CHAPTER XXXII
A STRONG PROOF
Remorse in all its horror seized him with the last glance of Cyrene'stearful eyes. He could not but feel the demand of those eyes for finehonour in the man on whom they rested in love. She was to him the whiteflower sprung of the truth and fearlessness, as well as the grace, oflong descended chivalry, and who must not be associated with anythingbase. He had never before fully faced his Repentigny impersonation inthe aspect of a falsity to her. Now, after his direct lie to her,self-contempt threatened to altogether overwhelm him.
He mechanically went on to Paris, whither Dominique had gone before tosecure his lodging. The evening of his arrival was spent in grief.
"The fault is mine, but why?" he asked himself with impatient gloom."Why has Providence so unfairly divided the honours and the guilt oflife? Why are there rich and poor? Why good and bad? Why should anunfortunate like me, who has meant only well, be entangled in such amesh of accidents? Why were my eyes designed but to see, my breast tolove, my Cyrene, at such frightful cost?"
Next morning, the sunlight gilding the pinnacles of the Louvre, thecries of Paris, the fascinating dash of the metropolis, brought back tohim his gift of animal spirits. Were he, he thought, but to successfullyoutride his present troubles, he would accept a post which had beenoffered him, as commandant of a cadet school on the far away estates ofthe Duke de la Rochefoucault, and thither retire quietly with Cyrene,away from the jealousy and criticism of the Court, and make openconfession to her.
By appointment made at Troyes he went to meet Grancey in the PalaisRoyal garden.
Germain took his friend's arm and led him along the antiquated quarterof the Marais, where he had secured a room in a quiet neighbourhood forthe old Chevalier de Lincy. His heart beat lest anything should haveoccurred to arrest the old noble's illusion. His intention was tointroduce Grancey into the apartment of the old man, and there to lethim gather from the lips of the occupant words that would link Germainwith a house so ancient and respected. They arrived at the door, rang,and demanded of the landlady whether the Chevalier was in. She looked atthem curiously as she held the door open.
"Is one of you Monsieur de Lincy's cousin!" she inquired.
"I, Madame," replied he.
"Come in, sir. Have you not received the letter posted yesterday by thepriest?"
"By the priest?" Germain stopped, with his friend, on the threshold ofthe chamber into which she had led them. "Is he ill, then?"
"The saints protect him, sir, he has finished his last illness. He liesupstairs in his beautiful mortuary chamber draped by the Sisters of theHospital."
"Poor old de Lincy," he murmured, yet could hardly realise it.
"Are you not Monsieur de Lincy, too, sir?" she inquired.
"Certainly," he replied quickly, checking himself, "but he was the headof the house. Alas! let me see him."
She led them up two flights and into the death chamber, which washeavily hung with black and the windows darkened. Two tapers at the headand two at the feet showed where the corpse lay, and near by stood analtar with lights and flowers, beside which two Black Nuns kneltmotionlessly. The visitors crossed the room with bowed heads and lookeddown at the face of the dead. It had lost its worn look and was atpeace. A faint smile, as of proud pleasure, rested on the lips, andLecour knew that smile was for him. It brought him a strange emotion; hefelt as if, though condemned by so many of the living, he was loved bythe dead; and a great tenderness towards his pathetic relative welled inhis heart. He bent over the face and earnestly wept.
"He loved you, Monsieur le Chevalier," the landlady said, weeping also,"and bade the notary leave with me a copy of his will for you. WhenMonsieur descends, I shall give it to him."
"Did he talk much before he died?"
"A great deal. The confessor said there was a high fever. He talked of acastle upon a mountain--and about you, Monsieur, a good deal. He was notstrong when he came to us: I said from the beginning 'He is on the shortway to heaven': he seemed like one who had suffered too much."
They followed her out of the chamber. Lecour could not help someeagerness concerning the will, and perusing it closely when she handedit to him, found it bequeathed him all the testator's possessions. Hepassed the deed silently to his friend the Baron, who read the firsthalf and caught the drift.
"Your proof is incontestable," he said briefly.
"The difficulty is but the completion of my proofs. I have to go toCanada for that. But assure the company of my return."
"We shall appeal in a body to the Prince."
"I pray you not."
"What can we do for you, then?"
"Thank the others. Invite all my friends in Troyes to a banquet in myname this day week, at which you will preside for me. Spare no expense.You shall be witness for me while I am absent in Canada."
"If to serve you is the programme, I shall live happy."
The Baron returned to Troyes and, duly presiding at the dinner given tothe Guards in Germain's name, related excitedly what he had seen.
The young men heard the story with outbursts of delight, drank Lecour'shealth standing on their chairs, heaped his place with roses, sang overand over a chorus in his honour, and parted swearing vehemently that thedismissal of such a good fellow was a wrong to the company of Noaillesconcocted as an insult to the whole of them by the rival company ofVilleroy.