CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE AVENGER.
For a month Gilbert wandered round the sick girl's lodgings, inventingwork in the gardens in their neighborhood so that he could keep his eyeconstantly on the windows.
In this time he had grown paler; on his face youth was no more to beviewed than in the strange fire in his eyes and the dead-white and evencomplexion; his mouth curled by dissimulation, his sidelong glance, andthe sensitive quivering of his muscles belonged already to later years.
Looking up, billhook in hand as a horseman struck sparks from the rideby the walk, he recognized Philip Taverney.
He moved towards the hedgerow. But the cavalier urged his horse towardshim, calling out:
"Hey, Gilbert!"
The young man's first impulse was for flight, for panic seized him andhe felt like racing over the garden and the ponds themselves.
"Do you not know me, Gilbert?" shouted the captain in a gentle tonewhich was understood by the incorrigible youth.
Comprehending his folly, Gilbert stopped. He retraced his steps butslowly and with distrust.
"Not at first, my lord," he said trembling: "I took you for one of theguards, and as I was idling, I feared to be brought to task and bookedfor punishment."
Content with this explanation, Philip dismounted, put the bridle roundhis arm and leaning the other hand on Gilbert's shoulder which visiblymade him shudder, he went on:
"What is the matter, boy? Oh, I can guess; my father has been treatingyou with harshness and injustice. But I have always liked you."
"So you have."
"Then forget the evil others do you. My sister has also been always goodto you."
"Hardly," replied Gilbert: with an expression no one could haveunderstood for it embodied an accusation to Andrea, and an excuse forhimself, bursting like pride while groaning like remorse.
"I understood," said Philip: "she is a little high-handed at times, butshe is good-hearted. Do you know where our good Andrea is at thepresent?"
"In her rooms, I suppose, sir," gasped Gilbert, struck to the heart."How am I to know---- "
"Alone, as usual, and pining?"
"In all probability, alone, since Nicole has run away."
"Nicole run away?"
"With her sweetheart--at least it is presumed so," said Gilbert, seeingthat he had gone too far.
"I do not understand you, Gilbert. One has to wrench every word out ofyou. Try to be a little more amiable. You have sense, and learning, sodo not mar your acquirements with an affected roughness unbecoming toyour station in life, and not likely to lift you to a higher."
"But I do not know anything about what you ask of me; I am a gardenerand am ignorant of what goes on in the palace."
"But, Gilbert, I believed you had eyes and owed some return inwatchfulness to the house of Taverney, however slight may have been itshospitality."
"Master Philip," returned the other in a high hoarse voice, for Philip'skindness and another unspoken feeling had mollified him: "I do like you;and that is why I tell you that your sister is very ill."
"Very ill?" ejaculated the gentleman: "why did you not tell me so at thestart?" "What is it?" he asked, walking so quickly.
"Nobody knows. She fainted three times in the grounds yesterday and theDauphiness's doctor has been to see her, as well as my lord the baron."
Philip was not listening any farther for his presentiments were realizedand his fortitude came to him in face of danger. He left his horse inGilbert's charge, and ran to the chapel.
Gilbert put the horse up in the stable and ran into the woods like oneof those wild or obscene birds which cannot bear the eye of man.
On entering the ante-chamber Philip missed the flowers of which hissister used to be fond but which irritated her since her indisposition.
As he entered she was musing on a little sofa before mentioned. Herlovely brow surcharged with clouds drooped lowly, and her fine eyesvacillated in their orbits. Her hands were hanging and though theposition ought to have filled them with blood they were white as a waxenstatue's.
Philip caught the strange expression and, alarmed as he was, he thoughtthat his sister's ailment had mental affliction in it.
The sight caused so much trembling in his heart that he could notrestrain a start in flight.
Andrea lifted her eyes and rose like a galvanised corpse, with a loudscream; breathlessly she clung to her brother's neck.
"Yes, Philip, you!" she panted, and force quitted her before she couldspeak more.
"Yes, I who return to find you ill," he said, embracing and sustainingher for he felt her yield. "Poor sister, what has happened you?"
Andrea laughed with a nervous tone which hurt him instead of encouragingas she intended.
"Nothing: the doctor whom the Dauphiness kindly sent me, says it isnothing he can remedy. I am quite well save for some fainting fits whichcame over me."
"But you are so pale?"
"Did I ever have much color?"
"No, but you were alive at that time, while now---- "
"It is nothing: the pleasant shock of seeing you again---- "
"Dear Andrea!"
But as he pressed her to his heart, her strength fled once more and shefell on the sofa, whiter than the muslin curtains on which her face wasoutlined.
She gradually recovered and looked handsomer than ever.
"Your emotion at my return is very sweet and flattering, but I shouldlike to know about your illness--to what you attribute it?"
"I do not know, dear: the spring, the coming of the flowers: you know Ihave always been nervous. Yesterday the perfume of the Persian lilacsnearly suffocated me--I believe it was then I was taken bad. Strange tosay, I who used to be so fond of the flowers hold them in execrationnow. For over two weeks not so much as a daffodil has entered my rooms.But let us leave them. It is the headache I have, which caused a swoonand made Mdlle. de Taverney a happy girl, because it has drawn thenotice of the Dauphiness upon her. She has come here to see me. Oh,Philip, what a delicate friend and charming patroness she is! But sinceher doctor says there is nothing to be alarmed at, tell me why you havebeen alarmed?"
"It was that little numbskull Gilbert, of course!"
"Gilbert," repeated the lady testily. "Did you believe that little idiotwho is only able in doing or saying ill? But how is it I see you withoutany notice?"
"Answer me why you ceased to write?"
"Only for a few days."
"For a full fortnight, you negligent girl! Ah, I was utterly forgottenthere even by my sister. They were in a dreadful hurry to pack me off,yet when I got there I never heard a word about the fabulous regiment ofwhich I was to take command as promised by the King per the Duke ofRichelieu to our father himself."
"Oh, do not be astonished at that," said the girl, "the duke and fatherare quite upset about it. They are like two bodies with one soul; butfather sometimes cries out against him, saying he is betrayed. Whobetrays him? I do not know and between us I little want to know. Fatherlives like a soul in purgatory, fretting about something which nevercomes."
"But the King, he is not well disposed to us?"
"Speak low. The King," replied Andrea, looking timidly round. "I amafraid the King is very fickle. The interest which he professed for ourhouse, for each of us, cooled off, without my being able to understandit. He does not look at me and yesterday he turned back on me--which waswhen I fainted in the garden."
"Then little Gilbert was right."
"To tell everybody that I fainted? what does it matter to the miserablelittle rogue? I know, my dear Philip," added Andrea laughing, "that itis not the proper thing to faint in a royal residence but it is not oneof those things that one does for the fun of it."
"Poor dear, I can well believe that it is not your fault: but go on."
"That is all; and Master Gilbert might have withheld his remarks aboutit."
"There you are abusing the poor boy again."
"And you taking his defense."
 
; "For mercy's sake, do not be so rude to him, so hard, for I have heardhow you treat him. But, goodness, what is the matter now?"
This time she fainted so that it took a long time for her senses toreturn.
"Undoubtedly you suffer," said Philip, "so as to alarm persons more boldthan I am when you are concerned. Say what you like, this is a case thatwants attending to. I will see your doctor myself," he concludedtranquilly.