CHAPTER XVIII One Afternoon
In her surmise as to what would actually occur as the result of herdesign, Julie Dupont was not far from the truth.
First Marguerite accepted the reality of her invitation, which Julieexplained she had been asked to deliver, with openly revealed pleasure.Expressing her thanks to Bettina, Bettina received the impression thatMrs. Burton must have asked Marguerite, having decided that four wouldmake a pleasanter number for their expedition than three. Mentioning thesame fact to Mrs. Burton, her presumption was that either David Hale orBettina had included Marguerite in the invitation.
She was a little annoyed at first, preferring that one of the Camp Firegirls should have been selected as her companion rather than MargueriteArnot. She could only suppose that Bettina and David Hale would wish totalk to each other the greater part of the time during their second visitto Queen Marie Antoinette's secret garden. But apparently one could notbe sure, as they had chosen to invite Marguerite.
She did not dislike the young French girl, she thought her both talentedand pretty, but not especially interesting, so that with several hours ofeach other's society they might become bored.
Moreover, Mrs. Burton had selfishly wished to rest and dream in the oldgarden, since gardens are intended for rest and dreams. And one couldmanage to chaperon two such well behaved persons as Bettina and David andat the same time enjoy one's own thoughts.
But with Marguerite Arnot as her constant companion, Mrs. Burton beheldher dreams dissolving into futile conversation.
The following day when David Hale arrived, seeing Marguerite standingwith Mrs. Burton and Bettina and evidently dressed to accompany them,naturally he expressed no surprise. He may even have been secretlypleased by the addition of Marguerite's society.
Never was there a lovelier spring afternoon! And in no place in the worldcan the spring be more enchanting than in Paris and the countrysurrounding Paris.
Instead of a motor car, David Hale had secured the services of an oldfashioned Paris cab for their expedition. He wished to make the drive tothe Queen's garden a slow one, as it was not of great length.
First they drove through the town of Versailles. Then they entered thepark near an avenue which led past the Little Trianon. They passed TheTemple of Love, a charming little building formed of columns with a whitecupola and a statue of the Cupid inside. Next they drove slowly about thehamlet, a cluster of little rustic houses near the Little Trianon, whereQueen Marie Antoinette and her maids, dressed in linen costumes and strawhats, used to play at making butter and cheese.
Not far from the hamlet, David ordered the cab to halt, then he andBettina led the way to search for the secret garden.
It was not so easy to find as they had both supposed. But it was Bettina,who again first discovered the stone wall and the little secret doorinside it. This afternoon the walls of the garden were covered withtrailing rose vines. Before the little secret door stood the old Frenchgardener who had formerly eyed Bettina with such disfavor.
He was smiling this afternoon, however, and held the gate key in hishand.
As the four visitors entered the narrow passage one at a time, they feltthemselves to have entered fairyland.
Inside no stone wall was now to be seen, only a high wall of roses with alow border of evergreens beneath.
A great variety of trees were in blossom. Swinging from the branches ofone tree to another high overhead were garlands of roses.
It was a garden such as Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, would havechosen for her habitation.
Forgetting Marie Antoinette, for whom the garden had been originallycreated in the days before the unhappy Queen could have dreamed of thefate awaiting her, Mrs. Burton could think only of Shakespeare'sbeautiful play of "Midsummer Night's Dream." In just such trees Arielmust have swung; through just such winding, sunlit, fragrant paths oldBottome, the donkey, must have wandered, his great ears hung withflowers.
During the first quarter of an hour, Mrs. Burton, the two girls and DavidHale, accompanied by the French gardener wandered about the little gardentogether, their only conversation repeated exclamations of delight.
Then Mrs. Burton suggested that she would like to sit down for a fewmoments. The two girls could continue to walk with David Hale until oneor the other grew tired.
A short time after, Marguerite Arnot came back alone and took a placebeside the Camp Fire guardian.
They were occupying two rustic chairs under a Louisiana cypress tree forwhich the gardens of the Little Trianon are famous.
"Please don't make any attempt to talk to me, Mrs. Burton. I understandthat you would prefer to enjoy the beauty about us in silence and I thinkI should also."
So at first Mrs. Burton made no effort to talk, having many things tooccupy her thoughts beside her own personal concerns.
In the past few weeks it had appeared as if the peace o' the world, whichwas to be wrought out in France was again endangered, not only byGermany's bluster, but by a misunderstanding between France and theUnited States. But today the news in the papers was again reassuring.Mrs. Burton was thinking that perhaps after all the details of peacemight be arranged before she sailed for England, when hearing anunexpected sound, she turned toward her companion. The sound had been alittle like a hastily swallowed sob.
Marguerite Arnot's eyes were full of tears.
"I am sorry, Mrs. Burton," she apologized, "Really there isn't anythingin the world that specially troubles me. I think it is the loveliness ofthis little garden that has made me emotional. I was thinking of a queerjumble of things, of the fact that the woman for whom this garden wascreated was executed, and then of myself, an odd combination Iappreciate. I was recalling Miss Lord's kindness to me and how much Ihave enjoyed the past weeks with her. And then I was sorry that the housein Versailles is soon to be closed and Miss Lord to return to southernFrance and her reclamation work. I confess I rather dread going back tomy former life in Paris. As I have lost my old position it may bedifficult for me to find enough sewing to keep me busy now that so manypeople are in mourning."
In a moment forgotten was the garden and the world struggle for peace asMrs. Burton, womanlike, became absorbed in the individual personalproblem of the girl beside her. Forgotten also was her own impressionthat Marguerite was not interesting and might therefore bore her.
Here was a girl who had her own way to make and was bravely setting aboutthe task. There was no other human situation which interested Mrs. Burtonone half so much, or gave her the same instinctive desire to be ofservice. And this was not only her instinct, but a part of her long CampFire training, first as a Camp Fire girl and later as a guardian.
"But you are not to trouble about your future, Marguerite," she argued,although a few moments before no such idea had entered her mind. "For onething you may always count on the fact that Aunt Patricia never under anypossible circumstances deserts a friend. Besides, Bettina Graham has aplan in mind which she has suggested to me and concerning which she haswritten her mother. So far she has received no answer, but afterwards Iknow she wishes to talk of it with you. Do you see Bettina and Mr. Hale?I don't wish them to forget where to look for us."
A little farther along, near the labyrinth where Bettina had once losther way during her first evening alone in the secret garden, Mrs. Burtonand Marguerite at this instant saw the blue of Bettina's dress shiningbetween the green leaves of the intervening foliage. Standing over herand looking down upon her was David Hale.
Mrs. Burton also became aware of the fact that Marguerite Arnotimmediately colored and glanced away. Her sympathy of a few momentsbefore was now doubled.
What a contrast the lives of the two girls offered, a contrast whichMarguerite Arnot could scarcely fail to appreciate, especially if she hadallowed herself to feel attracted by the young American who had been sointimate a member of their household for the past weeks.
It was not that Bettina possessed merely the gifts of
beauty andcleverness and a charming nature, Marguerite Arnot might also lay claimto these. But Bettina had worldly possessions as well, a distinguishedfather, a mother who was one of the most fascinating women in Washington,a younger brother--all adoring her. She had wealth also, perhaps notwealth as Americans regard it, but certainly what would have been afortune to the young French girl.
David Hale was ambitious, never having hesitated to reveal his intentionto fight his way to a foremost position. Between the two girls, if heshould ever care for either one of them, how much more Bettina would haveto offer him!
At the moment of Mrs. Burton's reflection, David Hale was talking withgreat earnestness to Bettina.
"Is it true that you may be leaving Versailles in a few weeks, perhapsbefore the Peace Conference is finally ended?"
Bettina nodded.
"Yes, I am going to England with Captain and Mrs. Burton for a visit andthen home. I am glad and sorry; there will never be so wonderful a timein my life as these weeks of the Peace Conference, and yet I have alwayswished to spend a summer in England."
"Aren't you sorry to say goodby except to France?" David Hale asked.
Again Bettina laughed.
"Why of course I am, sorry to say goodby to you. But I hope you mean tocome to see us some day in Washington. At least you know my mother islovely. And may I continue to wish you luck with your work here at thePeace Congress. I hope you are accomplishing all you hoped for and thatsome splendid new opportunity will come to you when this work isfinished."
David Hale shook his head.
"No, I am not accomplishing everything I wish to accomplish." Thenapparently without any connection with his former remark, he suddenlyadded:
"I wonder if you would mind telling me how old you are?"
Bettina colored slightly.
"I am eighteen. Is that old enough to begin hiding one's age? I wonderwhy you wish to know at present?"
"Can't you guess at least something of my reason? Perhaps I shall notwait to come to see you first in Washington. When the Peace Conference isended I too shall have earned a holiday in England!"
Bettina had been looking for the past few moments down upon a bed ofwhite fleur-de-lis, which were just opening into snow white blooms. Nowshe moved away a few steps.
"Suppose we go now and join the others. They may grow weary of waiting.Mrs. Burton will be interested to know we may see you again in England.But I shall always remember our meeting in this little garden. Thank youfor bringing me here again now that the winter cold has gone and theearly flowers are in bloom!"
At this moment the old French gardener, appearing in the path beforeBettina and David, with a low bow presented Bettina with a bouquet.
Afterwards, as she came toward them, Mrs. Burton observed MargueriteArnot's eyes travel from Bettina's flowers to a long study of the othergirl's face.