CHAPTER VII.
THE MAID AND THE MISTRESS.
Gilbert had passed this time in unspeakable anguish. Balsamo was but aman, but he was a strong one, and the youth was weak: He had attemptedtwenty times to mount to the assault of the guest room, but histrembling limbs gave way under him and he fell on his knees.
Then the idea struck him to get the gardener's ladder and by its meansclimb up outside to the window, and listen and spy. But as he stoopedto pick up this ladder, lying on the grass where he remembered, heheard a rustling noise by the house, and he turned.
He let the ladder fall, for he fancied he saw a shade flit across thedoorway. His terror made him believe it, not a ghost--he was a buddingphilosopher who did not credit them--but Baron Taverney. His consciencewhispered another name, and he looked up to the second floor. ButNicole had put out her light, and not another, or a sound came from allover the house--the guest's room excepted.
Seeing and hearing nothing, convinced that he had deluded himself,Gilbert took up the ladder and had set foot on it to climb where heplaced it, when Andrea came down from Balsamo's room. With a laceratedheart, Gilbert forgot all to follow her into the parlor where again shesat at the instrument; her candle still burned beside it.
Gilbert tore his bosom with his nails to think that here he had kissedthe hem of her robe with such reverence. Her condescension must springfrom one of those fits of corruption recorded in the vile books whichhe had read--some freak of the senses.
But as he was going to invade the room again, a hand came out of thedarkness and energetically grasped him by the arm.
"So I have caught you, base deceiver! Try to deny again that you loveher and have an appointment with her!"
Gilbert had not the power to break from the clutch, though he mightreadily have done so, for it was only a girl's. Nicole Legay held him aprisoner.
"What do you want?" he said testily.
"Do you want me to speak out aloud?"
"No, no; be quiet," he stammered, dragging her out of the antechamber.
"Then follow me!" which was what Gilbert wanted, as this was removingNicole from her mistress.
He could with a word have proved that while he might be guilty ofloving the lady, the latter was not an accomplice; but the secret ofAndrea was one that enriches a man, whether with love or lucre.
"Come to my room," she said; "who would surprise us there! Not my younglady, though she may well be jealous of her fine gallant! But folks inthe secret are not to be dreaded. The honorable lady jealous of theservant,--I never expected such an honor! It is I who am jealous, foryou love me no more."
In plainness, Nicole's bedroom did not differ from the others inthat dwelling. She sat on the edge of the bed, and Gilbert on thedressing-case, which Andrea had given her maid.
Coming up the stairs, Nicole had calmed herself, but the youth feltanger rise as it cooled in the girl.
"So you love our young lady," began Nicole with a kindling eye. "Youhave love-trysts with her; or will you pretend you went only to consultthe magician?"
"Perhaps so, for you know I feel ambition----"
"Greed, you mean?"
"It is the same thing, as you take it."
"Don't let us bandy words: you avoid me lately."
"I seek solitude----"
"And you want to go up into solitude by a ladder? Beg pardon, I did notknow that was the way to it."
Gilbert was beaten in the first defenses.
"You had better out with it, that you love me no longer, or love usboth."
"That would only be an error of society, for in some countries men haveseveral wives."
"Savages!" exclaimed the servant, testily.
"Philosophers!" retorted Gilbert.
"But you would not like me to have two beaux on my string?"
"I do not wish tyrannically and unjustly to restrain the impulses ofyour heart. Liberty consists in respecting free will. So, change youraffection, for fidelity is not natural--to some."
Discussion was the youth's strong point; he knew little, but more thanthe girl. So he began to regain coolness.
"Have you a good memory, Master Philosopher?" said Nicole. "Do youremember when I came back from the nunnery with mistress, and youconsoled me, and taking me in your arms, said: 'You are an orphan likeme; let us be brother and sister through similar misfortune.' Did youmean what you said?"
"Yes, then; but five months have changed me; I think otherwise atpresent."
"You mean you will not wed me? Yet Nicole Legay is worth a Gilbert, itseems to me."
"All men are equal; but nature or education improves or depreciatesthem. As their faculties or acquirements expand, they part from oneanother."
"I understand that we must part, and that you are a scamp. How evercould I fancy such a fellow?"
"Nicole, I am never going to marry, but be a learned man or aphilosopher. Learning requires the isolation of the mind; philosophythat of the body."
"Master Gilbert, you are a scoundrel, and not worth a girl like me.But you laugh," she continued, with a dry smile more ominous than hissatirical laugh; "do not make war with me; for I shall do such deedsthat you will be sorry, for they will fall on your head, for havingturned me astray."
"You are growing wiser; and I am convinced now that you would refuse meif I sued you."
Nicole reflected, clenching her hands and gritting her teeth.
"I believe you are right, Gilbert," she said; "I, too, see my horizonenlarge, and believe I am fated for better things than to be so mean asa philosopher's wife. Go back to your ladder, sirrah, and try not tobreak your neck, though I believe it would be a blessing to others, andmay be for yourself."
Gilbert hesitated for a space in indecision, for Nicole, excited bylove and spite, was a ravishing creature; but he had determined tobreak with her, as she hampered his passion and his aspirations.
"Gone," murmured Nicole in a few seconds.
She ran to the window, but all was dark. She went to her mistress'door, where she listened.
"She is asleep; but I will know all about it to-morrow."
It was broad day when Andrea de Taverney awoke.
In trying to rise, she felt such lassitude and sharp pain that she fellback on the pillow uttering a groan.
"Goodness, what is the matter?" cried Nicole, who had opened thecurtains.
"I do not know. I feel lame all over; my chest seems broken in."
"It is the outbreak of the cold you caught last night," said the maid.
"Last night?" repeated the surprised lady; but she remarked thedisorder of her room, and added: "Stay, I remember that I felt verytired--exhausted--it must have been the storm. I fell to sleep over mymusic. I recall nothing further. I went up hither half asleep, and musthave thrown myself on the bed without undressing properly."
"You must have stayed very late at the music, then," observed Nicole,"for, before you retired to your bedroom I came down, having heardsteps about----"
"But I did not stir from the parlor."
"Oh, of course, you know better than me," said Nicole.
"You must mistake," replied the other with the utmost sweetness: "Inever left the seat; but I remember that I was cold, for I walked quiteswiftly."
"When I saw you in the garden, however, you walked very freely."
"I, in the grounds?--you know I never go out after dark."
"I should think I knew my mistress by sight," said the maid, doublingher scrutiny; "I thought that you were taking a stroll with somebody."
"With whom would I be taking a stroll?" demanded Andrea, without seeingthat her servant was putting her to an examination.
Nicole did not think it prudent to proceed, for the coolness of thehypocrite, as she considered her, frightened her. So she changed thesubject.
"I hope you are not going to be sick, either with fatigue or sorrow.Both have the same effect. Ah, well I know how sorrows undermine!"
"You do? Have you sorrows, Nicole?"
"Indeed; I w
as coming to tell my mistress, when I was frightened to seehow queer you looked; no doubt, we both are upset."
"Really!" queried Andrea, offended at the "we both."
"I am thinking of getting married."
"Why, you are not yet seventeen----"
"But you are sixteen and----"
She was going to say something saucy, but she knew Andrea too well torisk it, and cut short the explanation.
"Indeed, I cannot know what my mistress thinks, but I am low-born and Iact according to my nature. It is natural to have a sweetheart."
"Oh, you have a lover then! You seem to make good use of your timehere."
"I must look forward. You are a lady and have expectations from richkinsfolks going off; but I have no family and must get into one."
As all this seemed straightforward enough, Andrea forgot what had beenoffensive in tone, and said, with her kindness taking the reins:
"Is it any one I know? Speak out, as it is the duty of masters tointerest themselves in the fate of their servants, and I am pleasedwith you."
"That is very kind. It is--Gilbert!"
To her high amaze, Andrea did not wince.
"As he loves you, marry him," she replied, easily. "He is an orphan,too, so you are both your own masters. Only, you are both rather young."
"We shall have the longer life together."
"You are penniless."
"We can work."
"What can he do, who is good for nothing?"
"He is good to catch game for master's table, anyway; you slander poorGilbert, who is full of attention for you."
"He does his duty as a servant----"
"Nay; he is not a servant; he is never paid."
"He is son of a farmer of ours; he is kept and does nothing for it; so,he steals his support. But what are you aiming at to defend so warmly aboy whom nobody attacks?"
"I never thought you would attack him! it is just the other way about!"with a bitter smile.
"Something more I do not understand."
"Because you do not want to."
"Enough! I have no leisure for your riddles. You want my consent tothis marriage?"
"If you please; and I hope you will bear Gilbert no ill will."
"What is it to me whether he loves you or not? You burden me, miss."
"I daresay," said Nicole, bursting out in anger at last; "you have saidthe same thing to Gilbert."
"I speak to your Gilbert! You are mad, girl; leave me in peace."
"If you do not speak to him now, I believe the silence will not lastlong."
"Lord forgive her--the silly jade is jealous!" exclaimed Andrea,covering her with a disdainful look, and laughing. "Cheer up, littleLegay! I never looked at your pretty Gilbert, and I do not so much asknow the color of his eyes."
Andrea was quite ready to overlook what seemed folly and not pertness;but Nicole felt offended, and did not want pardon.
"I can quite believe that--for one cannot get a good look in thenighttime."
"Take care to make yourself clear at once," said Andrea, very pale.
"Last night, I saw----"
"Andrea!" came a voice from below, in the garden.
"My lord your father," said Nicole, "with the stranger who passed thenight here."
"Go down, and say that I cannot answer, as I am not well. I have astiff neck; and return to finish this odd debate."
Nicole obeyed, as Andrea was always obeyed when commanding, withoutreply or wavering. Her mistress felt something unusual; though resolvednot to show herself, she was constrained to go to the window left openby Legay, through a superior and resistless power.