The Count's Millions

  X.

  Once before, that very morning, the magistrate had witnessed a displayof the virile energy with which misfortune and suffering had endowedthis proud but naturally timid girl. But he was none the less surprisedat the sudden explosion of hatred which he now beheld; for it washatred. The way in which Mademoiselle Marguerite's voice had quivered asshe pronounced the name of Anais de Rochecote proved, unmistakably, thathers was one of those haughty natures that never forget an insult. Allsigns of fatigue had now disappeared. She had sprung from her chair,and remembrance of the shameful, cowardly affront she had received hadbrought a vivid flush to her cheeks and a bright gleam to her eyes.

  "This atrocious humiliation happened scarcely a year ago, monsieur," sheresumed; "and there is but little left for me to tell you. My expulsionfrom Sainte-Marthe made M. de Chalusse frantic with indignation. He knewsomething that I was ignorant of--that Madame de Rochecote, who enactedthe part of a severe and implacable censor, was famed for the laxityof her morals. The count's first impulse was to wreak vengeance on mypersecutors; for, in spite of his usual coolness, M. de Chalusse had afurious temper at times. It was only with the greatest difficulty thatI dissuaded him from challenging General de Rochecote, who was livingat the time. However, it now became necessary to make some otherarrangements for me. M. de Chalusse offered to find another school,promising to take such precautions as would insure my peace of mind. ButI interrupted him before he had spoken a dozen words, declaring I wouldrather return to the book-binders than chance another such experiment.And what I said I meant. A subterfuge--a fictitious name, forinstance--could alone shield me from persecution similar to what I hadendured at Sainte-Marthe. But I knew that I was incapable of playingsuch a part--I felt that I should somehow confess everything. Myfirmness imparted some resolution to M. de Chalusse. He exclaimed, withan oath, that I was right--that he was weary of all this deception andconcealment, and that he would make arrangements to have me near him.'Yes,' he concluded, embracing me, 'the die is cast, come what may!'

  "However, these measures required a certain delay; and, in the meantime,he decided to install me in Paris, which is the only place where one cansuccessfully hide from prying eyes. He purchased a small but convenienthouse, surrounded by a garden, in the neighborhood of the LuxembourgPalace, and here he installed me, with two old women and a trustyman-servant. As I needed a chaperon, he went in quest of one, and foundMadame Leon."

  On hearing this name, the magistrate gave the young girl a searchinglook, as if he hoped to discover what estimate she had formed of thehousekeeper's character, as well as what degree of confidence she hadgranted her. But Mademoiselle Marguerite's face remained unaltered inexpression.

  "After so many trials," she resumed, "I thought I should now find restand peace. Yes, I believed so; and the few months I spent in that quiethouse will be the happiest of my life--I am sure of it. Judge of mysurprise when, on going down into the little garden on the second dayafter my arrival, I saw the young man whom I had met at Cannes, andwhose face had lingered in my memory for more than two years as thetype of all that was best and noblest in the human countenance. He wasstanding near the gate. A cloud passed before my eyes. What mysteriousfreak of fate had caused him to pause there at that particular moment?This much is certain, he recognized me as I had recognized him. Hebowed, smiling somewhat, and I fled indoors again, indignant with myselffor not being angry at his audacity. I made many plans that day, but thenext morning, at the same hour, I hid myself behind a Venetian blind,and saw him pause at the gate, and gaze at the garden with evidentanxiety. I soon learned that he lived near by, with his widowed mother;and twice a day, when he went to the Palais de Justice and returned, hepassed my home."

  Her cheeks were crimson now, her eyes were lowered, and she wasevidently embarrassed. But suddenly, as if ashamed of her blushes, sheproudly raised her head, and said, in a firmer voice: "Shall I tell youour simple story? Is it necessary? I should not have concealed anythingthat has passed from my mother, if I had been so happy as to possess amother. A few moments' conversation now and then, the exchange of a fewletters, the pressure of a hand through the garden gate, and that isall. Still, I have been guilty of a grave and irreparable fault: I havedisobeyed the one rule of my life--frankness; and I am cruelly punishedfor doing so. I did not tell all this to M. de Chalusse--in fact, Idared not. I was ashamed of my cowardice; from day to day I vowed thatI would confess everything, and yet I procrastinated. I said to myselfevery night, 'It shall be done to-morrow; but when the morrow came Isaid, 'I will give myself another day--just one more day.' Indeed, mycourage failed me when I thought of the count's aristocratic prejudices;and besides, I knew how ambitious he was for my future. On the otherhand, moreover, Pascal was always pleading: 'Don't speak now. Mycircumstances are constantly improving. The day is not far off when Ishall be able to offer you wealth and fame. When that day comes I willgo to your guardian and ask him for your hand; but in Heaven's namedon't speak now.' I understood Pascal's motives well enough. The count'simmense fortune frightened him, and he feared that he would be accusedof being a fortune-hunter. So I waited, with that secret anguish whichstill haunts those who have been unhappy even when their present ispeaceful, and their future seems bright. I kept my secret, saying tomyself that such happiness was not meant for me, that it would soon takeflight.

  "It took flight all too soon. One morning I heard a carriage draw upoutside our door, and the next moment the Count de Chalusse enteredthe sitting-room. 'Everything is ready to receive you at the Hotel deChalusse, Marguerite,' said he, 'come!' He ceremoniously offered me hisarm, and I accompanied him. I could not even leave a message for Pascal,for I had never made a confidante of Madame Leon. Still, a faint hopesustained me. I thought that the precautions taken by M. de Chalussewould somewhat dispel the uncertainty of my position, and furnish me atleast with some idea of the vague danger which threatened me. But no.His efforts, so far as I could discover, had been confined to changinghis servants. Our life in this grand house was the same as it had beenat Cannes--even more secluded, if that were possible. The count had agedconsiderably. It was evident that he was sinking beneath the burdenof some ever-present sorrow. 'I am condemning you to a cheerless andmelancholy youth,' he sometimes said to me, 'but it will not lastforever--patience, patience!' Did he really love me? I think so. But hisaffection showed itself in a strange manner. Sometimes his voice was sotender that my heart was touched. At others there was a look of hatredin his eyes which terrified me. Occasionally he was severe almost tobrutality, and then the next moment he would implore me to forgive him,order the carriage, take me with him to his jewellers', and insist uponme accepting some costly ornaments. Madame Leon declares that my jewelsare worth more than twenty thousand francs. At times I wondered if hiscapricious affection and sternness were really intended for myself. Itoften seemed to me that I was only a shadow--the phantom of some absentperson, in his eyes. It is certain that he often requested me to dressmyself or to arrange my hair in a certain fashion, to wear such and sucha color, or to use a particular perfume which he gave me. Frequently,when I was moving about the house, he suddenly exclaimed: 'Marguerite! Ientreat you, remain just where you are!'

  "I obeyed him, but the illusion had already vanished. A sob or an oathwould come from his lips, and then in an angry voice he would bid meleave the room."

  The magistrate did not raise his eyes from his talismanic ring; it mighthave been supposed that it had fascinated him. Still, his expressiondenoted profound commiseration, and he shook his head thoughtfully. Theidea had occurred to him that this unfortunate young girl had been thevictim, not precisely of a madman, but of one of those maniacs who havejust enough reason left to invent the tortures they inflict upon thosearound them.

  Speaking more slowly than before, as if she were desirous of attractingincreased attention on the magistrate's part, Mademoiselle Margueritenow continued: "If I reminded M. de Chalusse of a person whom he hadformerly loved, that person may have been my mother. I say, M
AY HAVEBEEN, because I am not certain of it. All my efforts to discoverthe truth were unavailing. M. de Chalusse seemed to take a maliciouspleasure in destroying all my carefully-arranged theories, andin upsetting the conjectures which he had encouraged himself onlytwenty-four hours previously. Heaven only knows how anxiously I listenedto his slightest word! And it can be easily understood why I did so. Mystrange and compromising connection with him drove me nearly frantic.It was not strange that people's suspicions were aroused. True, he hadchanged all his servants before my arrival here; but he had requestedMadame Leon to remain with me, and who can tell what reports she mayhave circulated? It has often happened that when returning from masson Sundays, I have overheard persons say, 'Look! there is the Countde Chalusse's mistress!' Oh! not a single humiliation has been sparedme--not a single one! However, on one point I did not feel the shadowof a doubt. The count had known my mother. He frequently alluded to her,sometimes with an outburst of passion which made me think that he hadonce adored, and still loved her; sometimes, with insults and curseswhich impressed me with the idea that she had cruelly injured him. Butmost frequently he reproached her for having unhesitatingly sacrificedme to insure her own safety. He said she could have had no heart; andthat it was an unheard of, incomprehensible, and monstrous thing thata woman could enjoy luxury and wealth, undisturbed by remorse, knowingthat her innocent and defenceless child was exposed all the while to thehardships and temptations of abject poverty. I was also certain that mymother was a married woman, for M. de Chalusse alluded to her husbandmore than once. He hated him with a terrible hatred. One evening, whenhe was more communicative than usual, he gave me to understand thatthe great danger he dreaded for me came either from my mother or herhusband. He afterward did his best to counteract this impression; buthe did not succeed in convincing me that his previous assertion wasuntrue."

  The magistrate looked searchingly at Mademoiselle Marguerite. "Thenthose letters which we found just now in the escritoire are from yourmother, mademoiselle?" he remarked.

  The girl blushed. She had previously been questioned respecting theseletters, and she had then made no reply. Now, she hesitated for amoment, and then quietly said: "Your opinion coincides with mine,monsieur."

  Thereupon, as if she wished to avoid any further questioning on thesubject, she hurriedly continued: "At last a new and even greatertrouble came--a positive calamity, which made me forget the disgraceattached to my birth. One morning at breakfast, about a month ago, thecount informed me that he expected two guests to dinner that evening.This was such an unusual occurrence that I was struck speechless withastonishment. 'It is extraordinary, I admit,' he added, gayly; 'but itis nevertheless true. M. de Fondege and the Marquis de Valorsay willdine here this evening. So, my dear Marguerite, look your prettiestin honor of our old friend.' At six o'clock the two gentlemen arrivedtogether. I was well acquainted with M. de Fondege--the general, as hewas commonly called. He was the count's only intimate friend, and oftenvisited us. But I had never before seen the Marquis de Valorsay, nor hadI ever heard his name until M. de Chalusse mentioned it that morning. Idon't pretend to judge him. I will only say that as soon as I saw him,the dislike I felt for him bordered on aversion. My false positionrendered his close scrutiny actually painful to me, and his attentionsand compliments pleased me no better. At dinner he addressed hisconversation exclusively to me, and I particularly remember a certainpicture he drew of a model household, which positively disgusted me. Inhis opinion, a husband ought to content himself with being his wife'sprime minister--the slave of her slightest caprice. He intended, ifhe married, to allow the Marquise de Valorsay perfect freedom, withan unlimited amount of money, the handsomest carriages, and the mostmagnificent diamonds in Paris--everything, indeed, that could gratifyher vanity, and render her existence a fairylike dream. 'With such ideason her husband's part the marchioness will be very difficult to pleaseif she is not contented with her lot,' he added, glancing covertly atme. This exasperated me beyond endurance, and I dryly replied: 'The merethought of such a husband would drive me to the shelter of a convent.'He seemed considerably disconcerted; and I noticed that the general, Imean M. de Fondege, gave him a mischievous look.

  "However, when the gentlemen had gone, M. de Chalusse scolded meseverely. He said that my sentimental philosophy was quite out of placein a drawing-room, and that my ideas of life, marriage, and duty couldonly have been gained in a foundling asylum. As I attempted to reply, heinterrupted me to sound the praises of the Marquis de Valorsay, whonot only came of an ancient family, and possessed immense, unencumberedestates, but was a talented, handsome man into the bargain; in short,one of those favored mortals whom all young girls sigh for. The scalesfell from my eyes. I instantly understood that M. de Chalusse hadselected the Marquis de Valorsay to be my husband, and thus the marquishad designedly explained his matrimonial programme for my benefit. Itwas a snare to catch the bird. I felt indignant that he should supposeme so wanting in delicacy of feeling and nobility of character as tobe dazzled by the life of display and facile pleasure which he haddepicted. I had disliked him at first, and now I despised him; for itwas impossible to misunderstand the shameless proposal concealed beneathhis half-jesting words. He offered me my liberty in exchange for myfortune. That is only a fair contract, one might say. Perhaps so; but ifhe were willing to do this for a certain amount of money, what wouldhe not do for a sum twice or thrice as large? Such were my impressions,though I asked myself again and again if I were not mistaken. No; theevents that followed only confirmed my suspicions. Three days later themarquis came again. His visit was to the count, and they held a longconference in this study. Having occasion to enter the room, after themarquis's departure, I noticed on the table a number of title deedswhich he had probably brought for the count's inspection. On thefollowing week there was another conference, and this time a lawyer waspresent. Any further doubts I might have felt were dispelled by MadameLeon, who was always well informed--thanks to her habit of listeningat the keyholes. 'They are talking of marrying you to the Marquis deValorsay--I heard them,' she remarked to me.

  "However, the information did not terrify me. I had profited by the timeallowed me for reflection, and I had decided upon the course I shouldpursue. I am timid, but I am not weak; and I was determined to resist M.de Chalusse's will in this matter, even if it became necessary for meto leave his house, and renounce all hopes of the wealth he had promisedme. Still I said nothing to Pascal of my mental struggle and finaldetermination. I did not wish to bind him by the advice which he wouldcertainly have given me. I had his troth, and that sufficed. And it waswith a thrill of joy that I said to myself: 'What does it matter if M.de Chalusse should be so angered by my refusal to obey him as to driveme from his house? It will rather be so much the better; Pascal willprotect me.'

  "But resistance is only possible when you are attacked; and M. deChalusse did not even allude to the subject--perhaps because affairshad not yet been satisfactorily arranged between the marquis andhimself--possibly because he wished to deprive me of the power to opposehim by taking me unawares. It would have been great imprudence onmy part to broach the subject myself, and so I waited calmly andresignedly, storing up all my energy for the decisive hour. I willinglyconfess that I am not a heroine of romance--I do not look uponmoney with the contempt it deserves. I was resolved to wed solely inaccordance with the dictates of my heart; but I wished, and HOPED, thatM. de Chalusse would give me, not a fortune, but a modest dowry. He hadbecome more communicative than usual on money matters, and took no painsto conceal the fact that he was engaged in raising the largest possibleamount of ready cash. He received frequent visits from his stockbroker,and sometimes when the latter had left him, he showed me rolls ofbank-notes and packages of bonds, saying, as he did so: 'You see thatyour future is assured, my dear Marguerite.'

  "I am only doing the count justice when I say that my future was asubject of constant anxiety to him during the last few months of hislife. Less than a fortnight after he had taken me from th
e asylum, hedrew up a will, in which he adopted me and made me his sole legatee. Buthe afterward destroyed this document on the plea that it did not affordme sufficient security; and a dozen others shared the same fate. For hismind was constantly occupied with the subject, and he seemed to have apresentiment that his death would be a sudden one. I am forced toadmit that he seemed less anxious to endow me with his fortune than tofrustrate the hopes of some persons I did not know. When he burned hislast will in my presence, he remarked: 'This document is useless: theywould contest it, and probably succeed in having it set aside. I havethought of a better way; I have found an expedient which will providefor all emergencies.' And as I ventured some timid objection--for it wasrepugnant to my sense of honor to act as an instrument of vengeance orinjustice, or assist, even passively, in despoiling any person of hisrightful inheritance--he harshly, almost brutally, replied: 'Mindyour own business! I will disappoint the folks who are waiting for myproperty as they deserve to be disappointed. They covet my estates dothey! Very well, they shall have them. I will leave them my property,but they shall find it mortgaged to its full value.'

  "Unfortunate man! all his plans have failed. The heirs whom he hated sobitterly, and whom I don't even know, whose existence people have noteven suspected, can now come, and they will find the wealth he wasdetermined to deprive them of intact. He dreamed of a brilliant destinyfor me--a proud name, and the rank of a marchioness--and he has not evensucceeded in protecting me from the most shameful insults. I have beenaccused of theft before his body was even cold. He wished to makeme rich, frightfully rich, and he has not left me enough to buy mybread--literally, not enough to buy bread. He was in constant terrorconcerning my safety, and he died without even telling me what werethe mysterious dangers which threatened me; without even telling mesomething which I am morally certain of--that he was my father. Heraised me against my will to the highest social position--he placed thatwonderful talisman, gold, in my hand; he showed me the world at my feet;and suddenly he allowed me to fall even to lower depths of misery thanthose in which he found me. Ah! M. de Chalusse, it would have been farbetter for me if you had left me in the foundling asylum to have earnedmy own bread. And yet, I freely forgive you."

  Mademoiselle Marguerite reflected for a moment, questioning her memoryto ascertain if she had told everything--if she had forgotten anyparticulars of importance. And as it seemed to her that she had nothingmore to add, she approached the magistrate, and, with impressivesolemnity of tone and manner, exclaimed: "My life up to the present houris now as well known to you as it is to myself. You know what even thefriend, who is my only hope, does not know as yet. And now, when I tellhim what I really am, will he think me unworthy of him?"

  The magistrate sprang to his feet, impelled by an irresistible force.Two big tears, the first he had shed for years, trembled on hiseyelashes, and coursed down his furrowed cheeks. "You are a noblecreature, my child," he replied, in a voice faltering with emotion; "andif I had a son, I should deem myself fortunate if he chose a wife likeyou."

  She clasped her hands, with a gesture of intense joy and relief, andthen sank into an arm-chair, murmuring: "Oh, thanks, monsieur, thanks!"For she was thinking of Pascal; and she had feared he might shrink fromher when she fully revealed to him her wretched, sorrowful past, ofwhich he was entirely ignorant. But the magistrate's words had reassuredher.