CHAPTER IV. CONFIDENCES.
Angelique took the arm of Amelie in her old, familiar schoolgirl way,and led her to the sunny corner of a bastion where lay a dismountedcannon.
The girls sat down upon the old gun. Angelique held Amelie by bothhands, as if hesitating how to express something she wished to say.Still, when Angelique did speak, it was plain to Amelie that she hadother things on her mind than what her tongue gave loose to.
"Now we are quite alone, Amelie," said she, "we can talk as we used todo in our school-days. You have not been in the city during the wholesummer, and have missed all its gaieties?"
"I was well content. How beautiful the country looks from here!" repliedAmelie. "How much pleasanter to be in it, revelling among the flowersand under the trees! I like to touch the country as well as to look atit from a distance, as you do in Quebec."
"Well, I never care for the country if I can only get enough of thecity. Quebec was never so gay as it has been this year. The RoyalRoussillon, and the freshly arrived regiments of Bearn and Ponthieu,have turned the heads of all Quebec,--of the girls, that is. Gallantshave been plenty as bilberries in August. And you may be sure I got myshare, Amelie." Angelique laughed aloud at some secret reminiscences ofher summer campaign.
"It is well that I did not come to the city, Angelique, to get myhead turned like the rest; but now that I am here, suppose I shouldmercifully try to heal some of the hearts you have broken!"
"I hope you won't try. Those bright eyes of yours would heal tooeffectually the wounds made by mine, and that is not what I desire,"replied Angelique, laughing.
"No! then your heart is more cruel than your eyes. But, tell me, whohave been your victims this year, Angelique?"
"Well, to be frank, Amelie, I have tried my fascinations upon the King'sofficers very impartially, and with fair success. There have beenthree duels, two deaths, and one captain of the Royal Roussillon turnedcordelier for my sake. Is that not a fair return for my labor?"
"You are shocking as ever, Angelique! I do not believe you feel proud ofsuch triumphs," exclaimed Amelie.
"Proud, no! I am not proud of conquering men. That is easy! My triumphsare over the women! And the way to triumph over them is to subduethe men. You know my old rival at school, the haughty Francoise deLantagnac: I owed her a grudge, and she has put on the black veil forlife, instead of the white one and orange-blossoms for a day! I onlymeant to frighten her, however, when I stole her lover, but she tookit to heart and went into the Convent. It was dangerous for her tochallenge Angelique des Meloises to test the fidelity of her affianced,Julien de St. Croix."
Amelie rose up in honest indignation, her cheek burning like a coal offire. "I know your wild talk of old, Angelique, but I will not believeyou are so wicked as to make deadly sport of our holiest affections."
"Ah, if you knew men as I do, Amelie, you would think it no sin topunish them for their perjuries."
"No, I don't know men," replied Amelie, "but I think a noble man is,after God, the worthiest object of a woman's devotion. We were betterdead than finding amusement in the pain of those who love us; pray whatbecame of Julien de St. Croix after you broke up his intended marriagewith poor Francoise?"
"Oh! I threw him to the fishes! What did I care for him? It was mainlyto punish Francoise's presumption that I showed my power and made himfight that desperate duel with Captain Le Franc."
"O Angelique, how could you be so unutterably wicked?"
"Wicked? It was not my fault, you know, that he was killed. He was mychampion, and ought to have come off victor. I wore a black ribbon forhim a full half-year, and had the credit of being devoted to his memory;I had my triumph in that if in nothing else."
"Your triumph! for shame, Angelique! I will not listen to you: youprofane the very name of love by uttering such sentiments. The gift ofso much beauty was for blessing, not for pain. St. Mary pray for you,Angelique: you need her prayers!" Amelie rose up suddenly.
"Nay, do not get angry and go off that way, Amelie," ejaculatedAngelique. "I will do penance for my triumphs by relating my defeats,and my special failure of all, which I know you will rejoice to hear."
"I, Angelique? What have your triumphs or failures to do with me? No, Icare not to hear." Angelique held her half forcibly by the scarf.
"But you will care when I tell you that I met an old and valued friendof yours last night at the Castle--the new Aide-de-Camp of the Governor,Colonel Philibert. I think I have heard you speak of Pierre Philibert inthe Convent, Amelie?"
Amelie felt the net thrown over her by the skilful retiaria. She stoodstock-still in mute surprise, with averted eye and deeply blushingcheek, fighting desperately with the confusion she feared to letAngelique detect. But that keen-sighted girl saw too clearly--she hadcaught her fast as a bird is caught by the fowler.
"Yes, I met with a double defeat last night," continued Angelique.
"Indeed! pray, from whom?" Amelie's curiosity, though not usually atroublesome quality, was by this time fairly roused.
Angelique saw her drift, and played with her anxiety for a few moments.
"My first rebuff was from that gentlemanly philosopher from Sweden, agreat friend of the Governor, you know. But, alas, I might as well havetried to fascinate an iceberg! I do not believe that he knew, after ahalf-hour's conversation with me, whether I was man or woman. That wasdefeat number one."
"And what was number two?" Amelie was now thoroughly interested inAngelique's gossip.
"I left the dry, unappreciative philosopher, and devoted myself to charmthe handsome Colonel Philibert. He was all wit and courtesy, but myfailure was even more signal with him than with the cold Swede."
Amelie's eyes gave a sparkle of joy, which did not escape Angelique,but she pretended not to see it. "How was that? Tell me, pray, how youfailed with Colonel Philibert?"
"My cause of failure would not be a lesson for you, Amelie. Listen! Igot a speedy introduction to Colonel Philibert, who, I confess, is oneof the handsomest men I ever saw. I was bent on attracting him."
"For shame, Angelique! How could you confess to aught so unwomanly!"There was a warmth in Amelie's tone that was less noticed by herselfthan by her companion.
"Well, it is my way of conquering the King's army. I shot my wholequiver of arrows at Colonel Philibert, but, to my chagrin, hit not avital part! He parried every one, and returned them broken at my feet.His persistent questioning about yourself, as soon as he discovered wehad been school companions at the Convent, quite foiled me. He was fullof interest about you, and all that concerned you, but cared not a figabout me!"
"What could Colonel Philibert have to ask you about me?" Amelieunconsciously drew closer to her companion, and even clasped her arm byan involuntary movement which did not escape her friend.
"Why, he asked everything a gentleman could, with proper respect, askabout a lady."
"And what did you say?"
"Oh, not half enough to content him. I confess I felt piqued that heonly looked on me as a sort of pythoness to solve enigmas about you.I had a grim satisfaction in leaving his curiosity irritated, but notsatisfied. I praised your beauty, goodness, and cleverness up to theskies, however. I was not untrue to old friendship, Amelie!" Angeliquekissed her friend on the cheek, who silently allowed what, in herindignation a few moments ago, she would have refused.
"But what said Colonel Philibert of himself? Never mind about me."
"Oh, impatient that you are! He said nothing of himself. He was absorbedin my stories concerning you. I told him as pretty a fable as LaFontaine related of the Avare qui avait perdu son tresor! I said youwere a beautiful chatelaine besieged by an army of lovers, but theknight errant Fortunatus had alone won your favor, and would receiveyour hand! The brave Colonel! I could see he winced at this. His steelcuirass was not invulnerable. I drew blood, which is more than youwould have dared to do, Amelie! But I discovered the truth hidden in hisheart. He is in love with you, Amelie de Repentigny!"
"Mad girl! How could you
? How dare you speak so of me? What must ColonelPhilibert think?"
"Think? He thinks you must be the most perfect of your sex! Why, hismind was made up about you, Amelie, before he said a word to me. Indeed,he only just wanted to enjoy the supernal pleasure of hearing me singthe praises of Amelie De Repentigny to the tune composed by himself."
"Which you seem to have done, Angelique!"
"As musically as Mere St. Borgia when singing vespers in the Ursulines,"was Angelique's flippant reply.
Amelie knew how useless it was to expostulate. She swallowed her mingledpleasure and vexation salt with tears she could not help. She changedthe subject by a violent wrench, and asked Angelique when she had lastseen Le Gardeur.
"At the Intendant's levee the other day. How like you he is, too, onlyless amiable!"
Angelique did not respond readily to her friend's question about herbrother.
"Less amiable? that is not like my brother. Why do you think him lessamiable than me?"
"Because he got angry with me at the ball given in honor of the arrivalof the Intendant, and I have not been able to restore him to perfectgood humor with me since."
"Oh, then Le Gardeur completes the trio of those who are proof againstyour fascinations?" Amelie was secretly glad to hear of the displeasureof Le Gardeur with Angelique.
"Not at all, I hope, Amelie. I don't place Le Gardeur in the samecategory with my other admirers. But he got offended because I seemedto neglect him a little to cultivate this gay new Intendant. Do you knowhim?"
"No; nor wish to! I have heard much said to his disadvantage. TheChevalier La Corne St. Luc has openly expressed his dislike of theIntendant for something that happened in Acadia."
"Oh, the Chevalier La Corne is always so decided in his likes anddislikes: one must either be very good or very bad to satisfy him!"replied Angelique with a scornful pout of her lips.
"Don't speak ill of my godfather, Angelique; better be profane on anyother topic: you know my ideal of manly virtues is the Chevalier LaCorne," replied Amelie.
"Well, I won't pull down your idol, then! I respect the brave oldsoldier, too; but could wish him with the army in Flanders!"
"Thousands of estimable people augur ill from the accession of theIntendant Bigot in New France, besides the Chevalier La Corne," Ameliesaid after a pause. She disliked censuring even the Intendant.
"Yes," replied Angelique, "the Honnetes Gens do, who think themselvesbound to oppose the Intendant, because he uses the royal authority in aregal way, and makes every one, high and low, do their devoir to Churchand State."
"While he does his devoir to none! But I am no politician, Angelique.But when so many good people call the Intendant a bad man, it behoovesone to be circumspect in 'cultivating him,' as you call it."
"Well, he is rich enough to pay for all the broken pots: they say heamassed untold wealth in Acadia, Amelie!"
"And lost the province for the king!" retorted Amelie, with all theasperity her gentle but patriotic spirit was capable of. "Some say hesold the country."
"I don't care!" replied the reckless beauty, "he is like Joseph inEgypt, next to Pharaoh in authority. He can shoe his horses with gold! Iwish he would shoe me with golden slippers--I would wear them, Amelie!"
Angelique stamped her dainty foot upon the ground, as if in fancy shealready had them on.
"It is shocking if you mean it!" remarked Amelie pityingly, for she feltAngelique was speaking her genuine thoughts. "But is it true that theIntendant is really as dissolute as rumor says?"
"I don't care if it be true: he is noble, gallant, polite, rich, andall-powerful at Court. He is reported to be prime favorite of theMarquise de Pompadour. What more do I want?" replied Angelique warmly.
Amelie knew enough by report of the French Court to cause her to shrinkinstinctively, as from a repulsive insect, at the name of the mistressof Louis XV. She trembled at the thought of Angelique's infatuation, orperversity, in suffering herself to be attracted by the glitter of thevices of the Royal Intendant.
"Angelique!" exclaimed she, "I have heard things of the Intendant thatwould make me tremble for you, were you in earnest."
"But I am in earnest! I mean to win and wear the Intendant of NewFrance, to show my superiority over the whole bevy of beauties competingfor his hand. There is not a girl in Quebec but would run away with himtomorrow."
"Fie, Angelique! such a libel upon our sex! You know better. But youcannot love him?"
"Love him? No!" Angelique repeated the denial scornfully. "Love him! Inever thought of love and him together! He is not handsome, like yourbrother Le Gardeur, who is my beau-ideal of a man I could love; nor hasthe intellect and nobility of Colonel Philibert, who is my model of aheroic man. I could love such men as them. But my ambition would not becontent with less than a governor or royal intendant in New France. Inold France I would not put up with less than the King himself!"
Angelique laughed at her own extravagance, but she believed in it allthe same. Amelie, though shocked at her wildness, could not help smilingat her folly.
"Have you done raving?" said she; "I have no right to question yourselection of a lover or doubt your power, Angelique. But are yousure there exists no insurmountable obstacle to oppose these highaspirations? It is whispered that the Intendant has a wife, whom hekeeps in the seclusion of Beaumanoir. Is that true?"
The words burnt like fire. Angelique's eyes flashed out daggers. Sheclenched her delicate hands until her nails drew blood from her velvetpalms. Her frame quivered with suppressed passion. She grasped hercompanion fiercely by the arm, exclaiming,--"You have hit the secretnow, Amelie! It was to speak of that I sought you out this morning, forI know you are wise, discreet, and every way better than I. It is alltrue what I have said, and more too, Amelie. Listen! The Intendant hasmade love to me with pointed gallantry that could have no other meaningbut that he honorably sought my hand. He has made me talked of and hatedby my own sex, who envied his preference of me. I was living in themost gorgeous of fool's paradises, when a bird brought to my ear theastounding news that a woman, beautiful as Diana, had been found in theforest of Beaumanoir by some Hurons of Lorette, who were out huntingwith the Intendant. She was accompanied by a few Indians of a strangetribe, the Abenaquais of Acadia. The woman was utterly exhausted byfatigue, and lay asleep on a couch of dry leaves under a tree, when theastonished Hurons led the Intendant to the spot where she lay.
"Don't interrupt me, Amelie; I see you are amazed, but let me go on!"She held the hands of her companion firmly in her lap as she proceeded:
"The Intendant was startled out of all composure at the apparitionof the sleeping lady. He spoke eagerly to the Abenaquais in their owntongue, which was unintelligible to the Hurons. When he had listenedto a few words of their explanation, he ran hastily to the lady,kissed her, called her by name, 'Caroline!' She woke up suddenly, andrecognizing the Intendant, embraced him, crying 'Francois! 'Francois!'and fainted in his arms.
"The Chevalier was profoundly agitated, blessing and banning, in thesame breath, the fortune that had led her to him. He gave her wine,restored her to consciousness, talked with her long, and sometimesangrily; but to no avail, for the woman, in accents of despair,exclaimed in French, which the Hurons understood, that the Intendantmight kill and bury her there, but she would never, never return homeany more."
Angelique scarcely took breath as she continued her eager recital.
"The Intendant, overpowered either by love of her or fear of her, ceasedhis remonstrances. He gave some pieces of gold to the Abenaquais, anddismissed them. The strange Indians kissed her on both hands as theywould a queen, and with many adieus vanished into the forest. The lady,attended by Bigot, remained seated under the tree till nightfall, whenhe conducted her secretly to the Chateau, where she still remains inperfect seclusion in a secret chamber, they say, and has been seen bynone save one or two of the Intendant's most intimate companions."
"Heavens! what a tale of romance! How learned you all this, Angelique?"exclaime
d Amelie, who had listened with breathless attention to thenarrative.
"Oh, partly from a hint from a Huron girl, and the rest from theIntendant's Secretary. Men cannot keep secrets that women are interestedin knowing! I could make De Pean talk the Intendant's head off hisshoulders, if I had him an hour in my confessional. But all my ingenuitycould not extract from him what he did not know--who that mysteriouslady is, her name and family."
"Could the Huron hunters give no guess?" asked Amelie, thoroughlyinterested in Angelique's story.
"No. They learned by signs, however, from the Abenaquais, that she wasa lady of a noble family in Acadia which had mingled its patricianblood with that of the native chiefs and possessors of the soil. TheAbenaquais were chary of their information, however: they would only sayshe was a great white lady, and as good as any saint in the calendar."
"I would give five years of my life to know who and what that woman is!"Angelique added, as she leaned over the parapet, gazing intently at thegreat forest that lay beyond Charlebourg, in which was concealed theChateau of Beaumanoir.
"It is a strange mystery. But I would not seek to unravel it,Angelique," remarked Amelie, "I feel there is sin in it. Do not touchit: it will only bring mischief upon you if you do!"
"Mischief! So be it! But I will know the worst! The Intendant isdeceiving me! Woe be to him and her if I am to be their intended victim!Will you not assist me, Amelie, to discover the truth of this secret?"
"I? how can I? I pity you, Angelique, but it were better to leave thisIntendant to his own devices."
"You can very easily help me if you will. Le Gardeur must knowthis secret. He must have seen the woman--but he is angry with me,for--for--slighting him--as he thinks--but he was wrong. I could notavow to him my jealousy in this matter. He told me just enough tomadden me, and angrily refused to tell the rest when he saw me soinfatuated--he called it--over other people's love affairs. Oh, Amelie,Le Gardeur will tell you all if you ask him!"
"And I repeat it to you, Angelique, I cannot question Le Gardeur on sucha hateful topic. At any rate I need time to reflect, and will pray to beguided right."
"Oh, pray not at all! If you pray you will never aid me! I know youwill say the end is wicked and the means dishonorable. But find out Iwill--and speedily! It will only be the price of another dance with theChevalier de Pean, to discover all I want. What fools men are when theybelieve we love them for their sakes and not for our own!"
Amelie, pitying the wild humors, as she regarded them, of her old schoolcompanion, took her arm to walk to and fro in the bastion, but was notsorry to see her aunt and the Bishop and Father de Berey approaching.
"Quick," said she to Angelique, "smooth your hair, and compose yourlooks. Here comes my aunt and the Bishop--Father de Berey too!"
Angelique prepared at once to meet them, and with her wonderful powerof adaptation transformed herself in a moment into a merry creature, alllight and gaiety. She saluted the Lady de Tilly and the reverend Bishopin the frankest manner, and at once accepted an interchange of wit andlaughter with Father de Berey.
"She could not remain long, however, in the Church's company," she said,"she had her morning calls to finish." She kissed the cheek of Amelieand the hand of the Lady de Tilly, and with a coquettish courtesy to thegentlemen, leaped nimbly into her caleche, whirled round her spiritedhorses like a practised charioteer, and drove with rapid pace downthe crowded street of St. John, the observed of all observers, theadmiration of the men and the envy of the women as she flashed by.
Amelie and the Lady de Tilly, having seen a plenteous meal distributedamong their people, proceeded to their city home--their seigniorialresidence, when they chose to live in the capital.