Le collier de la reine. English

  CHAPTER XLIII.

  ILLUSIONS AND REALITIES.

  Beausire, on leaving the house, ran as fast as possible down the RueCoquilliere, then into the Rue St. Honore, and took everywhere the mostintricate and improbable turnings he could think of, and continued thisuntil he became quite exhausted. Then, thinking himself tolerably safe,he sat down in the corn market, on a sack, to recover his breath. "Ah!"thought he, "now I have made my fortune; I will be an honest man for thefuture, and I will make Oliva an honest woman. She is beautiful, and shewill not mind leading a retired life with me in some province, where weshall live like lords. She is very good; she has but two faults,idleness and pride, and as I shall satisfy her on both these points, shewill be perfect." He then began to reflect on what he should do next.They would seek him, of course, and most likely divide into differentparties, and some would probably go first to his own house. Here lay hisgreat difficulty, for there they would find Oliva, and they mightill-treat her. They might even take her as a hostage, speculating on hislove for her. What should he do? Love carried the day; he ran off againlike lightning, took a coach, and drove to the Pont Neuf. He then lookedcautiously down the Rue Dauphine to reconnoiter, and he saw two men, whoseemed also looking anxiously down the street. He thought they werepolice spies, but that was nothing uncommon in that part of the town;so, bending his back, and walking lamely, for disguise, he went on tillhe nearly reached his house. Suddenly he thought he saw the coat of agendarme in the courtyard; then he saw one at the window of Oliva'sroom. He felt ready to drop, but he thought his best plan was to walkquietly on; he had that courage, and passed the house. Heavens! what asight! the yard was full of soldiers, and among them a policecommissioner. Beausire's rapid glance showed him what he thoughtdisappointed faces. He thought that M. de Crosne had somehow begun tosuspect him, and, sending to take him, had found only Oliva.

  "I cannot help her now," thought he; "I should only lose my money anddestroy us both. No, let me place that in safety, and then I will seewhat can be done." He therefore ran off again, taking his way almostmechanically towards the Luxembourg; but as he turned the corner of theRue St. Germain, he was almost knocked down by a handsome carriage whichwas driving towards the Rue Dauphine, and, raising his head to swear atthe coachman, he thought he saw Oliva inside, talking with muchanimation to a handsome man who sat by her. He gave a cry of surprise,and would have run after it, but he could not again encounter the RueDauphine. He felt bewildered, for he had before settled that Oliva hadbeen arrested in her own house, and he fancied his brain must be turningwhen he believed he saw her in the carriage. But he started off againand took refuge in a small cabaret at the Luxembourg, where the hostesswas an old friend. There he gradually began to recover again his courageand hope. He thought the police would not find him, and that his moneywas safe. He remembered also that Oliva had committed no crime, and thatthe time was passed when people were kept prisoners for nothing. He alsothought that his money would soon obtain her release, even if she weresent to prison, and he would then set off with her for Switzerland. Suchwere his dreams and projects as he sat sipping his wine.