"By the way, my little Bertrand, you have some orange flower water, haven't you? It will allay nervous excitement."

Virginie laughed when she said this, and was evidently making fun of Madame Saint-Edmond; but that lady seemed to pay no heed to what she said.

"Upon my word, I am very sorry that I disturbed you, Bertrand," resumed Virginie, preparing some sweetened water for herself; "I might just as well have gone to get it myself, for I know where everything is. I am perfectly at home here. But you are so good-natured!"

"I do my duty, mademoiselle," said Bertrand, with a military salute.

"I know, Monsieur Bertrand, how attached you are to Auguste," said Virginie, a.s.suming a sentimental tone. "And so, whenever I mention you to him, I am very glad to speak in terms of praise. That's no more than justice, that's sure. Auguste, who has every confidence in me, will follow my advice, I trust, and you'll find, Monsieur Bertrand, that I am not capable--of--of never doing----"

Virginie always became entangled when she tried to talk sense or to be sentimental. Bertrand confounded himself in reverences, awaiting the end of a speech which he did not comprehend; but luckily for Virginie, the bell rang.

"There's Auguste!" she cried, while Bertrand went to the door.

Thereupon there was a great commotion in the salon. Virginie rose, all ready to rush to the door, glaring at the blonde lady with an expression of defiance. The latter, too, had risen; but she did not look at Virginie, and did her utmost to maintain a calm and indifferent att.i.tude.

But their hopes were blasted once more. It was not Dalville who had rung, but Tony, his diminutive groom, who came to inform Bertrand that after the ball, which was at Madame de la Thoma.s.siniere's, the resplendent Athalie had carried away a part of the company to breakfast at her country estate. Auguste was among the number; his hostess had refused to allow him even a moment to return home and change his clothes. But, as Auguste had emptied his purse at cards during the evening, he sent his little jockey, with the cabriolet, to obtain some money, which he was to deliver to his master at Madame de la Thoma.s.siniere's estate.

As Virginie had held the salon door ajar, both ladies heard what the little groom said to Bertrand.

"You see, mesdames, it is useless for you to wait any longer," said Bertrand, returning to the salon; "monsieur's off to the country; he has sent for something and that means that he isn't likely to return very soon."

"Yes, he has sent for money," said Virginie, with a sigh. "G.o.d! how the man does throw it away! It's frightful! If he only gave me a quarter of what he----"

Virginie checked herself; she realized that she had made a mistake.

Madame Saint-Edmond cast a contemptuous glance at her and left the room, saying to Bertrand:

"All that I ask you, monsieur, is to be kind enough to let me know when Monsieur Dalville returns."

"I shall not fail, madame," replied the corporal, escorting the neighbor to the door. In the reception room she said to him:

"I don't know who this hussy is that I found installed in Monsieur Dalville's apartment; but she acts like a fishwoman, and her manner is so insolent that I wouldn't have her for my cook."

When the neighbor had gone, Virginie concluded to resume her hat and shawl.

"Well," she muttered, "I may as well go, as that good-for-nothing isn't coming home. It's a nuisance, though, for I really needed to see him. I wanted to ask him--That idiot of a landlord is always in my rooms! Oh!

how he tires me! He's furious because he tried to make love to me and I wouldn't listen to him. Think of it--a little seducer of fifty-five!

What do you suppose he did, Bertrand, in the hot weather? He came to see me in the morning in his dressing gown; but one day, when the wind blew, I saw that my gentleman was dressed underneath like--like a Scotchman!--'Come, come,' said I to myself, 'this is too free and easy!

If he comes here that way for the purpose of seducing me, just a minute!'--He wouldn't go away, so I called the concierge and had the landlord put out of my room. Since then, he's as ugly as sin. Well, I'll come back very soon.--Ah! I know where I'll go. Yes, that fat Englishman, who was willing to set me up in business, on condition that--Good! I'll go and tell him that I've found a linen-draper's shop.

After all, I am tired of living this way; I mean to have a shop. I wouldn't look so bad behind a counter, would I, Bertrand?--I say, the neighbor was pretty well stirred up, wasn't she? She went before I did; in fact, she'd have had to carry me to make me go first, because when I take a thing into my head, I don't--Adieu, my little Bertrand."

Mademoiselle Virginie slipped through the door and downstairs, humming.

"Gad!" said Bertrand to himself as he looked after her, "if my lieutenant had come home, I don't quite know how things would have turned out. This one's a regular demon, and the other, with her die-away voice, was beginning to make eyes like pistol shots, too! Never mind, I got out of it pretty well; at all events n.o.body fainted this time, and that's what I am always afraid of. Thunder and guns! I'd rather have ten raw recruits to lick into shape than one fainting woman to bring to. In fact, there are some of 'em that are quite obstinate about it."

"Whenever you're ready, Monsieur Bertrand," said little Tony, following the ex-corporal into the salon.

"Ah! to be sure, my boy; I forgot all about it. He must have money, always money! Well, come with me, and we'll go to the strong-box.

Sacrebleu! it makes me feel bad to keep taking out and never putting back. When I tell monsieur so, he says: 'Go to my notary.'--That's all right; I know that the notary always gives me money; but by giving and giving--However, the lieutenant's the master, and I must obey.--How much does he want, Tony?"

"Fifty louis, Monsieur Bertrand."

"Fifty louis! he had that much in his purse yesterday when he started for that ball! What in the devil do they do at these swell parties, to get rid of so much money in one evening? It seems that he's no luckier at these Thoma.s.sinets--Thoma.s.sinieres'--than he is anywhere else!"

"Oh! it was very fine, Monsieur Bertrand!"

"Ah! so you saw it, did you?"

"Yes, I went up to the servants' quarters. They gave me ices and punch and cakes."

"Oho! I can understand that you liked that! But do you know that with the twelve hundred francs that monsieur lost at cards, we could have had some famous cakes here?--Here, my boy, here's the yellow boys; look out not to lose them."

"Oh! don't be afraid, Monsieur Bertrand, the cabriolet's waiting for me at the door."

"And don't drive Bebelle too fast, d'ye hear?"

The little groom had already gone. Bertrand was still standing in front of the strong-box, which was open. He counted the remaining contents, and frowned; he seemed terrified by the rapidity with which Dalville was spending his money. He closed the desk at last, with a shake of the head, saying: "It's his; he has the right to dispose of it." And to dispel his melancholy thoughts, Bertrand went down to the cellar and brought up a bottle of old burgundy, because, being entrusted with the duty of watching the wine, he wished to be sure that it did not run away.

IX

MADEMOISELLE TAPOTTE AND THE MARQUIS

We have heard little Tony say that his master was at Madame de la Thoma.s.siniere's ball; whence we must conclude that, since the day at Madame Destival's country house, Dalville and the wealthy speculator had become more intimate. Auguste, being invited by the gushing Athalie, had not failed to accept her invitations, and Monsieur de la Thoma.s.siniere, seeing that Dalville joined in all the pleasure parties without calculating the expense, that he played for high stakes, and lost with the best grace imaginable, agreed with madame that the young man was of the sort to go all lengths.

Madame Destival was secretly furious to see Dalville amid the throng of Madame de la Thoma.s.siniere's adorers; but that did not prevent her from continuing to call that lady "my love" and "my dear," because she would have been sorry not to be invited to the gorgeous parties given by the capitalist; and although she went to his house solely to seek subjects for criticism, and although Monsieur Destival could not eat his dinner for wrath at seeing a table much better served than his own, they were very glad to subject themselves to these vexations.

Is it surprising that Dalville, in that whirlpool of dissipation, and constantly in the company of charming women who chose him for their escort--is it surprising that he should have forgotten the milkmaid of Montfermeil? However, the memory of Denise was not altogether effaced from his mind, and on several occasions he had formed the plan of going to the village to see the child and the young woman; but when he was on the point of carrying out his plan, some new invitation, some festivity that he could not miss, detained him in Paris, where the time pa.s.ses so quickly for happy people.

It was to her country estate, at Fleury, that the charming Athalie conveyed Auguste and three other gentlemen who had been at her ball.

Madame had devised the party while dancing a quadrille, and had determined that they would eat fresh eggs on the gra.s.s, while walking through the "ladies' chain." Auguste and the other three young men were invited and they instantly accepted. Madame de la Thoma.s.siniere, who displayed no less activity in her amus.e.m.e.nts than variety in her costumes, issued her orders at once. Her husband alone knew nothing of the excursion; and at eight o'clock in the morning, when the four gentlemen were finally induced to leave the ecarte table, madame gave them seats in her caleche, laughing like a madwoman at the idea of abducting thus four cavaliers in full dress. Monsieur de la Thoma.s.siniere was in bed, but his valet was instructed to inform him when he woke where he could find madame, in case he should desire to join her.

A word or two that Madame Destival had heard during the night had apprised her of the delightful project for the morning; and as she and her husband were not of the party, they returned home in very ill humor.

"Always some new form of dissipation!" said Madame Destival, with a bitter smile. "That Madame de la Thoma.s.siniere is at her wits' end to invent something that will ruin her husband."

"If she only would ruin him!" exclaimed Destival; "but no; that man has the greatest luck! Everything succeeds with him. However, he doesn't shine by his wit, that's sure enough! But he has just made sixty thousand francs in a transaction that I had in view."

"Well, monsieur, why didn't you carry it out?"

"I hadn't funds enough to buy the debt, madame."

"You should borrow, find the money. Really, monsieur, you ought to blush for shame when you see the show of magnificence that that Thoma.s.siniere makes, and you do not outshine him. Those people have eight servants, and I have just one wretched maid and an ill-tempered footman who does everything!--I want a lady's maid, monsieur; I insist upon having one!"

"Before long, madame, I hope----"