechingness that he pressed her hand in token that all was peacebetween them, and her wilful heart exulted.
"My charming queen," he said in an appealing tone, "may I come back tomy rightful place and sun myself in your smiles? Did I offend you?"
She was not used to such flowery speech, but it sounded delightful toher. And yet it did not seem quite sincere. But she waved her handplayfully to Andre and went with M. Laflamme to the head of the row ofdancers. It was hardly likely she would be queen again after to-night.
Andre Valbonais looked on puzzled, confused. He danced with severalother girls, he chatted with the mothers and fathers, but it seemed asif one side of his nature did not respond to anything. It was socuriously cold that the smiles Renee lavished on every one did notarouse any jealous resentment. It was like an ice-bound stream thatwould awaken presently; the spring sunshine never failed to burst thebounds.
They came to the end of the night's pleasure. Several lovers wereglancing at each other with confident, lingering smiles that mothersunderstood and did not disapprove of, even while they hurried theirdaughters away.
"There can be but one more ball, Lent falls so early," said some one.
"True. Well, let us make it on Tuesday night."
"Oh, you forget! That is the masked ball."
"What matter, so long as there is dancing and fun?"
"But we are not all allowed at the masked ball. That is more for theolder people. Oh, I hope next year I shall be a queen!"
So they chatted in their gay youth. Andre fastened Renee's fur cloak anddrew the hood over her face. Had she ever looked so sweet andbewildering before? Monsieur Laflamme wished her good-night and happydreams, then bending low, whispered:
"But they must be of me. I shall dream of you."
She colored vividly.
The quiet streets were filled with echoes of talk. Two or three droppedout here, a few more there. Renee and Andre called out good-night andturned in their square.
Gaspard Denys was smoking his pipe before the cheerful blazing fire, apicture of comfort.
"Oh, you lazy uncle!" Renee cried, but her voice had gayety, and notdisappointment in it. "You did not come to see me as the queen. And Imay never be that again."
"A queen! And whose queen, pray?"
"M. Laflamme chose me. And M. Rive was one of the kings. I don't knowwhy, but I believe I like him better. And he looked especially wellto-night. Why didn't you come?" with an enchanting pout of her rosylips.
"I had a long list of accounts to go over. And then, pretty one, you hadAndre to bring you home. Besides, I am growing old and, like Mere Lunde,love the chimney corner."
"Oh, you are not old! I will not have you growing old. Why, the fatherswith their grown-up children were there. And some women havegrandchildren. Good-night, Andre," nodding to him.
Andre took his dismissal cheerfully.
Renee crawled in Gaspard's lap and put her soft arms about his neck,laid her cheek to his.
"Oh," she cried in a tone of pathos, "I do not want you ever to get old!You are just right now."
"My dear, do you want always to stay fifteen?"
"Yes, I should be glad to. Oh, what makes the world whirl round so! AndI shall be sixteen in the summer, and then--no, I won't go on. Can't youtake something, do something----"
"There was a man once who fell asleep and slept for years. When he awokehis friends were dead, or had gone away----"
"Oh, hush! hush! I do not mean anything so dreadful as that," sheentreated.
"Then we must go on and take all the pleasure we can to-day, orto-night--though I believe it is to-morrow morning now, and you must runto bed."
She kissed him and turned slowly. She wanted to ask some curiousquestions, but they were vague and would not readily shape themselvesinto words.
He still sat and thought. Sixteen. It gave him an uneasy feeling. If shecould always stay a little girl! If he might map out her life! AndreValbonais had the making of a fine, trusty man, a good business man aswell. If he could come here as a son of the house. If they three couldgo on together, and a merry throng of children grow up about them!
The dream was rudely broken to fragments the next day. The young man ofsix or seven and twenty who stood leaning against the counter, one foothalf crossed over the other, with an easy, gentlemanly air thatbetokened training beyond what the average habitant of the new countriesacquired, was well calculated to win a woman's heart, a girl's heart,perhaps too easily caught, satisfied with the outward indications ofmanliness. Gaspard Denys could not quite tell why, but in his heart hedid not altogether approve of this fine gentlemen, for all his goodlooks, his well-modulated voice and excellent breeding.
And he had asked him for the pride of his eye, the idol of his heart,the dearest thing on earth, to take her away for years, perhaps forever,and leave him to the loneliness of old age! And, monstrous thought, hewas persuaded that Renee would love him when he had spoken. He had seenindications of it. Last evening he had startled her by some vehemence,for in spite of her apparent gayety and merriment she was a tender,sensitive plant. He would woo her with the utmost gentleness after thepermission was once given.
"She is so young," Gaspard Denys began reluctantly. "Whether a girl atthat time of life knows her own mind, is able to choose wisely----"
"But it is the guardians and parents generally who choose. A littleadvice, suggestion--and I think I can satisfy you on any point youdesire. Ma'm'selle Renee would go back to the standing of her father'sfamily. She would have advantages, and I may succeed to a title. Still,now I only present myself, and rely upon no adventitious aids."
"It would be--for her to decide. And I would rather have her he
re. Herfather, it seems, cared little enough about her. No, I do not think Icould give her up," decisively.
"But it is not absolutely necessary that I return to France," in agravely gentle tone. "After my affairs in Montreal are settled, which Ihope will turn out profitably, I should be free to do as I liked, or asanother liked," smiling affably.
"We will not decide this matter hastily. If you chose to go to Montreal,and the spring will soon open," M. Denys said tentatively.
M. Laflamme thought he had only to ask to have. He fancied Gaspard Denyswould be very glad to marry his adopted daughter into a good family--for,after all, her grandfather had not been held in high esteem. A littlepersuasion on Denys's part, a little setting forth of the advantages,and he could manage to do the rest by flattery and cajolery. He began tohalf wish he had not taken a step in the matter, but he could not drawback now.
"I should like to know that my suit was favorably looked upon before Iwent," was the rejoinder.
"Oh, you may soon know that. To-morrow, perhaps."
"Meanwhile may I see Ma'm'selle de Longueville?"
"She is at the Marchands'."
Monsieur Laflamme bowed. He did not care to subject himself to theclear, intent eyes of Madame Marchand. They were too penetrating.
A fortune was not so easily won, after all. Fate was playing atcross-purposes. Renee and Wawataysee were skimming over the lake in anice boat. If he had guessed that he might have walked home with her inthe twilight.
Renee was brilliant with the bloom of the frosty air as she came in, andher eyes were like stars. A pang went to Gaspard's heart. Ought she nottake her place on a higher round than this little town of traders andtrappers and farmers, many of them scarcely knowing how to read? Theremight be beautiful, satisfactory years before her--years with educated,refined people. He knew something of the larger cities and theiradvantages; he could guess at many of the charms of the beautiful,fascinating, historic Paris, with its palaces and villas and works ofart and wonderful gardens. Should she be shut out of all these andaffiliate with the wilderness of the New World? No. If it broke hisheart, she should be free to choose.
"You had a fine time!" he commented.
"Oh, splendid! Do you know, I shall hate to have the snow and icevanish! Oh, you should have seen the sky to-night when the red sundropped down behind the mountains and everything was illumined as fromsome mighty blaze. And then fading, changing to such gorgeous colors.Oh, what is back of it all? What wonderful power and glory?"
Yes, she was capable of appreciating higher and finer opportunities thanany she would ever have here.
He went through to the shop. He could not enjoy the fire when Mere Lundewas clattering pots and pans. But he had his own, if the place was aconglomeration of everything. He had made himself a big, easy chair, andthe great buffalo-skin thrown over it kept off drafts. The fire waspoked up; the dry pine made an exhilarating blaze, and the pungencyaffected one like drinking wine--sent a thrill to the farthest pulse.
Renee came and stood in the light of the blaze, that made a Rembrandtpicture of her. She watched the dancing, leaping flames. She smiled,turned grave, then smiled again, and presently caught sight of theserious face watching her.
"What is it?" she asked, dropping down on a log, fur-covered for astool.
"Renee, I wonder if you would like to go away and visit wonderful,beautiful countries, where people have books and pictures and finehouses, and where there are elegant men and women----"
"Why? Are you going?"
She took the rather rough hand in hers, soft as velvet, and gazed at himout of surprised eyes.
"Would you like to go?" studying her lovely face.
"Not without you," gravely.
"But if some one younger and handsome, well-informed, accustomed to amore refined life, should care for you, should want to take you,should----"
"Oh, what is it you mean? And who is it? And I could not go unless"--herface was scarlet--"unless he married me, I know that. And there is no oneI would marry. Do you think I would go away and leave you, when I loveyou so, when you wanted me and no one else did? Why, I would not marry aking!" and she clasped her arms about his neck.
Then a sudden knowledge flashed over her. She recalled last evening.
"I know!" she exclaimed. "It is Monsieur Laflamme. And he dared----"
She clinched her small fist.
"Then he spoke last night? And you----"
"No, he did not speak. But you can make one understand. Perhaps he mighthave, but Andre came."
Renee rose suddenly and stretched up her full height.
"Then he did mean-- Andre said he was only pretending. I should hate himstill more if he could do that! But if he thinks I care for him andwould go away with him to the fairest spot in the world--oh, you do notwant me to!" and she threw herself into his arms, sobbing vehemently.
"Renee, child, there is no harm done. He was very gentlemanly. He askedfor your hand as an honest man should. And we cannot blame himaltogether," a spice of humor in his tone. "He fancied you cared forhim. Men occasionally make mistakes."
Had she made him believe that? She had tried somewhat withoutconsidering the consequences. The little triumph _had_ appealed to hergirlish vanity. How could she explain it?
"I liked him a little," she confessed brokenly. "And I was proud anddelighted to be chosen his queen. But I do not want him to love me. I donot want any one to love me but just you. I shall never love any oneelse."
It was a very sweet confession, but she did not know what it meant. Soher mother had said, and he wanted to believe he had held _her_ truestfaith, and this had descended to her child.
"Then what am I to tell him? That you are too young to think about suchthings?"
"That I shall never think about him in that manner. Oh, make himunderstand that!"
"There, dear, it is not worth crying over. He is not the first man whohas found the rose out of reach or been pricked by thorns."
Gaspard turned up the sweet, flushed, tear-wet face and kissed it. Hewas so glad to have it back safe and innocent of the great knowledgethat sooner or later comes to all womanhood. Some day it would come toher, but let him keep his little girl as long as he could.
So it was all settled, but Renee could not feel quite at rest about it.These people did not make tyrants of conscience; they were notanalytical nor given to inquisitorial scrutiny of every feeling ormotive. The priests were as simple-hearted as the people. True, some ofthem were considered rather lax when they had left their people open toProtestant influences. But here there were no Protestants, no religiousarguments. To tell the truth, to be honest, just and kindly was creedenough for the women. Their hearts were not probed to the deepestthought. They confessed a bit of temper, a little envying, perhaps somelaxness about prayers, and took a simple penance. Church-going was oneof their pleasures.
Yet Renee had a kind of misgiving that she had thrown at MonsieurLaflamme some of those radiant looks that might mean much or little,according to one's way of translating them. She put the thought ofmarriage far away from her. Some time a delightful, devoted man, like M.Marchand, might cross her path. He was so strong and yet so gentle. Hewas always thinking of what would please Wawataysee. Even now, with twobabies, he went out rambling with her, and they came home laden withwild flowers or berries. Then it was out canoeing, of which the youngwife was extremely fond.
But it did not seem as if M. Laflamme would be given to this kind ofdevotion. He would seek to bend a woman to his will. There were wiveswho cheerfully bowed their heads to their masters, but as a generalthing these simple-minded French husbands were not tyrants.
She did not like him to come so near; it made her afraid. And, girlishcontradiction, she had delighted in her power of bringing him near, oftasting the sweets of a certain kind of exaction. Andre always yieldedto her whims and seldom had any will of his own.
She sat in the garden awhile listening to the birds and a prettyblack-eyed squirrel, who kept running up and down
the tree beside herand looking as if he would presently jump on her shoulder. Then she sawAndre coming up the path, and a tormenting impulse seized her. Sheskipped across the grass with a triumph of laughter in her eyes.
"Andre!" she cried gayly. "Andre, you were quite mistaken--" How shouldshe word it?
"Mistaken! About what?" and he raised his honest eyes, half amused.
"About--Monsieur Laflamme. You said that he did not mean anything; thathe only cared to win a girl's heart and cast it away. It is not true.You were very unjust. He has been here. He has asked Uncle Gaspard formy hand. He would like to marry me. And I am not quite sixteen!" in atone of exultation.
She mistook the fleeting color for a fit of vexation that he had beenwrong, though people generally turned red when they were angry. Itseemed to him all the blood rushed out of his body, whither he knew not,but left him as one dead. And there was a solemn tolling of bells in hisears.
She was enjoying his unlooked-for mood with a certain sense of triumph.
"Oh, the pity of the blessed saints, of the sweet Virgin herself! Andyou mean to marry him!"
"Well, if I did?" saucily. "I dare say there are girls who would jump atthe prospect."
"But you know next to nothing about him. He may have a wife alreadysomewhere. Such things have been. Oh, Monsieur Denys cannot, will notlet you go!"
That was like a strain of sweet music to her. Then she laughed and helooked puzzled.
"Oh," with an airy toss of the head, "I don't believe Uncle Gaspardwould break my heart and make me miserable if I had cared a great dealfor M. Laflamme. But I do not want to marry any one. I do not want to goaway. I am very happy here. Why, there isn't a man in the world likeUncle Gaspard!"
There was a great revulsion in every pulse. The warm blood came back toAndre's cheek and the strange look went out of his eyes.
"But you see you _were_ mistaken. You gave him hard and unjust judgment.I suppose he must have loved me or he wouldn't have wanted to marry me.There is no lack of pretty girls in the town."
She held her head with triumphant assurance. Her eyes were brimmingover, her red lips full of saucy curves, in which seemed to lurk buddingkisses for some lover.
But Andre blundered, as inexperience sometimes will.
"It is not only the beauty, ma'm'selle. Laure Eudeline is like apicture, but without a sou or a silver spoon for her portion. Has M.Laflamme looked at her twice? And you have a dot that would make manymen covet you. Every one knows it will only grow larger in M'sieuDenys's hands. And I dare say _he_ would like the pleasure of handlingit."
Renee had rarely thought of her fortune. And the most exquisite, themost romantic dream of a young girl is to be loved for herself alone.Andre had suddenly dashed this enchanting belief to fragments. Yes,there _was_ the fortune, a hard, solemn fact. Must she suspect every onehenceforward?
"Andre," she cried in passionate anger, "you are small and mean andsuspicious! I hate you!"
It was the truth, since Andre had heard Madame Aubry and one or twoothers commend Monsieur Laflamme for his wisdom. Some man would marryMademoiselle de Longueville in a year or two. But it was an unfortunateway of putting her on guard. And it stings a girl with mortification tohear a man belittled who has paid her the compliment of a marriageproposal.
The young fellow walked away. There was something fine and solid abouthim, she had to admit, angry as she was. Almost as tall as Uncle Gaspardand with a compact, yet lithesome figure, carrying his head well,stepping with decision and having an air of command with most people,but never with her, for she ruled him.
Her anger was short-lived, after all. When she quarrelled with him therealways came up a procession of remembrances. She knew now what mighthave been her fate as a captive, and he had saved her from that. He hadgone without food that she and Wawataysee would not lose their strengthuntil they had reached some place of safety. He had carried her thatlast night. Yes, she was an ungrateful, exasperating little thing, andafter all she did not _really_ hate him. She would not even want him togo out of her life. Suddenly she thought she would not even like him tolove some other girl.
He had a long conversation with Gaspard Denys that comforted him a gooddeal. Denys was like an older brother, taking a great interest in hisadvancement, advising him as to what was best to do with his savings,but as yet he had never said, "You had better marry some nice, thriftygirl." Somehow he was very glad of that.
She lingered around in the old garden and the happy light came back toher eyes, the balmy air soothed her ruffled temper. In her secret heartshe believed M. Laflamme had really loved her. If there were otherpretty girls in the world, there were other rich girls, too. In Canada,where he was going, there were real heiresses, though how much it tookto constitute one she had no idea.
He did not come through the garden. Perhaps he meant to stay to supper.Then she would be rather grave and dignified, and show him that he hadseriously offended her.
"Renee! Renee, _petite_!" called Mere Lunde.
There was a quick stride down the street. It turned the corner. Shepulled a rose and unthinkingly pressed it to her lips.
"Andre!" she said in a rather appealing tone.
The tall figure bent over the fence, and the eyes were touched with aneager, responsive light.
"Andre, were you _very_ angry? I was----"
"Oh, ma'm'selle, who could long be angry with one so charming?" and hiswhole heart was in his voice.
She gave him the rose. "I must run in to supper," and she vanished likea sprite.
"She kissed the rose," he said, pressing it to his lips. "Oh,ma'm'selle, no sweeter flower ever bloomed. But you are a rose set inthorns. The fragrance clings to you, the thorns prick others."
A Little Girl in Old St. Louis Page 15