CHAPTER LIV.
BUSSY AND DIANA.
Faintings from love seldom last any length of time, nor are theyvery dangerous. Diana was not long in opening her eyes, and findingherself supported by Bussy.
"Oh!" murmured she, "it was shocking, count, to surprise us thus."
Bussy expected other words, men are so exacting, but Diana saidno more, and, disengaging herself gently from his arms, ran toher friend, who, seeing her faint, had returned softly, and stooda little way off.
"Is it thus that you receive me, madame?"
"No, M. de Bussy, but----"
"Oh! no 'but,' madame," sighed Bussy, drawing near again.
"No, no, not on your knees!"
"Oh! let me pray to you an instant, thus!" cried the count. "Ihave so longed for this place."
"Yes, but to come to it, you jumped over the wall. Not only is itnot suitable for a man of your rank, but it is very imprudent."
"How so?"
"If you had been seen?"
"Who could have seen me?"
"Our hunters, who, a quarter of an hour ago, passed by this wall."
"Do not be uneasy, madame, I hide myself too carefully to be seen."
"Hidden! really!" said Jeanne, "tell us how, M. de Bussy."
"Firstly, if I did not join you on the road, it was not my fault,I took one route and you another. You came by Rambouillet, and Iby Chartres. And then judge if your poor Bussy be not in love;I did not dare to join you. It was not in the presence of yourfather and your servants that I wished to meet you again, for Idid not desire to compromise you, so I made the journey stage bystage, devoured by impatience. At last you arrived. I had takena lodging in the village, and, concealed behind the window, Isaw you pass."
"Oh! mon Dieu! are you then at Angers under your own name?"
"For what do you take me? I am a traveling merchant; look at mycostume, it is of a color much worn among drapers and goldsmiths.I have not been remarked."
"Bussy, the handsome Bussy, two days in a provincial town andnot remarked; who would believe that at court?" said Jeanne.
"Continue, count," said Diana, blushing; "how do you come herefrom the town?"
"I have two horses of a chosen race; I leave the village on one,stopping to look at all the signs and writings, but when out ofsight my horse takes to a gallop, which brings him the four milesin half an hour. Once in the wood of Meridor I ride to the park wall,but it is very long, for the park is large. Yesterday I exploredthis wall for more than four hours, climbing up here and there,hoping to see you. At last, when I was almost in despair, I sawyou in the evening returning to the house; the two great dogs ofthe baron were jumping round you. When you had disappeared, I jumpedover, and saw the marks on the grass where you had been sitting.I fancied you might have adopted this place, which is charming,during the heat of the sun, so I broke away some branches that Imight know it again, and sighing, which hurts me dreadfully----"
"From want of habit," said Jeanne.
"I do not say no, madame; well, then, sighing, I retook my wayto the town. I was very tired, I had torn my dress in climbingtrees, but I had seen you, and I was happy."
"It is an admirable recital," said Jeanne, "and you have surmounteddreadful obstacles; it is quite heroic; but in your place I wouldhave preserved my doublet, and above all, have taken care ofmy white hands. Look at yours, how frightful they are withscratches."
"Yes, but then I should not have seen her whom I came to see."
"On the contrary, I should have seen her better than you did."
"What would you have done then?"
"I would have gone straight to the Chateau de Meridor. M. leBaron would have pressed me in his arms, Madame de Monsoreauwould have placed me by her at table, M. de St. Luc would havebeen delighted to see me, and his wife also. It was the simplestthing in the world, but lovers never think of what is straightbefore them."
Bussy smiled at Diana. "Oh, no," he said, "that would not havedone for me."
"Then I no longer understand what good manners are."
"No," said Bussy, "I could not go to the castle; M. le Baron wouldwatch his daughter."
"Good!" said Jeanne, "here is a lesson for me," and kissing Dianaon the forehead, she ran away. Diana tried to stop her, but Bussyseized her hands, and she let her friend go. They remained alone.
"Have I not done well, madame," said Bussy, "and do you not approve?"
"I do not desire to feign," said Diana, "besides, it would beuseless; you know I approve; but here must stop my indulgence;in calling for you as I did just now I was mad--I was guilty."
"Mon Dieu! What do you say?"
"Alas I count, the truth; I have a right to make M. de Monsoreauunhappy, to withhold from him my smiles and my love, but I haveno right to bestow them on another: for, after all, he is mymaster."
"Now, you will let me speak, will you not?"
"Speak!"
"Well! of all that you have just said, you do not find one wordin your heart."
"How!"
"Listen patiently; you have overwhelmed me with sophisms. Thecommonplaces of morality do not apply here; this man is yourmaster, you say, but did you choose him? No; fate imposed himon you, and you submitted. Now, do you mean to suffer all yourlife the consequences, of this odious constraint? I will deliveryou from it."
Diana tried to speak, but Bussy stopped her.
"Oh! I know what you are going to say; that if I provoke M. deMonsoreau and kill him, you will see me no more. So be it; Imay die of grief, but you will live free and happy, and you mayrender happy some gallant man, who in his joy will sometimes blessmy name, and cry, 'Thanks, Bussy, thanks, for having deliveredus from that dreadful Monsoreau;' and you, yourself, Diana, whowill not dare to thank me while living, will thank me dead."
Diana seized his hand.
"You have not yet implored me, Bussy; you begin with menaces."
"Menace you! oh! could I have such an intention, I, who loveyou so ardently, Diana. I know you love me; do not deny it, Iknow it, for you have avowed it. Here, on my knees before you,my hand on my heart, which has never lied, either from interestor from fear, I say to you, Diana, I love you, for my whole life.Diana, I swear to you, that if I die for you, it will be in adoringyou. If you still say to me, 'go,' I will go without a sigh, orcomplaint, from this place where I am so happy, and I shouldsay, 'this woman does not love me, and never will love me.' ThenI should go away, and you would see me no more, but as my devotionfor you is great, my desire to see you happy would survive thecertainty that I could never be happy myself."
Bussy said this with so much emotion, and, at the same time firmness,that Diana felt sure that he would do all he said, and she cried,--
"Thanks, count, for you take from me all remorse by your threats."
Saying these words, she gave him her hand, which he kissedpassionately. Then they heard the light steps of Jeanne, accompaniedby a warning cough. Instinctively the clasped hands parted. Jeannesaw it.
"Pardon, my good friends, for disturbing you," said she, "butwe must go in if we do not wish to be sent for. M. le Comte,regain, if you please, your excellent horse, and let us go tothe house. See what you lose by your obstinacy, M. de Bussy,a dinner at the chateau, which is not to be despised by a manwho has had a long ride, and has been climbing trees, withoutcounting all the amusement we could have had, or the glancesthat might have passed. Come, Diana, come away."
Bussy looked at the two friends with a smile. Diana held out herhand to him.
"Is that all?" said he; "have you nothing to say?"
"Till to-morrow," replied she.
"Only to-morrow."
"To-morrow, and always."
Bussy uttered a joyful exclamation, pressed his lips to her hand,and ran off. Diana watched him till he was out of sight.
"Now!" said Jeanne, when he had disappeared, "will you talk tome a little?"
"Oh! yes."
"Well! to-morrow I shall go to the chase with St. Luc and yourfather."
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"What, you will leave me alone at the chateau!"
"Listen, dear friend; I also have my principles, and there arecertain things that I cannot consent to do."
"Oh, Jeanne!" cried Diana, growing pale, "can you say such thingsto me?"
"Yes, I cannot continue thus."
"I thought you loved me, Jeanne. What cannot you continue?"
"Continue to prevent two poor lovers from talking to each otherat their ease." Diana seized in her arms the laughing young woman.
"Listen!" said Jeanne, "there are the hunters calling us, andpoor St. Luc is impatient."