by Eugène Sue
CHAPTER XLIX. MY LORD AND SPOIL-SPORT.
The wife of Dagobert, having quitted the church, arrived at the cornerof the Rue Brise-Miche, when she was accosted by the distributor ofholy water; he came running out of breath, to beg her to return to SaintMery's, where the Abbe Dubois had yet something of importance to say toher.
The moment Frances turned to go back, a hackney-coach stopped in frontof the house she inhabited. The coachman quitted his box to open thedoor.
"Driver," said a stout woman dressed in black, who was seated in thecarriage, and held a pug-dog upon her knees, "ask if Mrs. FrancesBaudoin lives in this house."
"Yes, ma'am," said the coachman.
The reader will no doubt have recognized Mrs. Grivois, headwaiting-woman to the Princess de Saint-Dizier, accompanied by My Lord,who exercised a real tyranny over his mistress. The dyer, whom we havealready seen performing the duties of a porter, being questioned by thecoachman as to the dwelling of Frances, came out of his workshop, andadvanced gallantly to the coach-door, to inform Mrs. Grivois, thatFrances Baudoin did in fact live in the house, but that she was atpresent from home.
The arms, hands, and part of the face of Father Loriot were now ofa superb gold-color. The sight of this yellow personage singularlyprovoked My Lord, and at the moment the dyer rested his hand upon theedge of the coach-window, the cur began to yelp frightfully, and bit himin the wrist.
"Oh! gracious heaven!" cried Mrs. Grivois, in an agony, whilst FatherLoriot, withdrew his hand with precipitation; "I hope there is nothingpoisonous in the dye that you have about you--my dog is so delicate!"
So saying, she carefully wiped the pug-nose, spotted with yellow. FatherLoriot, not at all satisfied with this speech, when he had expected toreceive some apology from Mrs. Grivois on account of her dog's behavior,said to her, as with difficulty he restrained his anger: "If you did notbelong to the fair sex, which obliges me to respect you in the personof that wretched animal I would have the pleasure of taking him by thetail, and making him in one minute a dog of the brightest orange color,by plunging him into my cauldron, which is already on the fire."
"Dye my pet yellow!" cried Mrs. Grivois, in great wrath, as shedescended from the hackney-coach, clasping My Lord tenderly to herbosom, and surveying Father Loriot with a savage look.
"I told you, Mrs. Baudoin is not at home," said the dyer, as he saw thepug-dog's mistress advance in the direction of the dark staircase.
"Never mind; I will wait for her," said Mrs. Grivois tartly. "On whichstory does she live?"
"Up four pair!" answered Father Loriot, returning abruptly to his shop.And he added to himself, with a chuckle at the anticipation: "I hopeFather Dagobert's big prowler will be in a bad humor, and give thatvillainous pug a shaking by the skin of his neck."
Mrs. Grivois mounted the steep staircase with some difficulty, stoppingat every landing-place to take breath, and looking about her withprofound disgust. At length she reached the fourth story, and paused aninstant at the door of the humble chamber, in which the two sisters andMother Bunch then were.
The young sempstress was occupied in collecting the different articlesthat she was about to carry to the pawnbroker's. Rose and Blanche seemedhappier, and somewhat less uneasy about the future; for they had learnedfrom Mother Bunch, that, when they knew how to sew, they might betweenthem earn eight francs a week, which would at least afford someassistance to the family.
The presence of Mrs. Grivois in Baudoin's dwelling was occasioned by anew resolution of Abbe d'Aigrigny and the Princess de Saint-Dizier; theyhad thought it more prudent to send Mrs. Grivois, on whom they couldblindly depend, to fetch the young girls, and the confessor was chargedto inform Frances that it was not to his housekeeper, but to a ladythat would call on her with a note from him, that she was to deliver theorphans, to be taken to a religious establishment.
Having knocked at the door, the waiting-woman of the Princess de SaintDizier entered the room, and asked for Frances Baudoin.
"She is not at home, madame," said Mother Bunch timidly, not a littleastonished at so unexpected a visit, and casting down her eyes beforethe gaze of this woman.
"Then I will wait for her, as I have important affairs to speak of,"answered Mrs. Grivois, examining with curiosity and attention thefaces of the two orphans, who also cast down their eyes with an air ofconfusion.
So saying, Madame Grivois sat down, not without some repugnance, in theold arm-chair of Dagobert's wife, and believing that she might nowleave her favorite at liberty, she laid him carefully on the floor.Immediately, a low growl, deep and hollow, sounding from behind thearmchair, made Mrs. Grivois jump from her seat, and sent the pug-dog,yelping with affright, and trembling through his fat, to take refugeclose to his mistress, with all the symptoms of angry alarm.
"What! is there a dog here?" cried Mrs. Grivois, stooping precipitatelyto catch up My Lord, whilst, as if he wished himself to answerthe question, Spoil-sport rose leisurely from his place behind thearm-chair, and appeared suddenly, yawning and stretching himself.
At sight of this powerful animal, with his double row of formidablepointed fangs, which he seemed to take delight in displaying as heopened his large jaws, Mrs. Grivois could not help giving utterance toa cry of terror. The snappish pug had at first trembled in all his limbsat the Siberian's approach; but, finding himself in safety on the lapof his mistress, he began to growl insolently, and to throw the mostprovoking glances at Spoil-sport. These the worthy companion of thedeceased Jovial answered disdainfully by gaping anew; after which hewent smelling round Mrs. Grivois with a sort of uneasiness, turnedhis back upon My Lord, and stretched himself at the feet of Rose andBlanche, keeping his large, intelligent eyes fixed upon them, as if heforesaw that they were menaced with some danger.
"Turn out that beast," said Mrs. Grivois, imperiously; "he frightens mydog, and may do him some harm."
"Do not be afraid, madame," replied Rose, with a smile; "Spoil-sportwill do no harm, if he is not attacked."
"Never mind!" cried Mrs. Grivois; "an accident soon happens. The verysight of that enormous dog, with his wolf's head and terrible teeth, isenough to make one tremble at the injuries he might do one. I tell youto turn him out."
Mrs. Grivois had pronounced these last words in a tone of irritation,which did not sound at all satisfactory in Spoil-sport's ears; so hegrowled and showed his teeth, turning his head in the direction of thestranger.
"Be quiet, Spoil-sport!" said Blanche sternly.
A new personage here entered the room, and put an end to this situation,which was embarrassing enough for the two young girls. It was acommissionaire, with a letter in his hand.
"What is it, sir?" asked Mother Bunch.
"A very pressing letter from the good man of the house; the dyer belowstairs told me to bring it up here."
"A letter from Dagobert!" cried Rose and Blanche, with a livelyexpression of pleasure. "He is returned then? where is he?"
"I do not know whether the good man is called Dagobert or not," saidthe porter; "but he is an old trooper, with a gray moustache, and may befound close by, at the office of the Chartres coaches."
"That is he!" cried Blanche. "Give me the letter."
The porter handed it to the young girl, who opened it in all haste.
Mrs. Grivois was struck dumb with dismay; she knew that Dagobert hadbeen decoyed from Paris, that the Abbe Dubois might have an opportunityto act with safety upon Frances. Hitherto, all had succeeded; the goodwoman had consented to place the young girls in the hands of a religiouscommunity--and now arrives this soldier, who was thought to be absentfrom Paris for two or three days at least, and whose sudden return mighteasily ruin this laborious machination, at the moment when it seemed topromise success.
"Oh!" said Blanche, when she had read the letter. "What a misfortune!"
"What is it, then, sister?" cried Rose.
"Yesterday, half way to Chartres, Dagobert perceived that he had losthis purse. He was unable to continue his journey; he took
a place uponcredit, to return, and he asks his wife to send him some money to theoffice, to pay what he owes."
"That's it," said the porter; "for the good man told me to make haste,because he was there in pledge."
"And nothing in the house!" cried Blanche. "Dear me! what is to bedone?"
At these words, Mrs. Grivois felt her hopes revive for a moment, theywere soon, however, dispelled by Mother Bunch, who exclaimed, as shepointed to the parcel she had just made up: "Be satisfied, dear youngladies! here is a resource. The pawnbroker's, to which I am going, isnot far off, and I will take the money direct to M. Dagobert: in half anhour, at latest, he will be here."
"Oh, my dear friend! you are right," said Rose. "How good you are! youthink of everything."
"And here," said Blanche, "is the letter, with the address upon it. Takethat with you."
"Thank you," answered Mother Bunch: then, addressing the porter, sheadded: "Return to the person who sent you, and tell him I shall be atthe coach-office very shortly."
"Infernal hunchback!" thought Mrs. Grivois, with suppressed rage, "shethinks of everything. Without her, we should have escaped the plague ofthis man's return. What is to be done now? The girls would not go withme, before the arrival of the soldier's wife; to propose it to themwould expose me to a refusal, and might compromise all. Once more, whatis to be done?"
"Do not be uneasy, ladies," said the porter as he went out; "I willgo and assure the good man, that he will not have to remain long inpledge."
Whilst Mother Bunch was occupied in tying her parcel, in which she hadplaced the silver cup, fork, and spoon, Mrs. Grivois seemed to reflectdeeply. Suddenly she started. Her countenance, which had been for somemoments expressive of anxiety and rage, brightened up on the instant.She rose, still holding My Lord in her arms, and said to the younggirls: "As Mrs. Baudoin does not come in, I am going to pay a visit inthe neighborhood, and will return immediately. Pray tell her so!"
With these words Mr. Grivois took her departure, a few minutes beforeMother Bunch left.