"What! haven't you the consols?"

"I have come to tell you of a terrible calamity: the man in whose hands I had placed them, as well as the blank power of attorney----"

"Well?"

"He has sold them, but he has gone off with the money."

"Gone off?"

"Yes, he has disappeared; it is impossible to find out anything about him."

Edouard was thunderstruck. He threw himself into a chair in despair.

"I am ruined! I have lost everything!"

"Ruined! what nonsense! when a man has credit and acquaintances! Come, be yourself; I give you my word that I will repair this disaster. Trust to my zeal, my friend; I made the mistake through my over-confidence; I propose to get you out of the sc.r.a.pe."

"But how?"

"There are a thousand ways."

"Remember that I haven't a sou, and that I need money every moment, especially with Madame de Geran, from whom I desire to conceal this disaster."

"You will be very wise, although I am convinced that she adores you."

"I have promised her a lovely cashmere shawl, which she is very anxious to have."

"You shall give it to her.--Here, sign this."

"What is it?"

"Notes to my order for twenty thousand francs."

"But I don't owe you anything."

"Of course not; and this is simply to raise money. That is called 'flying kites.'"

"Ah! is it allowable?"

"Allowable! parbleu! we don't ask permission to do it."

"But it's rather a delicate matter to----"

"Ha! ha! you make me laugh with your scruples. After all, you will pay them, so what right will anyone have to say anything?"

"And you hope to discount them?"

"I am very sure of it; you are thought to be rich, you have an expensive establishment, and your party did you much good. Never fear; I will bring you the money to-morrow, and all you will need is a streak of luck to win twice what you have lost to-day."

"That infernal roulette,--a long series of odd numbers!"

"Oh! that was mere luck! It doesn't happen twice. That devil of a chevalier has found an infallible martingale, he says; but it requires funds to start it."

"Perhaps we shall not have enough."

"Oh! I have resources. But sign quickly, and I will go and attend to discounting your notes."

Edouard signed notes amounting to twenty thousand francs; and to divert his thoughts, went to see his mistress. She pouted a little when she found that he had not brought the shawl that she coveted, but he promised it for the next day, and she became charmingly amiable once more; she scolded her devoted friend for his solemn and distraught air; he apologized by saying that he was engrossed by an affair of great importance, and she kissed him and fondled him and caressed him. A man who is engaged in great speculations, and who is generous--what an invaluable treasure to preserve!

The regular company soon arrived. If it was far from select, it was numerous, at all events: ruined marquises, n.o.bles without a chateau, landed proprietors without property, knights of industry, business agents like Edouard, all gamblers or schemers, and some young men of good family who had nothing left to lose, and some idiots who fancied themselves in the best society--such in the main were the male guests.

The ladies were worthy of these gentlemen: old _intrigantes_, panders, kept women, or those who wished to be, habitues of the gambling h.e.l.ls to which the fair s.e.x is admitted; such was the a.s.semblage at Madame de Geran's, where they affected decent behavior, grand airs, refined manners, and severely scrupulous language, which soon became obscene, when the pa.s.sions of these ladies and gentlemen were so far excited as to make them forget their costumes and the rank which they were supposed to occupy.

Madame de Geran gave a punch: that is a shrewd way of exciting the gamblers' brains, and of making the women seem attractive to them. The imagination heated by liquor attributes charms to superannuated and withered beauties. The gla.s.ses circulate, heads become confused, the stakes increase in amount, the heat is stifling, the ladies remove their neckerchiefs; the eye of a connoisseur standing behind the chair of a fair gambler rests upon a breast which a pitiless corset strives to keep at a predetermined height; if he looks behind, he sees reasonably white shoulders, a perfectly bare back, and his wandering vision easily divines the little that is concealed. How deny the siren who turns and borrows twenty-five louis, with a glance full of meaning touching the mode of payment; whereupon you proceed to take an instalment by sitting down beside your fascinating debtor, and doing whatever you choose; for she offers no resistance; and thus it is that acquaintances are made at large parties. Edouard did not admire the b.r.e.a.s.t.s and backs of the ladies, because he was completely subjugated by a single one; but he took his seat at a table after borrowing thirty louis of his mistress, because, he said, he had forgotten to bring money. She readily lent it to him, being certain he would return it with interest the next day.

A certain Marquis de Monclair, an intimate friend of the Chevalier Desfleurets, suggested to Edouard a game of ecarte; they took their places and Desfleurets took his stand behind Edouard, with the purpose, he said, of bringing him luck. But Murville lost every game; the thirty louis which he had borrowed were soon gone; then his opponent willingly played with him on credit, because he was aware how promptly he always paid.

Madame de Geran caused the punch to circulate with profusion; she herself drank several gla.s.ses in order to do the honors of her reception with more grace. Everyone seemed very much engrossed, either by the cards or by gallantry; the ordinary reserve was replaced by uproar; the guests generally forgot themselves; artificial modesty gave place to somewhat indecorous hilarity on the part of the ladies, oaths were heard in one direction, loud laughter in another; there was quarrelling and teasing; the card players disputed over the game, there was love-making on sofas, and the result was a most varied and animated tableau, wherein each actor had his own private interest to subserve.

Madame de Geran herself seemed greatly heated, although she was not playing; she approached Edouard's table for a moment, saw that he was absorbed with his game, and left the salon, to cool off.

Edouard was unable to win a single game; rage and despair were rampant in his heart; he already owed fifteen thousand francs to the marquis, and constantly doubled his stake, hoping to make up his losses; but his expectations were always disappointed. Pale, trembling, wild-eyed, he no longer knew what he was doing; his hands were clenched, his nerves were on edge, and he could hardly breathe.

"I will play you for the fifteen thousand francs at one stake," he said at last to his adversary, in a trembling voice.

"I agree," replied the marquis; "I am a bold player, as you see; in truth, I am terribly distressed to see you lose so constantly."

Edouard made no reply; he was intent upon the game that was about to begin; his eyes were unswervingly fixed upon the cards which were to decide his fate; there were no other witnesses than Desfleurets, who still stood behind Edouard, and an old _intrigante_, who was very intimate with the marquis and was deeply interested in his play. All the other guests were engaged at other tables.

The game began; when the marquis already had three points, he turned a king. Edouard, incensed by such uninterrupted good fortune, turned suddenly to complain to Desfleurets; he discovered him, with other cards, showing to his adversary, behind his back, what he had in his hand. The chevalier tried to conceal his cards, but Edouard did not give him time; he s.n.a.t.c.hed them from his hands, realized the rascality of which he had been the victim, overturned the table and informed the marquis that he should not pay him. The marquis, accustomed to such scenes, did not lose his head, but demanded his money. Edouard called him a swindler; his adversary seized a chair and threatened him, while the chevalier picked up a number of louis which had fallen to the floor.

The old woman shrieked, and Murville seized a candle-stick which he threw at his creditor's head. The marquis received the candle in the face, and lost an eye and part of his nose; he uttered fearful shrieks, and everybody sprang to his feet; the women fled, some men did the same, and the swindlers, being in force, surrounded Murville and threatened to beat him. At that moment Dufresne entered the room, and realized Edouard's danger at a glance; quick to make the most of circ.u.mstances, he forced his way to his side, pushing everybody out of his way; he shouted louder than all the rest, and, making a sign to Edouard to leave the salon, said that he would undertake to settle the affair, and promised the marquis that he should receive the value of his face, which was not likely to be a large sum. Dufresne had a tone and manner which imposed upon those gentry; they became calmer, and Murville, feeling that he was in a hopeless minority, went out of the salon, leaving Dufresne to represent him.

In order to console himself in some degree for this misadventure, Edouard looked about for Madame de Geran; she was not in the salon; he pa.s.sed through the reception rooms without finding her; she had evidently gone to her bedroom, which was above. He rushed hurriedly up the stairs; they were not lighted; but he knew the way. He opened the dressing-room door and saw a light shining beneath the door leading into the boudoir; the key was in the lock, he entered abruptly; but imagine his sensations when he saw his dear mistress lying on a couch in company with her groom, in a situation which clearly denoted the sort of refreshment that had been provided.

Edouard stood like a statue for several minutes, unable to believe his eyes; the groom, a tall youth of eighteen, strong, l.u.s.ty and well-built, but as stupid as an a.s.s, whose physical advantages he possessed, had been selected by Madame de Geran for her private delectation, and he performed his duties with zeal and prompt.i.tude. He was always ready whenever his mistress sent for him and gave him the preconcerted signal; and she had had no occasion to do aught but praise his excellent conduct and his services, which were frequently in demand. But we must say also that Charlot had been only two months in Madame de Geran's service, where the food was excellent, but where the grooms were very quickly worn out.

The punch had produced its effect on the nerves of the pet.i.te-maitresse; she had felt the need of being refreshed; and after making sure that Murville was engaged in a serious game, which she thought unlikely to come to an end so soon, she had pa.s.sed through the anteroom, where Charlot was, with her little finger at her ear; the groom, knowing what that meant, had followed close at his mistress's heels, and we have seen what happened.

The boudoir was a long way from the salon; they had heard only a part of the tumult, to which indeed they were well accustomed. Charlot had paused a moment to listen, however; but his mistress, whose attention was not distracted, and who was intent upon her own affairs, had said lovingly:

"Go on, imbecile! What do you care for that? Let them fight."

Edouard's abrupt entrance did not disturb the groom; presuming that it was one of the gamblers who had been disputing below, and remembering what his mistress had said to him a moment before, Charlot continued his work without turning his head. As for Madame de Geran, seeing that it was no longer possible to deceive Edouard, she made the best of it, at the same time ignoring the interruption.

But Murville's wrath, held in check a few seconds by his extreme surprise, soon burst forth with fury; he seized a fire-shovel and dealt Charlot several blows. The groom yelled that he was being murdered; Madame de Geran shrieked and Edouard shouted as loud as they did, and, weary of striking Charlot, threw the shovel at madame's mirror.

The mirror was shattered and fell to the floor in splinters. Edouard swore and stormed, completely beside himself. Charlot wept, pressing his battered body; Madame de Geran called for help, because she was afraid for her other furniture and even for herself; in her terror she suddenly pushed the groom away and he rolled over against a washstand which he overturned; whereupon sponges, phials, essences and the bowl and pitcher fell on the floor; and at the uproar, the shrieks, the tears and the crashing of gla.s.s, a large proportion of the guests hurried to the scene and entered the boudoir.

They all expressed much surprise at sight of Madame de Geran in such great excitement, of the groom, in such unusual appearance, sprawling on the floor amid the debris of the mirror, the bowl and the phials, and of Edouard, who stalked amid the ruins with flashing eyes, as Achilles stalked about the ramparts of Troy, and seemed inclined to deluge everything with blood and fire.