XX
"At last it has been given to my eyes to contemplate him, and to myarms to press him against my heart!"
It was in these terms that the old Italian master, all vibratingwith enthusiasm, and with his most terrible accent, announced toMlle. Gilberte that he had just seen that famous pupil from whom heexpected both glory and fortune.
"But how weak he is still!" he added, "and suffering from his wounds.I hardly recognized him, he has grown so pale and so thin."
But the girl was listening to him no more. A flood of life filledher heart. This moment made her forget all her troubles and allher anguish.
"And I too," thought she, "shall see him again to-day."
And, with the unerring instinct of the woman who loves, shecalculated the moment when Marius would appear in Rue St. Gilles.It would probably be about nightfall, like the first time, beforeleaving; that is, about eight o'clock, for the days just then wereabout the longest in the year. Now it so happened, that, on thatvery day and hour, Mlle. Gilberte expected to be alone at home.It was understood that her mother would, after dinner, call onMme. Desclavettes, who was in bed, half dead of the fright she hadhad during the last convulsions of the Commune. She would thereforebe free and would not need to invent a pretext to go out for a fewmoments. She could not help, however, but feel that this was abold and most venturesome step for her to take; and, when her motherwent out, she had not yet fully decided what to do. But her bonnetwas within reach, and Marius' letter was in her pocket. She wentto sit at the window. The street was solitary and silent as ofold. Night was coming; and heavy black clouds floated over Paris.The heat was overpowering: there was not a breath of air.
One by one, as the hour was approaching when she expected to seeMarius, the hesitations of the young girl vanished like smoke. Shefeared but one thing,--that he would not come, or that he mayalready have come and left, without succeeding in seeing her.
Already did the objects become less distinct; and the gas was beinglit in the back-shops, when she recognized him on the other side ofthe street. He looked up as he went by; and, without stopping, headdressed her a rapid gesture, which she alone could understand, andwhich meant, "Come, I beseech you!"
Her heart beating loud enough to be heard, Mlle. Gilberte ran downthe stairs. But it was only when she found herself in the streetthat she could appreciate the magnitude of the risk she was running.Concierges and shopkeepers were all sitting in front of their doors,taking the fresh air. All knew her. Would they not be surprisedto see her out alone at such an hour? Twenty steps in front of hershe could see Marius. But he had understood the danger; for,instead of turning the corner of the Rue des Minimes, he followedthe Rue St. Gilles straight, and only stopped on the other side ofthe Boulevard.
Then only did Mlle. Gilberte join him; and she could not withholdan exclamation, when she saw that he was as pale as death, andscarcely able to stand and to walk.
"How imprudent of you to have returned so soon!" she said.
A little blood came to M. de Tregars' cheeks. His face brightenedup, and, in a voice quivering with suppressed passion,
"It would have been more imprudent still to stay away," he uttered."Far from you, I felt myself dying."
They were both leaning against the door of a closed shop; and theywere as alone in the midst of the throng that circulated on theBoulevards, busy looking at the fearful wrecks of the Commune.
"And besides," added Marius, "have I, then, a minute to lose? Iasked you for three years. Fifteen months have gone, and I am nobetter off than on the first day. When this accursed war broke out,all my arrangements were made. I was certain to rapidly accumulatea sufficient fortune to enable me to ask for your hand without beingrefused. Whereas now--"
"Well?"
"Now every thing is changed. The future is so uncertain, that noone wishes to venture their capital. Marcolet himself, who certainlydoes not lack boldness, and who believes firmly in the success of ourenterprise, was telling me yesterday, 'There is nothing to be donejust now: we must wait.'"
There was in his voice such an intensity of grief, that the girlfelt the tears coming to her eyes.
"We will wait then," she said, attempting to smile.
But M. de Tregars shook his head.
"Is it possible?" he said. "Do you, then, think that I do not knowwhat a life you lead?"
Mlle. Gilberte looked up.
"Have I ever complained?" she asked proudly.
"No. Your mother and yourself, you have always religiously kept thesecret of your tortures; and it was only a providential accidentthat revealed them to me. But I learned every thing at last. I knowthat she whom I love exclusively and with all the power of my soul issubjected to the most odious despotism, insulted, and condemned tothe most humiliating privations. And I, who would give my life forher a thousand times over,--I can do nothing for her. Money raisesbetween us such an insuperable obstacle, that my love is actually anoffence. To hear from her, I am driven to accept accomplices. If Iobtain from her a few moments of conversation, I run the risk ofcompromising her maidenly reputation."
Deeply affected by his emotion:
"At least," said Mlle. Gilberte, "you succeeded in delivering mefrom M. Costeclar."
"Yes, I was fortunately able to find weapons against that scoundrel.But can I find some against all others that may offer? Your fatheris very rich; and the men are numerous for whom marriage is but aspeculation like any other."
"Would you doubt me?"
"Ah, rather would I doubt myself! But I know what cruel trials yourrefusal to marry M. Costeclar imposed upon you: I know what amerciless struggle you had to sustain. Another pretender may come,and then--No, no, you see that we cannot wait."
"What would you do?"
"I know not. I have not yet decided upon my future course. And yetHeaven knows what have been the labors of my mind during that longmonth I have just spent upon an ambulance-bed, that month duringwhich you were my only thought. Ah! when I think of it, I cannotfind words to curse the recklessness with which I disposed of myfortune."
As if she had heard a blasphemy, the young girl drew back a step.
"It is impossible," she exclaimed, "that you should regret havingpaid what your father owed."
A bitter smile contracted M. de Tregars' lips.
"And suppose I were to tell you," he replied, "that my father inreality owed nothing?"
"Oh!"
"Suppose I told you they took from him his entire fortune, over twomillions, as audaciously as a pick-pocket robs a man of hishandkerchief? Suppose I told you, that, in his loyal simplicity,he was but a man of straw in the hands of skillful knaves? Have youforgotten what you once heard the Count de Villegre say?"
Mlle. Gilberte had forgotten nothing.
"The Count de Villegre," she replied, "pretended that it was timeenough still to compel the men who had robbed your father todisgorge."
"Exactly!" exclaimed Marius. "And now I am determined to make themdisgorge."
In the mean time night had quite come. Lights appeared in theshop-windows; and along the line of the Boulevard the gas-lamps werebeing lit. Alarmed by this sudden illumination, M. de Tregars drewoff Mlle. Gilberte to a more obscure spot, by the stairs that leadto the Rue Amelot; and there, leaning against the iron railing, hewent on,
"Already, at the time of my father's death, I suspected theabominable tricks of which he was the victim. I thought it unworthyof me to verify my suspicions. I was alone in the world: my wantswere few. I was fully convinced that my researches would give me,within a brief time, a much larger fortune than the one I gave up.I found something noble and grand, and which flattered my vanity,in thus abandoning every thing, without discussion, withoutlitigation, and consummating my ruin with a single dash of my pen.Among my friends the Count de Villegre alone had the courage to tellme that this was a guilty piece of folly; that the silence of thedupes is the strength of the knaves; that my indifference, whichmade the rascals r
ich, would make them laugh too. I replied that Idid not wish to see the name of Tregars dragged into court in ascandalous law-suit, and that to preserve a dignified silence wasto honor my father's memory. Treble fool that I was! The only wayto honor my father's memory was to avenge him, to wrest his spoilsfrom the scoundrels who had caused his death. I see it clearlyto-day. But, before undertaking any thing, I wished to consult you."
Mlle. Gilberte was listening with the most intense attention. Shehad come to mingle so completely in her thoughts her future life andthat of M. de Tregars, that she saw nothing unusual in the fact ofhis consulting her upon matters affecting their prospects, and ofseeing herself standing there deliberating with him.
"You will require proofs," she suggested.
"I have none, unfortunately," replied M. de Tregars; "at least, nonesufficiently positive, and such as are required by courts of justice.But I think I may find them. My former suspicions have become acertainty. The same good luck that enabled me to deliver you of M.Costeclar's persecutions, also placed in my hands the most valuableinformation."
"Then you must act," uttered Mlle. Gilberte resolutely.
Marius hesitated for a moment, as if seeking expression to conveywhat he had still to say. Then,
"It is my duty," he proceeded, "to conceal nothing from you. Thetask is a heavy one. The obscure schemers of ten years ago havebecome big financiers, intrenched behind their money-bags as behindan impregnable fort. Formerly isolated, they have managed to gatheraround them powerful interests, accomplices high in office, andfriends whose commanding situation protects them. Having succeeded,they are absolved. They have in their favor what is called publicconsideration,--that idiotic thing which is made up of the admirationof the fools, the approbation of the knaves, and the concert of allinterested vanities. When they pass, their horses at full trot,their carriage raising a cloud of dust, insolent, impudent, swelledwith the vulgar fatuity of wealth, people bow to the ground, and say,'Those are smart fellows!' And in fact, yes, by skill or luck, theyhave hitherto avoided the police-courts where so many others havecome to grief. Those who despise them fear them, and shake handswith them. Moreover, they are rich enough not to steal any morethemselves. They have employes to do that. I take Heaven to witnessthat never until lately had the idea come to me to disturb in theirpossession the men who robbed my father. Alone, what need had I ofmoney? Later, O my friend! I thought I could succeed in conqueringthe fortune I needed to obtain your hand. You had promised to wait;and I was happy to think that I should owe you to my sole exertions.Events have crushed my hopes. I am to-day compelled to acknowledgethat all my efforts would be in vain. To wait would be to run therisk of losing you. Therefore I hesitate no longer. I want what'smine: I wish to recover that of which I have been robbed. WhateverI may do,--for, alas! I know not to what I may be driven, whatrole I may have to play,--remember that of all my acts, of all mythoughts, there will not be a single one that does not aim to bringnearer the blessed day when you shall become my wife."
There was in his voice so much unspeakable affection, that the younggirl could hardly restrain her tears.
"Never, whatever may happen, shall I doubt you, Marius," she uttered.
He took her hands, and, pressing them passionately within his,
"And I," he exclaimed, "I swear, that, sustained by the thought ofyou, there is no disgust that I will not overcome, no obstacle thatI will not overthrow."
He spoke so loud, that two or three persons stopped. He noticed it,and was brought suddenly from sentiment to the reality,
"Wretches that we are," he said in a low voice, and very fast, "weforget what this interview may cost us!"
And he led Mlle. Gilberte across the Boulevard; and, whilst makingtheir way to the Rue St. Gilles, through the deserted streets,
"It is a dreadful imprudence we have just committed," resumed M. deTregars. "But it was indispensable that we should see each other;and we had not the choice of means. Now, and for a long time, weshall be separated. Every thing you wish me to know,--say it tothat worthy Gismondo, who repeats faithfully to me every word youutter. Through him, also, you shall hear from me. Twice a week,on Tuesdays and Fridays, about nightfall, I shall pass by your house;and, if I am lucky enough to have a glimpse of you, I shall returnhome fired with fresh energy. Should any thing extraordinaryhappen, beckon to me, and I'll wait for you in the Rue des Minimes.But this is an expedient to which we must only resort in the lastextremity. I should never forgive myself, were I to compromise yourfair name."
They had reached the Rue St. Gilles. Marius stopped.
"We must part," he began.
But then only Mlle. Gilberte remembered M. de Tregars' letter, whichshe had in her pocket. Taking it out, and handing it to him,
"Here," she said, "is the package you deposited with me."
"No," he answered, repelling her gently, "keep that letter: it mustnever be opened now, except by the Marquise de Tregars."
And raising her hand to his lips, and in a deeply agitated voice,
"Farewell!" he murmured. "Have courage, and have hope."