by Eugène Sue
CHAPTER XXXVII. EXCUSES.
On seeing Dagobert grasp Rodin so roughly by the collar, Mdlle. deCardoville exclaimed in terror, as she advanced several steps towardsthe soldier: "In the name of Heaven, sir! what are you doing?"
"What am I doing?" echoed the soldier, harshly, without relaxing hishold on Rodin, and turning his head towards Adrienne, whom he did notknow; "I take this opportunity to squeeze the throat of one of thewretches in the band of that renegade, until he tells me where my poorchildren are."
"You strangle me," said the Jesuit, in a stifled voice, as he tried toescape from the soldier.
"Where are the orphans, since they are not here, and the convent doorhas been closed against me?" cried Dagobert, in a voice of thunder.
"Help! help!" gasped Rodin.
"Oh! it is dreadful!" said Adrienne, as, pale and trembling, she held upher clasped hands to Dagobert. "Have mercy, sir! listen to me! listen tohim!"
"M. Dagobert!" cried Mother Bunch, seizing with her weak hands thesoldier's arm, and showing him Adrienne, "this is Mdlle. de Cardoville.What violence in her presence! and then, you are deceived doubtless!"
At the name of Mdlle. de Cardoville, the benefactress of his son, thesoldier turned round suddenly, and loosened his hold on Rodin. Thelatter, crimson with rage and suffocation, set about adjusting hiscollar and his cravat.
"I beg your pardon, madame," said Dagobert, going towards Adrienne, whowas still pale with fright; "I did not known who you were, and the firstimpulse of anger quite carried me away."
"But what has this gentleman done to you?" said Adrienne. "If you hadlistened to me, you would have learned--"
"Excuse me if I interrupt you, madame," said the soldier to Adrienne, ina hollow voice. Then addressing himself to Rodin, who had recovered hiscoolness, he added: "Thank the lady, and begone!--If you remain here, Iwill not answer for myself."
"One word only, my dear sir," said Rodin.
"I tell you that if you remain, I will not answer for myself!" criedDagobert, stamping his foot.
"But, for heaven's sake, tell me the cause of this anger," resumedAdrienne; "above all, do not trust to appearances. Calm yourself, andlisten."
"Calm myself, madame!" cried Dagobert, in despair; "I can think only ofone thing, ma dame--of the arrival of Marshal Simon--he will be in Paristo-day or to-morrow."
"Is it possible?" said Adrienne. Rodin started with surprise and joy.
"Yesterday evening," proceeded Dagobert, "I received a letter from themarshal: he has landed at Havre. For three days I have taken stepafter step, hoping that the orphans would be restored to me, as themachinations of those wretches have failed." He pointed to Rodin with anew gesture of impatience. "Well! it is not so. They are conspiring somenew infamy. I am prepared for anything."
"But, sir," said Rodin advancing, "permit me--"
"Begone!" cried Dagobert, whose irritation and anxiety redoubled, as hethought how at any moment Marshal Simon might arrive in Paris. "Begone!Were it not for this lady, I would at least be revenged on some one."
Rodin made a nod of intelligence to Adrienne, whom he approachedprudently, and, pointing to Dagobert with a gesture of affectionatecommiseration, he said to the latter: "I will leave you, sir, and themore willingly, as I was about to withdraw when you entered." Then,coming still closer to Mdlle. de Cardoville, the Jesuit whisperedto her, "Poor soldier! he is beside himself with grief, and would beincapable of hearing me. Explain it all to him, my dear young lady;he will be nicely caught," added he, with a cunning air. "But in themeantime," resumed Rodin, feeling in the side-pocket of his great-coatand taking out a small parcel, "let me beg you to give him this, my dearyoung lady. It is my revenge, and a very good one."
And while Adrienne, holding the little parcel in her hand looked at theJesuit with astonishment, the latter laying his forefinger upon his lip,as if recommending silence, drew backward on tiptoe to the door, andwent out after again pointing to Dagobert with a gesture of pity; whilethe soldier, in sullen dejection, with his head drooping, and his armscrossed upon his bosom, remained deaf to the sewing-girl's earnestconsolations. When Rodin had left the room, Adrienne, approaching thesoldier, said to him, in her mild voice, with an expression of deepinterest, "Your sudden entry prevented my asking you a question thatgreatly concerns me. How is your wound?"
"Thank you, madame," said Dagobert, starting from his painful lethargy,"it is of no consequence, but I have not time to think of it. I am sorryto have been so rough in your presence, and to have driven away thatwretch; but 'tis more than I could master. At sight of those people, myblood is all up."
"And yet, believe me, you have been too hasty in your judgment. Theperson who was just now here--"
"Too hasty, madame! I do not see him to-day for the first time. He waswith that renegade the Abbe d'Aigrigny--"
"No doubt!--and yet he is an honest and excellent man."
"He!" cried Dagobert.
"Yes; for at this moment he is busy about only one thing restoring toyou those dear children!"
"He!" repeated Dagobert, as if he could not believe what he heard. "Herestore me my children?"
"Yes; and sooner, perhaps, than you think for."
"Madame," said Dagobert, abruptly, "he deceives you. You are the dupe ofthat old rascal."
"No," said Adrienne, shaking her head, with a smile. "I have proofs ofhis good faith. First of all, it is he who delivers me from this house."
"Is it true?" said Dagobert, quite confounded.
"Very true; and here is, perhaps, something that will reconcile you tohim," said Adrienne, as she delivered the small parcel which Rodinhad given her as he went out. "Not wishing to exasperate you by hispresence, he said to me: 'Give this to that brave soldier; it is myrevenge.'"
Dagobert looked at Mdlle. de Cardoville with surprise, as hemechanically opened the little parcel. When he had unfolded it, anddiscovered his own silver cross, black with age, and the old red, fadedribbon, treasures taken from him at the White Falcon Inn, at the sametime as his papers, he exclaimed in a broken voice: "My cross! my cross!It is my cross!" In the excitement of his joy, he pressed the silverstar to his gray moustache.
Adrienne and the other were deeply affected by the emotion of the oldsoldier, who continued, as he ran towards the door by which Rodin hadgone out: "Next to a service rendered to Marshal Simon, my wife, or son,nothing could be more precious to me. And you answer for this worthyman, madame, and I have ill used him in your presence! Oh! he isentitled to reparation, and he shall have it."
So saying, Dagobert left the room precipitately, hastened through twoother apartments, gained the staircase, and descending it rapidly,overtook Rodin on the lowest step.
"Sir," said the soldier to him, in an agitated voice, as he seized himby the arm, "you must come upstairs directly."
"You should make up your mind to one thing or the other, my dear sir,"said Rodin, stopping good-naturedly; "one moment you tell me to begone,and the next to return. How are we to decide?"
"Just now, sir, I was wrong; and when I am wrong, I acknowledge it.I abused and ill-treated you before witnesses; I will make you myapologies before witnesses."
"But, my dear sir--I am much obliged to you--I am in a hurry."
"I cannot help your being in a hurry. I tell you, I must have you comeupstairs, directly--or else--or else," resumed Dagobert, taking the handof the Jesuit, and pressing it with as much cordiality as emotion, "orelse the happiness you have caused the in returning my cross will not becomplete."
"Well, then, my good friend, let us go up."
"And not only have you restored me my cross, for which I have wept manytears, believe me, unknown to any one," cried Dagobert, much affected;"but the young lady told me, that, thanks to you, those poor childrenbut tell me--no false joy-is it really true?--My God! is it reallytrue?"
"Ah! ah! Mr. Inquisitive," said Rodin, with a cunning smile. Then headded: "Be perfectly tranquil, my growler; you shall have your twoangels back again." And the Jes
uit began to ascend the stairs.
"Will they be restored to me to-day?" cried Dagobert, stopping Rodinabruptly, by catching hold of his sleeve.
"Now, really, my good friend," said the Jesuit, "let us come to thepoint. Are we to go up or down? I do not find fault, but you turn meabout like a teetotum."
"You are right. We shall be better able to explain things upstairs. Comewith me--quick! quick!" said Dagobert, as, taking the Jesuit by the arm,he hurried him along, and brought him triumphantly into the room, whereAdrienne and Mother Bunch had remained in much surprise at the soldier'ssudden disappearance.
"Here he is! here he is!" cried Dagobert, as he entered. "Luckily, Icaught him at the bottom of the stairs."
"And you have made me come up at a fine pace!" added Rodin, pretty wellout of breath.
"Now, sir," said Dagobert, in a grave voice, "I declare, in presence ofall, that I was wrong to abuse and ill-treat you. I make you my apologyfor it, sir; and I acknowledge, with joy, that I owe you--much--oh! verymuch and when I owe, I pay."
So saying, Dagobert held out his honest hand to Rodin, who pressed itin a very affable manner, and replied: "Now, really--what is all thisabout? What great service do you speak of?"
"This!" said Dagobert, holding up the cross before Rodin's eyes. "You donot know, then, what this cross is to me?"
"On the contrary, supposing you would set great store by it, I intendedto have the pleasure of delivering it myself. I had brought it for thatpurpose; but, between ourselves, you gave me so warm a reception, that Ihad not the time--"
"Sir," said Dagobert, in confusion, "I assure you that I sincerelyrepent of what I have done."
"I know it, my good friend; do not say another word about it. You werethen much attached to this cross?"
"Attached to it, sir!" cried Dagobert. "Why, this cross," and he kissedit as he spoke, "is my relic. He from whom it came was my saint--myhero--and he had touched it with his hand!"
"Oh!" said Rodin, feigning to regard the cross with as much curiosity asrespectful admiration; "did Napoleon--the Great Napoleon--indeed touchwith his own hand--that victorious hand!--this noble star of honor?"
"Yes, sir, with his own hand. He placed it there upon my bleedingbreast, as a cure for my fifth wound. So that, you see, were I dying ofhunger, I think I should not hesitate betwixt bread and my cross--thatI might, in any case, have it on my heart in death. But, enough--enough!let us talk of something else. It is foolish in an old soldier, is itnot?" added Dagobert, drawing his hand across his eyes, and then, asif ashamed to deny what he really felt: "Well, then! yes," he resumed,raising his head proudly, and no longer seeking to conceal the tearsthat rolled down his cheek; "yes, I weep for joy, to have found mycross--my cross, that the Emperor gave me with his victorious hand, asthis worthy man has called it."
"Then blessed be my poor old hand for having restored you the glorioustreasure!" said Rodin, with emotion. "In truth," he added, "the day willbe a good one for everybody--as I announced to you this morning in myletter."
"That letter without a signature?" asked the soldier, more and moreastonished. "Was it from you?"
"It was I who wrote it. Only, fearing some new snare of the Abbed'Aigrigny, I did not choose, you understand, to explain myself moreclearly."
"Then--I shall see--my orphans?"
Rodin nodded affirmatively, with an expression of great good-nature.
"Presently--perhaps immediately," said Adrienne, with smile. "Well! wasI right in telling you that you had not judged this gentleman fairly?"
"Why did he not tell me this when I came in?" cried Dagobert, almostbeside himself with joy.
"There was one difficulty in the way, my good friend," said Rodin; "itwas, that when you came in, you nearly throttled me."
"True; I was too hasty. Once more, I ask your pardon. But was I toblame? I had only seen you with that Abbe d'Aigrigny, and in the firstmoment--"
"This dear young lady," said Rodin, bowing to Adrienne, "will tell youthat I have been, without knowing it, the accomplice IN many perfidiousactions; but as soon as I began to see my way through the darkness, Iquitted the evil course on which I had entered, and returned to thatwhich is honest, just and true."
Adrienne nodded affirmatively to Dagobert, who appeared to consult herlook.
"If I did not sign the letter that I wrote to you, my good friend, itwas partly from fear that my name might inspire suspicion; and if Iasked you to come hither, instead of to the convent, it was that I hadsome dread--like this dear young lady--lest you might be recognized bythe porter or by the gardener, your affair of the other night renderingsuch a recognition somewhat dangerous."
"But M. Baleinier knows all; I forgot that," said Adrienne, withuneasiness. "He threatened to denounce M. Dagobert and his son, if Imade any complaint."
"Do not be alarmed, my dear young lady; it will soon be for you todictate conditions," replied Rodin. "Leave that to me; and as for you,my good friend, your torments are now finished."
"Yes," said Adrienne, "an upright and worthy magistrate has gone to theconvent, to fetch Marshal Simon's daughters. He will bring them hither;but he thought with me, that it would be most proper for them to takeup their abode in my house. I cannot, however, come to this decisionwithout your consent, for it is to you that these orphans were entrustedby their mother."
"You wish to take her place with regard to them, madame?" repliedDagobert. "I can only thank you with all my heart, for myself and forthe children. But, as the lesson has been a sharp one, I must beg toremain at the door of their chamber, night and day. If they go out withyou, I must be allowed to follow them at a little distance, so as tokeep them in view, just like Spoil-sport, who has proved himself abetter guardian than myself. When the marshal is once here--it will bein a day or two--my post will be relieved. Heaven grant it may be soon!"
"Yes," replied Rodin, in a firm voice, "heaven grant he may arrive soon,for he will have to demand a terrible reckoning of the Abbe d'Aigrigny,for the persecution of his daughters; and yet the marshal does not knowall."
"And don't you tremble for the renegade?" asked Dagobert, as he thoughthow the marquis would soon find himself face to face with the marshal.
"I never care for cowards and traitors," answered Rodin; "and whenMarshal Simon returns--" Then, after a pause of some seconds, hecontinued: "If he will do me the honor to hear me, he shall be edifiedas to the conduct of the Abbe d'Aigrigny. The marshal knows that hisdearest friends, as well as himself, have been victims of the hatred ofthat dangerous man."
"How so?" said Dagobert.
"Why, yourself, for instance," replied Rodin; "you are an example ofwhat I advance."
"Do you think it was mere chance, that brought about the scene at theWhite Falcon Inn, near Leipsic?"
"Who told you of that scene?" said Dagobert in astonishment.
"Where you accepted the challenge of Morok," continued the Jesuit,without answering Dagobert's question, "and so fell into a trap, or elserefused it, and were then arrested for want of papers, and thrown intoprison as a vagabond, with these poor children. Now, do you know theobject of this violence? It was to prevent your being here on the 13thof February."
"But the more I hear, sir," said Adrienne, "the more I am alarmed at theaudacity of the Abbe d'Aigrigny, and the extent of the means he has athis command. Really," she resumed, with increasing surprise, "if yourwords were not entitled to absolute belief--"
"You would doubt their truth, madame?" said Dagobert. "It is like me.Bad as he is. I cannot think that this renegade had relations with awild-beast showman as far off as Saxony; and then, how could he knowthat I and the children were to pass through Leipsic? It is impossible,my good man."
"In fact, sir," resumed Adrienne, "I fear that you are deceived by yourdislike (a very legitimate one) of Abbe d'Aigrigny, and that you ascribeto him an almost fabulous degree of power and extent of influence."
After a moment's silence, during which Rodin looked first at Adrienneand then at Dagobert, with a
kind of pity, he resumed. "How couldthe Abbe d'Aigrigny have your cross in his possession, if he had noconnection with Morok?"
"That is true, sir," said Dagobert; "joy prevented me from reflecting.But how indeed, did my cross come into your hands?"
"By means of the Abbe d'Aigrigny's having precisely those relations withLeipsic, of which you and the young lady seem to doubt."
"But how did my cross get to Paris?"
"Tell me; you were arrested at Leipsic for want of papers--is it notso?"
"Yes; but I could never understand how my passports and moneydisappeared from my knapsack. I thought I must have had the misfortuneto lose them."
Rodin shrugged his shoulders, and replied: "You were robbed of themat the White Falcon Inn, by Goliath, one of Morok's servants, and thelatter sent the papers and the cross to the Abbe d'Aigrigny, to provethat he had succeeded in executing his orders with respect to theorphans and yourself. It was the day before yesterday, that I obtainedthe key of that dark machination. Cross and papers were amongst thestores of Abbe d'Aigrigny; the papers formed a considerable bundle,and he might have missed them; but, hoping to see you this morning, andknowing how a soldier of the Empire values his cross, his sacred relic,as you call it, my good friend--I did not hesitate. I put the relic intomy pocket. 'After all,' said I, 'it is only restitution, and my delicacyperhaps exaggerates this breach of trust.'"
"You could not have done a better action," said Adrienne; "and, for mypart, because of the interest I feel for M. Dagobert--I take it as apersonal favor. But, sir," after a moment's silence, she resumed withanxiety: "What terrible power must be at the command of M. d'Aigrigny,for him to have such extensive and formidable relations in a foreigncountry!"
"Silence!" said Rodin, in a low voice, and looking round him with an airof alarm. "Silence! In heaven's name do not ask me about it!"