L'Abbe Constantin — Complete

  CHAPTER VII. CONFIDENCES

  The next morning, on returning from drill, Jean found Paul de Lavardenswaiting for him at the barracks; he scarcely allowed him time todismount, and the moment he had him alone:

  "Quick," said he, "describe your dinner-party of yesterday. I saw themmyself in the morning; the little one was driving four ponies, and withan amount of audacity! I bowed to them; did they mention me? Did theyrecognize me? When will you take me to Longueval? Answer me."

  "Answer? Yes. But which question first?"

  "The last."

  "When shall I take you to Longueval?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, in ten days; they don't want to see any one just now."

  "Then you are not going back to Longueval for ten days?"

  "Oh, I shall go back to-day at four o'clock. But I don't count, youknow. Jean Reynaud, the Cure's godson. That is why I have penetrated soeasily into the confidence of these two charming women. I have presentedmyself under the patronage and with the guarantee of the Church. Andthen they have discovered that I could render them little services. Iknow the country very well, and they will make use of me as a guide.In a word, I am nobody; while you, Count Paul de Lavardens, you aresomebody; so fear nothing, your turn will come with the fetes and balls.Then you will be resplendent in all your glory, and I shall return veryhumbly into my obscurity."

  "You may laugh at me as much as you like; it is none the less true thatduring those ten days you will steal a march upon me--upon me!"

  "How upon you?"

  "Now, Jean, do you want to make me believe that you are not already inlove with one of these two women? Is it possible? So much beauty, somuch luxury. Luxury to that degree upsets me. Those black ponieswith their white rosettes! I dreamed of them last night, and thatlittle-Bettina, is it not?"

  "Yes, Bettina."

  "Bettina--Countess Bettina de Lavardens! Doesn't that sound well enough!and what a perfect husband she would have in me! To be the husband of awoman possessing boundless wealth, that is my destiny. It is not so easyas one may suppose. I have already run through something, and--if mymother had not stopped me! but I am quite ready to begin again. Oh,how happy that girl would be with me! I would create around her theexistence of a fairy queen. In all her luxury she would feel the taste,the art, and the skill of her husband. I would pass my life in adoringher, in displaying her beauty, in petting her, in bearing her triumphantthrough the world. I would study her beauty in order to give it theframe that best suited it. 'If he were not there,' she would say, 'Ishould not be so beautiful, so dazzling.' I should know not only how tolove her, but how to amuse her. She would have something for her money,she would have love and pleasure. Come, Jean, do a good action, take meto Mrs. Scott's to-day."

  "I cannot, I assure you."

  "Well, then, in ten days; but I give you fair notice, I shall installmyself at Longueval, and shall not move. In the first place itwould please my mother; she is still a little prejudiced against theAmericans. She says that she shall arrange not to see them, but I knowmy mother. Some day, when I shall go home in the evening and tellher: 'Mother, I have won the-heart of a charming little person who isburdened with a capital of twenty millions--they exaggerate when theytalk of hundreds of millions. You know these are the correct figures,and they are enough for me. That evening, then, my mother will bedelighted, because, in her heart, what is it she desires for me? Whatall good mothers desire for their sons--a good marriage, or a discreetliaison with some one in society. At Longueval I find these twoessentials, and I will accommodate myself very willingly to either.You will have the kindness to warn me in ten days--you will let me knowwhich of the two you abandon to me, Mrs. Scott or Miss Percival?"

  "You are mad, you are quite mad! I do not, I never shall think--"

  "Listen, Jean. You are wisdom personified; you may say and do as youlike, but remember what I say to you, Jean, you will fall in love inthat house."

  "I do not believe it," replied Jean, laughing.

  "But I am absolutely sure of it. Good-by. I leave you to your duties."

  That morning Jean was perfectly sincere. He had slept very well theprevious night; the second interview with the two sisters had, as if byenchantment, dissipated the slight trouble which had agitated hissoul after the first meeting. He prepared to meet them again with muchpleasure, but also with much tranquillity; there was too much money inthat house to permit the love of a poor devil like Jean to find placehonestly there.

  Friendship was another affair; with all his heart he wished, and withall his strength he sought, to establish himself peacefully in theesteem and regard of the sisters. He would try not to remark too muchthe beauty of Susie and Bettina; he would try not to forget himselfas he had done the previous evening, in the contemplation of the fourlittle feet resting on their footstools. They had said, very frankly,very cordially, to him: "You shall be our friend." That was all hedesired--to be their friend--and that he would be.

  During the ten days that followed, all conduced to the success of thisenterprise. Susie, Bettina, the Cure, and Jean led the same life in theclosest and most cordial intimacy.

  Jean did not seek to analyze his feelings. He felt for these two womenan equal affection; he was perfectly happy, perfectly tranquil. Then hewas not in love, for love and tranquillity seldom dwell at peace in thesame heart.

  Jean, however, saw approach, with a little anxiety and sadness, the daywhich would bring to Longueval the Turners, and the Nortons, and thewhole force of the American colony. The day came too soon.

  On Friday, the 24th of June, at four o'clock, Jean arrived at thecastle. Bettina received him alone, looking quite vexed.

  "How annoying it is," said she, "my sister is not well; a littleheadache, nothing of consequence, it will be gone by tomorrow; but Idare not ride with you alone. In America I might; but here, it would notdo, would it?"

  "Certainly not," replied Jean.

  "I must send you back, and I am so sorry."

  "And so am I--I am very sorry to be obliged to go, and to lose this lastday, which I had hoped to pass with you. However, since it must be, Iwill come tomorrow to inquire after your sister."

  "She will see you herself, to-morrow; I repeat it is nothing serious.But do not run away in such a hurry, pray; will you not spare me alittle quarter of an hour's conversation? I want to speak to you; sitdown there, and now listen to me well. My sister and I had intendedthis evening, after dinner, to blockade you into a little corner of thedrawing-room, and then she meant to tell you what I am going to try tosay for us both."

  "But I am a little nervous. Do not laugh; it is a very serious matter.We wish to thank you for having been, ever since our arrival here, sogood to us both."

  "Oh, Miss Percival, pray, it is I who--"

  "Oh, do not interrupt me, you will quite confuse me. I do not know howto get through with it. I maintain, besides, that the thanks are duefrom us, not from you. We arrived here two strangers. We have beenfortunate enough immediately to find friends. Yes, friends. You havetaken us by the hand, you have led us to our farmers, to our keepers;while your godfather took us to his poor--and everywhere you were somuch beloved that from their confidence in you, they began, on yourrecommendation, to like us a little. You are adored about here; do youknow that?"

  "I was born here--all these good people have known me from my infancy,and are grateful to me for what my grandfather and father did forthem; and then I am of their race, the race of the peasants; mygreat-grandfather was a laborer at Bargecourt, a village two miles fromhere."

  "Oh! oh! you appear very proud of that!"

  "Neither proud nor ashamed."

  "I beg your pardon, you made a little movement of pride. Well, I cantell you that my mother's great-grandfather was a farmer in Brittany.He went to Canada at the end of the last century, when Canada was stillFrench. And you love very much this place where you were born?"

  "Very much. Perhaps I shall soon be obliged to leave it."

  "Why?"

&
nbsp; "When I get promotion, I shall have to exchange into another regiment,and I shall wander from garrison to garrison; but certainly, when I aman old commandant or old colonel, on half-pay, I shall come back, andlive and die here, in the little house that was my father's."

  "Always quite alone?"

  "Why quite alone? I certainly hope not."

  "You intend to marry?"

  "Yes, certainly."

  "You are trying to marry?"

  "No; one may think of marrying, but one ought not to try to marry."

  "And yet there are people who do try. Come, I can answer for that, andyou even; people have wished to marry you."

  "How do you know that?"

  "Oh! I know all your little affairs so well; you are what they call agood match, and I repeat it, they have wished to marry you."

  "Who told you that?"

  "Monsieur le Cure."

  "Then he was very wrong," said Jean, with a certain sharpness.

  "No, no, he was not wrong. If any one has been to blame it is I. Isoon discovered that your godfather was never so happy as when he wasspeaking of you. So when I was alone with him during our walks, toplease him I talked of you, and he related your history to me. You arewell off; you are very well off; from Government you receive every monthtwo hundred and thirteen francs and some centimes; am I correct?"

  "Yes," said Jean, deciding to bear with a good grace his share in theCure's indiscretions.

  "You have eight thousand francs' income?"

  "Nearly, not quite."

  "Add to that your house, which is worth thirty thousand francs. You arein an excellent position, and people have asked your hand."

  "Asked my hand! No, no."

  "They have, they have, twice, and you have refused two very goodmarriages, two very good fortunes, if you prefer it--it is the samething for so many people. Two hundred thousand francs in the one, threehundred thousand in the other case. It appears that these fortunes areenormous for the country! Yet you have refused! Tell me why."

  "Well, it concerned two charming young girls."

  "That is understood. One always says that."

  "But whom I scarcely knew. They forced me--for I did resist--they forcedme to spend two or three evenings with them last winter."

  "And then?"

  "Then--I don't quite know how to explain it to you. I did not feel theslightest touch of embarrassment, emotion, anxiety, or disturbance--"

  "In fact," said Bettina, resolutely, "not the least suspicion of love."

  "No, not the least, and I returned quite calmly to my bachelor den, forI think it is better not to marry than to marry without love."

  "And I think so, too."

  She looked at him, he looked at her, and suddenly, to the great surpriseof both, they found nothing more to say, nothing at all.

  At this moment Harry and Bella rushed into the room, with cries of joy.

  "Monsieur Jean! Are you there? Come and see our ponies!"

  "Ah!" said Bettina, her voice a little uncertain, "Edwards has justcome back from Paris, and has brought two microscopic ponies for thechildren. Let us go to see them, shall we?"

  They went to see the ponies, which were indeed worthy to figure in thestables of the King of Lilliput.