CHAPTER XXVIII.
CAPTAIN JOLIETTE'S LOVE.
In a small but cosy and elegant suite of apartments in a mansion on theRue des Capucines resided Mlle. Louise d'Armilly and her brother Leon;as has already been stated, the celebrated cantatrice had retired fromthe boards in consequence of having inherited a fortune of severalmillions of francs from the estate of her deceased father, who, rumorasserted, had been a very wealthy Parisian banker; Leon had abandonedthe stage simultaneously with his sister, who had invited him to shareher suddenly acquired riches, for, strange to say, the banker had notbequeathed to him a single sou.
The immense inheritance had been a complete surprise to Mlle. d'Armilly,and for some time she had hesitated to accept it, as a condition imposedby the will was her immediate withdrawal from her operatic career, andthe prima donna was as ambitious as gifted; but, finally, she hadyielded to the persuasive eloquence of the notary and the earnestentreaties of her friends, canceling all her engagements, and with themabandoning her bright professional future.
The director of the Academie Royale demanded a large sum to release theartiste from her contract with him, and this was paid by the notary withan alacrity that seemed to suggest he was not acting solely according tothe directions of the will, but was influenced by some personage whochose to remain in the background; the notary also paid all otherdemands made by the various operatic managers who claimed they wouldlose by Mlle. d'Armilly's failure to appear; these amounts were notdeducted from the legacy, a circumstance that gave additional color tothe supposition that the will of the deceased banker was not the solefactor in the celebrated cantatrice's good luck.
One evening, shortly after Paris had again quieted down, Mlle. d'Armillywas seated in the little apartment that served her as a salon, and withher was her brother Leon. The contrast between the pair seemedintensified in private life. Louise had that dark, imperious, majesticbeauty usually possessed by brunettes; her figure was full and finelydeveloped, her black eyes had the deep, intense fire of passion, and herfaultless countenance, glowing with health and loveliness, indicated atonce firmness, decision and caprices without number. Leon, on thecontrary, was delicate and feminine in appearance; he had exceedinglysmall feet and hands, and a single glance at his strikingly handsomeface was sufficient to convince any experienced judge of human naturethat he possessed a mild and yielding disposition. The young man borenot the remotest family likeness to his sister, and it was difficult torealize that they could be in any way related.
Leon quitted his sister and, going to a piano that stood in one cornerof the apartment, softly opened it and commenced lightly running hisfingers over the keys; then he seated himself at the instrument andplayed an air from "Lucrezia Borgia" with brilliancy and effect thatonly a finished performer could attain. At the first notes Louise aroseand approaching the piano stood beside the player, her eyes sparklingwith appreciation and delight. So absorbed were the brother and sisterthat they did not hear a soft knock at the door, and only at theconclusion of the air did they realize that a visitor was in theapartment. Leon sprang from the instrument in confusion, behaving like astartled girl, but Mlle. d'Armilly, with perfect self-control, turned tothe new comer and said, in a tone of mingled coquetry and merriment:
"So, so, Captain Joliette, your military career has accustomed you tosurprising the enemy to such an extent that it has become second naturewith you, and you cannot avoid carrying your favorite tactics even intoprivate life!"
Captain Joliette, for it was, indeed, he, bowed and answered with asmile:
"You must allow me solemnly to protest against classing yourself andyour brother with the enemy! You are, both of you, very dear friends!"
"Especially Louise!" said Leon, with a sly look and a pretty littleringing laugh.
"Leon, Leon, when will you learn wisdom!" exclaimed Mlle. d'Armilly, ablush mantling her visage, and adding to its voluptuous beauty.
"Never, I suppose!" returned her brother, still laughing. "But I amalready well acquainted with the value of discretion and, therefore,will withdraw!"
As he uttered those words, Leon kissed the tips of his fingers to Louiseand Joliette, and lightly ran from the salon. When he had disappearedthe Captain folded Mlle. d'Armilly in his arms and kissed her tenderlyupon the forehead.
"Oh! Louise," said he, enthusiastically, "I love you more and more everyday!"
The former artiste gently disentangled herself from his embrace and,smiling archly, led him to a chair; then she sat down upon another at ashort distance from him.
"No, no," said Joliette, warmly; "come and sit beside me on the sofa.Even Leon sees that I adore you, and all my friends in Paris are awarethat I am seeking your hand in marriage. Why will you be so formal anddistant with me!"
She arose and did as he requested; Joliette, seated at her side, put hisarm about her waist. Louise did not resist, but still maintained an airof coquetry that was displeasing to the ardent young soldier.
"Albert," she said, in a low, musical voice, "do you, indeed, love me asyou say?"
"Love you, Louise!" cried Joliette. "I would lay down my life for you!"
"Are you quite sure you love me for myself and not because of theresemblance you say I bear to the woman you once so ardently admired?What was her name?--ah! Eugenie Danglars!" said she, looking at him witha piercing gaze.
"Quite sure, Louise, quite sure. Besides, Mlle. Danglars hasdisappeared, has not been seen or heard of for several years, and, nodoubt, is dead."
"And yet you do not mourn for her! How strange!"
"I never loved her as I love you, Louise. Eugenie Danglars was acapricious and eccentric girl, and had she lived would have been acapricious and eccentric woman. It was well for me she vanished when shedid! But, by the way, another singular and inexplicable coincidence isthat Louise d'Armilly, the name you bear, was also the name of Mlle.Danglars' music teacher. I cannot understand it at all!"
"There is no necessity for you to understand it. Anyhow, it is acoincidence, as you say--nothing more."
"Well, Louise, let us speak no further about either the resemblance orthe coincidence. Suffice it that I love you, and you alone--that I loveyou for yourself."
"Your words make me very happy, Albert," replied Mlle. d'Armilly, andher full red lips looked so luscious, ripe and alluring, that Joliettecould not resist the temptation to bestow a long, burning kiss uponthem.
"Be my wife, then, dearest Louise," cried the Captain, "and I willprolong your happiness until death shall strike me down!"
"Ah! Albert, men are so fickle; they become infatuated with women anddeclare and, no doubt think, they could pass their lives at theircharmers' feet; but possession dulls the lustre of the brightest jewel,and the devoted lover is speedily replaced by a careless, if notfaithless husband, who, instead of making his wife happy as he has swornto do, forsakes her side to bask in the smiles of sirens."
"It will never be so with me, my own, my love!" protested Joliette,kissing her again and again. "I swear it."
"I know the value of a lover's oath, Albert," murmured Louise, with ameaning look. "When I was the brightest operatic star of the day many ofthem were breathed in my ear, but they were 'trifles light as air,'forgotten as soon as uttered. Besides, should I consent to become yourwife, you would be forced to leave me in France and return to Africa inobedience to the call of duty; the lovely women of Algeria are prodigalof their beauties and endearments, and under the spell of some subtleArab enchantress you would either forget poor Louise d'Armillyaltogether, or remember her only as a clog upon your pleasures andamorous delights."
"Nay, nay, you wrong me; among all the dusky sirens of Algeria thereexists not one who could make me forget you for a single instant; theyare brazen, shameless women, who love with a recklessness and boldnessthat can only disgust a Frenchman."
"But they can dazzle even a Frenchman, render him delirious with passionand, ere he is aware, weave a web around him through which he cannotbreak. My heart tells me you are as su
sceptible to feminine wiles as therest of your countrymen, and that, perhaps, you have already hadhalf-a-dozen love-affairs in Algeria."
"Oh! Louise, Louise, it grieves me to the soul that you can thus doubtme. Give me a chance to prove my love and you shall be more thansatisfied that I can be loyal and true."
Mlle. d'Armilly gazed at him with a singular expression on her darkbeautiful countenance; it thrilled him to the very marrow of his bones,and caused his arm that was about her waist to tremble violently; atthat moment the former cantatrice resembled Eugenie Danglars more thanever; her breath, was hot and convulsive as it struck his cheek, and afaint suspicion that all was not right--that she was playing a role withhim, shot across his mind for the first time; with this suspicion camejealousy, and, releasing her waist, he said, in a gasping tone:
"You have another lover, Louise, a lover you prefer to me--am I notright?"
Mlle. d'Armilly laughed a short, nervous laugh, and answered in a voicethat seemed to mock him:
"I have had hosts of ardent admirers in my time. Do you referparticularly to any individual?"
"I know not; I am beside myself with passion for you, and the mere fancythat another man may have the first place in your heart is unbearable tome! But there is one conclusive way in which you can prove mysuspicion--my jealousy--groundless; marry me!"
"Albert," replied Louise, with a renewal of the singular expression ofcountenance that had so agitated him, "I shall never marry any one; Icannot--I dare not!"
The young man was startled as if by an electric shock; he drew back andgazed at her with wide-opened eyes, speechless from astonishment.
After a brief pause, Mlle. d'Armilly continued, in a dry, hard tone:
"You do not understand me and I cannot expect you to, for I can neithertell you my motives nor lay bare my sad history to you; you must becontent with my decision--I shall not marry!"
Captain Joliette, strong man as he was, could not control his emotion;he buried his face in his hands and groaned aloud. The young woman gazedat him half pityingly, half triumphantly; she felt compassion for herstricken lover, but, above all, gloried in the overwhelming power of hercharms that could so subdue a manly, victorious young soldier and makehim her helpless slave.
"Is there then no shadow of a hope?" at length asked Joliette, in ahoarse whisper.
"Not the shadow of a hope!" replied Mlle. d'Armilly, firmly. "You can bemy friend, my brother, if you will, but never my husband."
The young man recoiled in horror at the suggestion that seemed to beconveyed by this permission.
"What do you mean by friend?" he asked, a cold shiver passing throughhim.
Louise laughed a short, nervous laugh, and, looking him full in theeyes, replied:
"You know what I mean. I love you better than any man I ever met, saveone."
Captain Joliette slowly arose to his feet and stood staring at her, hispassion and his scruples waging a bitter battle within him for themastery. The temptress half reclined on the sofa, a miracle of seductivegrace and voluptuous beauty. He moved toward her as if to seize her inhis arms; then, suddenly checking himself, he asked, with a convulsivegasp:
"And that man--that one?"
"Was separated from me forever through the vile machinations of thatmysterious and cold-blooded fiend, the Count of Monte-Cristo!"
"The Count of Monte-Cristo?" exclaimed the young man, lost in amazement.
"Yes, the Count of Monte-Cristo, who afterwards disappeared from Parisand has not since been heard of."
"You mistake; the Count of Monte-Cristo is in Paris now; he callshimself Edmond Dantes and is the celebrated Deputy from Marseilles overwhom everybody has gone wild for some time past."
Mlle. d'Armilly's eyes flashed with fury.
"Then I will have my revenge upon him at last!" she cried. "I will amplyrepay him for introducing the so-called Prince Cavalcanti into myfather's house and thus breaking off the match between Albert andmyself."
"Albert?"
"Yes; Albert de Morcerf."
"Now, Eugenie Danglars, I know you and it is useless for you to attemptthe denial of your identity longer!"
The young woman leaped up from the sofa, with terror pictured upon hervisage, and, seizing Captain Joliette by the arm with a powerful grasp,cried out:
"And how, pray, do you know I am Eugenie Danglars?"
"You unwittingly betrayed yourself by revealing the names ofMonte-Cristo and Cavalcanti. Besides, Eugenie, look at me well--I amAlbert de Morcerf!"
With a wild cry the retired prima donna sank back upon the sofa.
"You Albert de Morcerf!" she exclaimed. "I cannot believe it!"
"But my mother, the former Countess de Morcerf, who is now the wife ofEdmond Dantes, will vouch for my identity."
The young woman passed her hand across her forehead as if dazed.
"If you are Albert de Morcerf, you must despise me after what has takenplace this evening," she said, bitterly.
"Despise you? No, I pity and forgive you."
"Albert," said she, softly, "come here and sit beside me on this sofa; Ihave something to say to you."
The soldier obeyed; when he was seated, he said:
"Eugenie, why did you tell me I could be your friend?"
"Simply because I have long suspected your secret and wished toascertain the real nature of your feelings toward me. You not onlyresisted a terrible temptation, the most terrible temptation to which ayoung, ardent and passion-smitten man can be exposed, but by your honorconclusively established the purity and sincerity of your love. Oh!Albert, Albert, are you satisfied with my explanation and do you stillthink me worthy of you?"
"My own Eugenie, my happiness is far too great for words!" murmured thedelighted young man, gathering his beautiful companion in a warm embraceand repeatedly kissing her ripe lips and blushing cheeks.
It was soon known throughout Paris that Captain Joliette and Albert deMorcerf were identical, and that Mlle. d'Armilly was in reality no otherthan Mlle. Eugenie Danglars, daughter of Baron Danglars, the once famousand opulent Parisian banker; the report also was current that Albert andEugenie were engaged and would shortly be united in the bonds ofmatrimony. Another bit of gossip was to the effect that the formercantatrice's brother Leon was not a man but a woman; in short, the realLouise d'Armilly, who had loaned her name to Eugenie Danglars andassumed male attire solely for professional purposes. This story wasspeedily confirmed, for Leon soon vanished and in his place appeared amost attractive and fascinating lady, who very quietly assumed, orrather resumed, the name of Louise d'Armilly. Still another rumor wasthat the wealth so strangely inherited by the former prima donna was nota legacy at all, but a gift from the mysterious Count of Monte-Cristo,who had thus striven to make amends to the daughter for the misfortuneshe had, while pursuing his scheme of wholesale vengeance, soremorselessly heaped upon the head of the father.