CHAPTER XXXVI.
It was with a quick and agitated step that the girl Blanchettereturned to the room which served as her own bed-chamber and as theante-room to that of her mistress. It was the sort of pace that, hadshe stopped for one moment, it must have been to stamp with rage; and,when she reached a seat, she cast herself into it, and burst forthinto a violent fit of tears--passionate, not penitent; full ofvirulent anger, not of sorrow or remorse. The same feelings were inher heart, with which Macbeth exclaimed "For Banquo's issue have I'filed my mind,"--feelings which lead to fresh crimes, rather than toatonement for those that are gone.
"I shall be discharged, shall I?" asked the girl, "and all for doingwhat she told me. I have heard of her ways. Fool that I was not tobelieve it. I might have known, if I had not been as stupid as an owl,that what she does to others, she would do to me. Oh that I could butmatch her!--Well, I may perhaps--Now if I could get Mademoiselle outof the ch?teau? But she will watch me.--Well, let her; I will watchher.--The old hag is cunning enough, but there may be others asshrewd;" and she dried her tears, and laughed at the thought of thebitter sweet potion of revenge.
"I know her now," she continued, sometimes speaking to herself in lowmurmurs, sometimes meditating in silence; "I know her now. Oh she canfeign and speak sweet, and promise all kinds of things. But she shallnot take me in any more. I can see well enough. Her game is nearlyplayed. If she wants any more help, she will be as smooth as oil; andthen, when all is done, I shall be kicked off to die on a dunghill,for what she cares. But I have taken care of that. I have got as manycrowns as promises, and I will be caught by none of the latter anymore. Oh yes, she will soon come, and be very civil doubtless, if shehas anything for me to do; and tell me she was obliged to speak sobefore her brother, but that it meant nothing. She shall see that I amaffronted, however; but not too much--no, not too much, for then shemight not trust me any farther, and I should miss my opportunity; forvengeance I will have, one way or another."
With such sweet and innocent thoughts Blanchette entertained herselffor some time, till at length the door swung open, and Madame deChazeul walked in, with no signs of plausibility in her countenance.The girl was sitting, with the handkerchief which had lately wipedaway her tears, upon her lap; and her whole face showed that she hadundergone no light emotions. The Marchioness did not stay to inquire,of what sort they were, but jumped at the conclusion, that the dreadof losing her place, was the cause of the girl's agitation; and,believing that, by that fear, she could rule her as she thought fit,she was only careful to prevent her from thinking the post ofsoubrette to the future Marchioness de Chazeul irretrievably gone.
"Why do you not rise, girl, when you see me?" she demanded in ahaughty tone.
"Why, I have done so much wrong, Madam," said the maid with a sullenface, "in doing what I thought was your will and pleasure, that I amsure I know not what to do, to give satisfaction."
"You must do better than you have done, if you would long keep yourplace," replied the Marchioness; "but if you really thought you werepleasing me, that makes a difference. An error may be forgiven;disobedience not. Your mistress is up, I dare say."
"Oh yes, hours ago," answered Blanchette. "Shall I tell her you arehere, Madam?"
"No!" replied Madame de Chazeul, advancing towards the opposite door,"we will have no farther ceremonies;" and, without giving any sign ofher approach, she walked straight in.
Rose d'Albret was seated as before, near the window: the favouritespot of the prisoner, where he can see some part, if it be but aglimpse of that free world which is no longer his; but when theMarchioness entered, she started and rose. Madame de Chazeul hadgathered her face into a frown; and Rose, who felt in her heart adeeper degree of indignation at the events of the last night, than atall the injuries, deceits, and harshness which had been practised onher before, gazed at her with a swelling heart and a firmdetermination to tell her what she thought of all her conduct.
The Marchioness did not clearly understand that look; and it somewhatpuzzled her as to her course; but after a moments pause, she said, "Ihave come, Mademoiselle d'Albret, to tell you, that at eleven thecontract is to be signed in the great hall; and, immediately after,the marriage will take place in the chapel."
"Madam, you have already had my answer," replied Rose, "and I haveonly to beg, that you will not insult me, even by naming your son'sname in my hearing. I have long disliked and despised him. I now abhorand scorn him; and I would sooner give my hand to a beggar on theroad, than to one so utterly base and degraded."
"I should have thought," answered the Marchioness, with a bittersneer, "that, after what passed last night, your reluctance would havequite vanished, and that Nicholas de Chazeul would have found in Rosed'Albret a very willing--nay, perhaps, an over-willing bride;" and shepointed, smiling sarcastically, to a man's glove that lay upon thetable.
"I had not remarked it," replied Rose, advancing to the table andtaking it up with a look of disgust.
"No, I suppose not," answered Madame de Chazeul. "Such littleoversights will occur in such circumstances, Mademoiselle."
"It was no oversight on his part, at least," said Rose, turning to theopen window; "the low-minded villain who left it here, knew well inthat respect, at least, what he was doing; but I treat it, and him,and all his arts, with the same contempt," and she threw it out intothe court below.
"Weak, foolish, guilty girl!" cried the Marchioness. "Do not think toescape thus.--Your fate is sealed; and within three hours you are hiswife, however unworthy to be so. For your own sake, for your ownreputation's sake, it must be so. However little care you yourselftake of your own fame, there are others bound to be more thoughtful,and to use any or all means of saving you from the disgrace whichwould fall upon you but for them."
"Madam, my reputation is in no danger," replied Rose; "happily,neither you nor your son can affect that."
"Indeed!" said Madame de Chazeul, with an incredulous smile. "Perhapsyour high purity is not aware, that Monsieur de Chazeul was seen lastnight, by two trustworthy persons, entering your chamber at oneo'clock, and quitting it somewhat after three; perhaps you are notaware, that your maid has confessed she gave him admission to it."
"To this chamber; not to mine, Madam," answered Rose, with a look ofcalm scorn. "Your admirable plan has failed, lady; and you cannotdrive me into an union with one so despicable as to take part in it,even by the fear of calumny."
Madame de Chazeul gazed at her with rage struggling with surprise."You are wonderfully tranquil," she said, at length; "but still allyour calmness will not disprove to the good busy world what severalpersons, independent of each other, know: that Monsieur de Chazeulpassed more than one hour in your chamber last night, and that yourmaid admits the fact."
"I have better witnesses than my calmness, Madam," replied Rosed'Albret, "who will be quite credible against your servants, plantedon purpose on the stairs, and my maid, bribed long ago to betray anddeceive her mistress; and they will prove that, warned of the basescheme contrived against me, informed of all its particulars, I sleptundisturbed in another chamber; and that, if your son thought fit topass his time in this place, he passed it here alone."
"It is the priest!" muttered Madame de Chazeul. "I have not spokenwith him, since my return hither," said Rose, who caught the words notintended for her ear.
"Who are your witnesses, then, girl?" exclaimed Madame de Chazeul. "Ido not believe you! The whole tale is false, invented but to screenyour own dishonour."
"My witnesses I will produce when need may be," answered Rose, "butnot to Madame de Chazeul alone; and, for the rest, you know rightwell, which tale is false, and which is true. It is needless to arguewith one so well informed already. Moreover, remember, that no forceshall ever make me wed your son. My hand is promised by myself to him,for whom my father destined it; and the well-devised story of hisdeath has failed, as well as the artful scheme that followed it. I nowknow him to be living, as well, or, rather, better than you do; andyou may fin
d that he is so when you least expect to see him."
The Marchioness turned red, and then pale, even through the paint uponher face; but, for several moments, she made no reply, turning rapidlyin her mind every chance in the wide range of circumstances that couldhave given to Rose the information she possessed. Be it remarked,however, that she never doubted the truth of what that Lady said; for,though the deceitful are ever suspicious, there is something in theplain, straightforward simplicity of truth, which raises it, ingeneral, above doubt. Men may affect to disbelieve it, when itmilitates against them, but in their heart they recognize it for whatit is.
"If the priest had not told her, who had?" Madame de Chazeul askedherself. "Could it be the maid?" But then Blanchette had not beeninformed of the whole plan. "Could it be one of the servants?" Noneknew more than a part. "Could Chazeul have betrayed the secret to someof his own people, who again had communicated it to Rose?" It was mostimprobable. "Could De Montigni himself have returned, and made his wayinto the ch?teau unperceived?" It might be so; but still her schemewas unknown to him. She was in a maze, which, with all her quick wit,she could not thread; and all that she could decide upon doing, was topursue her plan boldly, to exercise all her influence over herbrother's mind, to blind his eyes and overrule the better feelings ofhis heart, and to watch warily for every accident, to guard againstany event, which might frustrate her design.
"It is all very well, Mademoiselle d'Albret," she said at length, in acalmer but not less stern tone than she had hitherto employed, "to setyour simple assertions against facts unfortunately too well and widelyknown. I shall be happy to hear, when you are my son's wife, theproofs that you say you can give, that you did not commit theimprudence, to call it no worse, of admitting him to your chamber insecrecy and silence, at an hour past midnight. It will be a greatsatisfaction to me, and I will take care that those who witnessed thescene, and may otherwise spread the scandal abroad in the world, shallbe present to hear your exculpation.--But it must be as my son's wife,for your guardian and myself have consulted, and have determined, thatit is absolutely necessary for your fame and respectability that youshould be united to him without delay. My brother, indeed, has sworn adreadful oath, that he will compel you to obey before noon; and youwell know when he has sworn--"
"Oh no, no!" cried Rose, now greatly agitated, "not sworn.--He wouldnever swear!"
"Ay, but he has!" answered Madame de Chazeul; "he has sworn by all heholds sacred,--he has called down the vengeance of heaven on hishead,--he has taken the name of his God and his Saviour to witness,that he will force you to follow his will, and relieve your name ofthe stain that hangs upon it, by your marriage with Nicholas deChazeul."
Poor Rose d'Albret covered her eyes with her hands in terror and ingrief; for she well knew that Monsieur de Liancourt was one who wouldconsider such an oath, however rashly and intemperately spoken, asfull justification for violating every dictate of propriety, right,and justice. Madame de Chazeul saw her agony, and enjoyed it; foranger and wounded pride had their share in the bitter determinationwhich she had formed, to force the poor girl into the arms of her son;and amongst the many images which a quick fancy brought before hermind of future triumphs, was the prospect of mingling misery and carewith Rose's married life, and taking vengeance, for what she calledthe disdain of the haughty girl, upon the unwilling bride. She satsilent, then, and Rose remained with her fair face covered, hiding thetears that would burst forth, and striving to smother the sobs thatstruggled for free course.
Neither uttered a word for several minutes. The house, and the chamberremained quite still; and then came a sound as of a key turning in adoor, and next a gentle tap close to the chair where Madame de Chazeulwas seated. Both Rose and the Marchioness started up, though with verydifferent feeling; Rose with terror and alarm, lest Helen shoulddiscover herself; and the Marchioness with surprise, which did not atall deprive her of her prompt decision, and ready wit. EreMademoiselle d'Albret could utter a word, however, in the wildconfusion into which her thoughts had been thrown, her fiercecompanion judging in a moment that the secret was about to bedisclosed, said in a low, but quick tone. "Come in!" The door from thepriest's room opened, and Helen de la Tremblade stood before them,with a face calm and placid when she first appeared, but which becameglowing and agitated, as soon as she beheld her enemy.