CHAPTER IV
The faithful house-dog.
After supper they talked of Charlotte Corday.
Juliette clung to the vision of that heroine, and liked to talk of her.She appeared as a justification of her own actions, which somehow seemedto require justification.
She loved to hear Paul Deroulede talk; liked to provoke his enthusiasmand to see his stern, dark face light up with the inward fire of theenthusiast.
She had openly avowed herself as the daughter of the Duc de Marny. Whenshe actually named her father, and her brother killed in duel, she sawDeroulede looking long and searchingly at her. Evidently he wondered ifshe knew everything: but she returned his gaze fearlessly and frankly,and he apparently was satisfied.
Madame Deroulede seemed to know nothing of the circumstances of thatduel. Deroulede tried to draw Juliette out, to make her speak of herbrother. She replied to his questions quite openly, but there wasnothing in what she said, suggestive of the fact that she knew whokilled her brother.
She wanted him to know who she was. If he feared an enemy in her, therewas yet time enough for him to close his doors against her.
But less than a minute later, he had renewed his warmest offers ofhospitality.
"Until we can arrange for your journey to England," he added with ashort sigh, as if reluctant to part from her.
To Juliette his attitude seemed one of complete indifference for thewrong he had done to her and to her father: feeling that she was anavenging spirit, with flaming sword in hand, pursuing her brother'smurderer like a relentless Nemesis, she would have preferred to see himcowed before her, even afraid of her, though she was only a young anddelicate girl.
She did not understand that in the simplicity of his heart, he onlywished to make amends. The quarrel with the young Vicomte de Marny hadbeen forced upon him, the fight had been honourable and fair, and on hisside fought with every desire to spare the young man. He had merely beenthe instrument of Fate, but he felt happy that Fate once more used himas her tool, this time to save the sister.
Whilst Deroulede and Juliette talked together Anne Mie cleared thesupper-table, then came and sat on a low stool at madame's feet. Shetook no part in the conversation, but every now and then Juliette feltthe girl's melancholy eyes fixed almost reproachfully upon her.
When Juliette had retired with Petronelle, Deroulede took Anne Mie'shand in his.
"You will be kind to my guest, Anne Mie, won't you? She seems verylonely, and has gone through a great deal."
"Not more than I have," murmured the young girl involuntarily.
"You are not happy, Anne Mie? I thought ..."
"Is a wretched, deformed creature ever happy?" she said with suddenvehemence, as tears of mortification rushed to her eyes, in spite ofherself.
"I did not think that you were wretched," he replied with some sadness,"and neither in my eyes, nor in my mother's, are you in any waydeformed."
Her mood changed at once. She clung to him, pressing his hand betweenher own.
"Forgive me! I--I don't know what's the matter with me to-night," shesaid with a nervous little laugh. "Let me see, you asked me to be kindto Mademoiselle Marny, did you not?"
He nodded with a smile.
"Of course I'll be kind to her. Isn't every one kind to one who is youngand beautiful, and has great, appealing eyes, and soft, curly hair? Ahme! how easy is the path in life for some people! What do you want me todo, Paul? Wait on her? Be her little maid? Soothe her nerves or what?I'll do it all, though in her eyes I shall remain both wretched anddeformed, a creature to pity, the harmless, necessary house-dog ..."
She paused a moment: said "Good-night" to him, and turned to go, candlein hand, looking pathetic and fragile, with that ugly contour ofshoulder, which Deroulede assured her he could not see.
The candle flickered in the draught, illumining the thin, pinched face,the large melancholy eyes of the faithful house-dog.
"Who can watch and bite!" she said half-audibly as she slipped out ofthe room. "For I do not trust you, my fine madam, and there wassomething about that comedy this afternoon, which somehow, I don't quiteunderstand."