CHAPTER XXXIV.
MY AUNT'S FLOWER GARDEN.
Having despatched the venerable Coligny much to her own satisfaction andapparently to the satisfaction of her hearers, Mdlle. Honoria returnedto private life; Messieurs Philomene and Dorinet removed the footlights;the audience once more dispersed itself about the room; and MadameMarotte welcomed the new-comer as Monsieur Lenoir.
"_Monsieur est bien aimable_," she said, nodding and smiling, and, withtremulous hands, smoothing down the front of her black silk gown. "I hadtold these young ladies that we hoped for the honor of Monsieur'ssociety. Will Monsieur permit me to introduce him?"
"With pleasure, Madame Marotte."
And M. Lenoir--white cravatted, white kid-gloved, hat in hand, perfectlywell-dressed in full evening black, and wearing a small orange-coloredrosette at his button-hole--bowed, glanced round the room, and, thoughhis eyes undoubtedly took in both Mueller and myself, looked as if he hadnever seen either of us in his life.
I
"By Heaven!" he exclaimed, "it is--it must be ... look at him,Arbuthnot! If that isn't the man who stole my sketch-book, I'll eatmy head!"
"It _is_ the man," I replied. "I recognised him ten minutes ago, when hefirst came in."
"You are certain?"
"Quite certain."
"And yet--there is something different!"
There _was_ something different; but, at the same time, much that wasidentical. There was the same strange, inscrutable look, the samebronzed complexion, the same military bearing. M. Lenoir, it was true,was well, and even elegantly dressed; whereas, the stranger of the CafeProcope bore all the outward stigmata of penury; but that was not all.There was yet "something different." The one looked like a man who haddone, or suffered, a wrong in his time; who had an old quarrel with theworld; and who only sought to hide himself, his poverty, and his bitterpride from the observation of his fellow men. The other stood before usdignified, _decore_, self-possessed, a man not only of the world, butapparently no stranger to that small section of it called "the greatworld." In a word, the man of the Cafe, sunken, sullen, threadbare as hewas, would have been almost less out of his proper place in MadameMarotte's society of small trades-people and minor professionals, thanwas M. Lenoir with his _grand air_ and his orange-colored ribbon.
"It's the same man," said Mueller; "the same, beyond a doubt. The more Ilook at him, the more confident I am."
"And the more I look at him," said I, "the more doubtful I get."
Madame Marotte, meanwhile, had introduced M. Lenoir to the twoConservatoire pupils and their mammas; Monsieur Dorinet had proposedsome "_petits jeux_;" and Monsieur Philomene was helping him tore-arrange the chairs--this time in a circle.
"Take your places, Messieurs et Mesdames--take your places!" criedMonsieur Dorinet, who had by this time resumed his wig, singed as itwas, and shorn of its fair proportions. "What game shall we play at?"
"_Pied de Boeuf_" "_Colin Maillard_" and other games were successivelyproposed and rejected.
"We have a game in Alsace called 'My Aunt's Flower Garden'" said Mueller."Does any one know it?"
"'My Aunt's Flower Garden?'" repeated Monsieur Dorinet. "I never heardof it."
"It sounds pretty," said Mdlle. Rosalie.
"Will M'sieur teach it to us, if it is not very difficult?" suggestedMdlle. Rosalie's mamma.
"With pleasure, Madame. It is not a bad game--and it is extremely easy.We will sit in a circle, if you please--the chairs as they are placedwill do quite well."
We were just about to take our places when Madame Marotte seized theopportunity to introduce Mueller and myself to M. Lenoir.
"We have met before, Monsieur," said Mueller, pointedly.
"I am ashamed to confess, Monsieur, that I do not remember to have hadthat pleasure," replied M. Lenoir, somewhat stiffly.
"And yet, Monsieur, it was but the other day," persisted Mueller.
"Monsieur, I can but reiterate my regret."
"At the Cafe Procope."
M. Lenoir stared coldly, slightly shrugged his shoulders, and said,with the air of one who repudiates a discreditable charge:--
"Monsieur, I do not frequent the Cafe Procope."
"If Monsieur Mueller is to teach us the game, Monsieur Mueller must beginit!" said Monsieur Dorinet.
"At once," replied Mueller, taking his place in the circle.
As ill-luck would have it (the rest of us being already seated), therewere but two chairs left; so that M. Lenoir and Mueller had to sitside by side.
"I begin with my left-hand neighbor," said Mueller, addressing himselfwith a bow to Mdlle. Rosalie; "and the circle will please to repeatafter me:--'I have the four corners of my Aunt's Flower Gardenfor sale--
thee, and lov'd thee, and ne'er can forget._'"
MDLLE. ROSALIE _to_ M. PHILOMENE.--I have the four corners of my Aunt'sFlower Garden for sale--
thee, and lov'd thee, and ne'er can forget._'
M. PHILOMENE _to_ MADAME DE MONTPARNASSE.--I have the four corners of myAunt's Flower Garden, etc., etc.
MADAME DE MONTPARNASSE _to_ M. DORINET.--I have the four corners of myAunt's Flower Garden, etc., etc.
Monsieur Dorinet repeats the formula to Madame Desjardins; MadameDesjardins passes it on to me; I proclaim it at the top of my voice toMadame Marotte; Madame Marotte transfers it to Mdlle. Honoria; Mdlle.Honoria delivers it to the fair Marie; the fair Marie tells it to M.Lenoir, and the first round is completed.
Mueller resumes the lead :--
"_In the second grow heartsease and wild eglantine; Fair exchange is no theft--for my heart, give me thine_."
MDLLE. ROSALIE _to_ M. PHILOMENE:--
"_In the second grow heartsease and wild eglantine; Fair exchange is no theft--for my heart, give me thine_."
M. PHILOMENE _to_ MDLLE. DE MONTPARNASSE:--
"_In the second grow heartsease_," &c., &c.
And so on again, till the second round is done. Then Mueller beganagain:--
"_In the third of these corners pale primroses grow; Now tell me thy secret, and whisper it low_."
Mdlle. Rosalie was about to repeat these lines as before; but he stoppedher.
"No, Mademoiselle, not till you have told me the secret."
"The secret, M'sieur? What secret?"
"Nay, Mademoiselle, how can I tell that till you have told me? You mustwhisper something to me--something very secret, which you would not wishany one else to hear--before you repeat the lines. And when you repeatthem, Monsieur Philomene must whisper his secret to you--and so onthrough the circle."
Mdlle. Rosalie hesitated, smiled, whispered something in Mueller's ear,and went on with:--
"_In the third of these corners pale primroses grow; Now tell me thy secret, and whisper it low_."
Monsieur Philomene then whispered his secret to Mdlle. Rosalie, and soon again till it ended with M. Lenoir and Mueller.
"I don't think it is a very amusing game," said Madame Marotte; who,being deaf, had been left out of the last round, and found it dull.
"It will be more entertaining presently, Madame," shouted Mueller, with amalicious twinkle about his eyes. "Pray observe the next lines,Messieurs et Mesdames, and follow my lead as before:--
'_Roses bloom in the fourth; and your secret, my dear, Which you whisper'd so softly just now in my ear, I repeat word for word, for the others to hear!_'
Mademoiselle Rosalie (whose pardon I implore!) whispered to me thatMonsieur Philomene dyed his moustache and whiskers."
There was a general murmur of alarm tempered with tittering.Mademoiselle Rosalie was dumb with confusion. Monsieur Philomene's facebecame the color of a full-blown peony. Madame de Montparnasse andMdlle. Honoria turned absolutely green.
"_Comment!_" exclaimed one or two voices. "Is everything to berepeated?"
"Everything, Messieurs et Mesdames," repliedMueller--"everything--without reservation. I call u
pon Mdlle. Rosalie toreveal the secret of Monsieur Philomene."
MDLLE. ROSALIE (_with great promptitude_):--Monsieur Philomene whisperedto me that Honoria was the most disagreeable girl in Paris, Marie thedullest, and myself the prettiest.
M. PHILOMENE (_in an agony of confusion_):--I beseech you, Mam'selleHonoria ... I entreat you, Mam'selle Marie, not for an instant tosuppose....
MDLLE. HONORIA (_drawing herself up and smiling acidly_):--Oh, pray donot give yourself the trouble to apologize, Monsieur Philomene. Youropinion, I assure you, is not of the least moment to either of us. Isit, Marie?
But the fair Marie only smiled good-naturedly, and said:--
"I know I am not clever. Monsieur Philomene is quite right; and I am notat all angry with him."
"But--but, indeed, Mesdemoiselles, I--I--am incapable...." stammered theluckless tenor, wiping the perspiration from his brow. "I amincapable...."
"Silence in the circle!" cried Mueller, authoritatively. "Privatecivilities are forbidden by the rules of the game. I call MonsieurPhilomene to order, and I demand from him the secret of Madame deMontparnasse."
M. Philomene looked even more miserable than before.
"I--I ... but it is an odious position! To betray the confidence of alady ... Heavens! I cannot."
"The secret!--the secret!" shouted the others, impatiently.
Madame de Montparnasse pursed up her parchment lips, glared upon usdefiantly, and said:--
"Pray don't hesitate about repeating my words, M'sieur Philomene. I amnot ashamed of them."
M. PHILOMENE (_reluctantly_):--Madame de Montparnasse observed to methat what she particularly disliked was a mixed society like--like thepresent; and that she hoped our friend Madame Marotte would in future beless indiscriminate in the choice of her acquaintances.
MULLER (_with elaborate courtesy_):--We are all infinitely obliged toMadame de Montparnasse for her opinion of us--(I speak for the society,as leader of the circle)--and beg to assure her that we entirelycoincide in her views. It rests with Madame to carry on the game, and tobetray the confidence of Monsieur Dorinet.
MADAME DE MONTPARNASSE (_with obvious satisfaction_):--Monsieur Dorinettold me that Rosalie Desjardin's legs were ill-made, and that she wouldnever make a dancer, though she practised from now till doomsday.
M. DORINET (_springing to his feet as if he had been shot_):--Heavensand earth! Madame de Montparnasse, what have I done that you should sopervert my words? Mam'selle Rosalie--_ma chere eleve_, believe me,I never....
"Silence in the circle!" shouted Mueller again.
M. DORINET:--But, M'sieur, in simple self-defence....
MULLER:--Self-defence, Monsieur Dorinet, is contrary to the rules of thegame. Revenge only is permitted. Revenge yourself on Madame Desjardins,whose secret it is your turn to tell.
M. DORINET:--Madame Desjardins drew my attention to the toilette ofMadame de Montparnasse. She said: "_Mon Dieu!_ Monsieur Dorinet, are younot tired of seeing La Montparnasse in that everlasting old black gown?My Rosalie says she is in mourning for her ugliness."
MADAME DESJARDINS (_laughing heartily_):--_Eh bien--oui!_ I don't denyit; and Rosalie's _mot_ was not bad. And now, M'sieur the Englishman(_turning to me_), it is your turn to be betrayed. Monsieur, whose nameI cannot pronounce, said to me:--"Madame, the French, _selon moi_, arethe best dressed and most _spirituel_ people of Europe. Their verysilence is witty; and if mankind were, by universal consent, to gowithout clothes to-morrow, they would wear the primitive costume of Adamand Eve more elegantly than the rest of the world, and still leadthe fashion,"
(_A murmur of approval on the part of the company, who take thecompliment entirely aux serieux_.)
MYSELF (_agreeably conscious of having achieved popularity_):--Ourhostess's deafness having unfortunately excluded her from this part ofthe game, I was honored with the confidence of Mdlle. Honoria, whoinformed me that she is to make her _debut_ before long at the TheatreFrancais, and hoped that I would take tickets for the occasion.
MDLLE. ROSALIE (_satirically_):--_Brava_, Honoria! What a woman ofbusiness you are!
MDLLE. HONORIA (_affecting not to hear this observation_)--
"_Roses bloom in the fourth, and your secret, my dear, Which you whispered so softly just now in my ear, I repeat word for word for the others to hear_."
Marie said to me.... _Tiens_! Marie, don't pull my dress in that way.You shouldn't have said it, you know, if it won't bear repeating! Mariesaid to me that she could have either Monsieur Mueller or MonsieurLenoir, by only holding up her finger--but she couldn't make up her mindwhich she liked best.
MDLLE. MARIE (_half crying_):--Nay, Honoria--how can you be so--sounkind ... so spiteful? I--I did not say I could have either M'sieurMueller or... or...
M. LENOIR (_with great spirit and good breeding_):--Whether Mademoiselleused those words or not is of very little importance. The fact remainsthe same; and is as old as the world. Beauty has but to will andto conquer.
MULLER:--Order in the circle! The game waits for Mademoiselle Marie.
MARIE (_hesitatingly_):--
"_Roses bloom in the fourth, and your secret_"
M'sieur Lenoir said that--that he admired the color of my dress, andthat blue became me more than lilac.
MULLER: (_coldly_)--_Pardon_, Mademoiselle, but I happened to overhearwhat Monsieur Lenoir whispered just now, and those were not his words.Monsieur Lenoir said, "Look in"... but perhaps Mademoiselle would preferme not to repeat more?
MARIE--(_in great confusion_):--As--as you please, M'sieur.
MULLER:--Then, Mademoiselle, I will be discreet, and I will not evenimpose a forfeit upon you, as I might do, by the laws of the game. It isfor Monsieur Lenoir to continue.
M. LENOIR:--I do not remember what Monsieur Mueller whispered to me atthe close of the last round.
MULLER (_pointedly_):--_Pardon,_ Monsieur, I should have thought thatscarcely possible.
M. LENOIR:--It was perfectly unintelligible, and therefore left noimpression on my memory.
MULLER:--Permit me, then, to have the honor of assisting your memory. Isaid to you--"Monsieur, if I believed that any modest young woman of myacquaintance was in danger of being courted by a man of doubtfulcharacter, do you know what I would do? I would hunt that man down withas little remorse as a ferret hunts down a rat in a drain."
M. LENOIR:--The sentiment does you honor, Monsieur; but I do not see theapplication,
MULLER:--Vous ne le trouvez pas, Monsieur?
M. LENOIR--(_with a cold stare, and a scarcely perceptible shrug of theshoulders_):--Non, Monsieur.
Here Mdlle. Rosalie broke in with:--"What are we to do next, M'sieurMueller? Are we to begin another round, or shall we start a fresh game?"
To which Mueller replied that it must be "_selon le plaisir de cesdames_;" and put the question to the vote.
But too many plain, unvarnished truths had cropped up in the course ofthe last round of my Aunt's Flower Garden; and the ladies were out ofhumor. Madame de Montparnasse, frigid, Cyclopian, black as Erebus, foundthat it was time to go home; and took her leave, bristling withgentility. The tragic Honoria stalked majestically after her. MadameDesjardins, mortally offended with M. Dorinet on the score of Rosalie'slegs, also prepared to be gone; while M. Philomene, convicted ofhair-dye and _brouille_ for ever with "the most disagreeable girl inParis," hastened to make his adieux as brief as possible.
"A word in your ear, mon cher Dorinet," whispered he, catching thelittle dancing-master by the button-hole. "Isn't it the most unpleasantparty you were ever at in your life?"
The ex-god Scamander held up his hands and eyes.
"_Eh, mon Dieu_!" he replied. "What an evening of disasters! I have lostmy best pupil and my second-best wig!"
In the meanwhile, we went up like the others, and said good-night to ourhostess.
She, good soul! in her deafness, knew nothing about the horrors of theevening, and was profuse of her civilities. "So amiable of thesegentlemen to honor he
r little soiree--so kind of M'sieur Mueller to haveexerted himself to make things go off pleasantly--so sorry we would notstay half an hour longer," &c., &c.
To all of which Mueller (with a sly grimace expressive of contrition)replied only by a profound salutation and a rapid retreat. Passing M.Lenoir without so much as a glance, he paused a moment before Mdlle.Marie who was standing near the door, and said in a tone audible only toher and myself:--
"I congratulate you, Mademoiselle, on your admirable talent forintrigue. I trust, when you look in the usual place and find thepromised letter, it will prove agreeable reading. J'ai l'honneur,Mademoiselle, de vous saluer."
I saw the girl flush crimson, then turn deadly white, and draw back asif his hand had struck her a sudden blow. The next moment we werehalf-way down the stairs.
"What, in Heaven's name, does all this mean?" I said, when we were oncemore in the street.
"It means," replied Mueller fiercely, "that the man's a scoundrel, andthe woman, like all other women, is false."
"Then the whisper you overheard" ...
"Was only this:--'_Look in the usual place, and you will find aletter_.' Not many words, _mon cher_, but confoundedly comprehensive!And I who believed that girl to be an angel of candor! I who was withinan ace of falling seriously in love with her! _Sacredie_! what an idiotI have been!"
"Forget her, my dear fellow," said I. "Wipe her out of your memory(which I think will not be difficult), and leave her to her fate."
He shook his head.
"No," he said, gloomily, "I won't do that. I'll get to the bottom ofthat man's mystery; and if, as I suspect, there's that about his pastlife which won't bear the light of day--I'll save her, if I can."