Part 42 (1/2)
Ever yours,
Theodose de la Peyrade.
Two hours later a servant, dressed in what was evidently the first step towards a livery, which the Thuilliers did not as yet venture to risk, the ”male domestic,” whom Minard had mentioned to the Ph.e.l.lions, arrived at la Peyrade's lodgings with the following note:--
Come to-night, without fail. We will talk over the whole affair with Brigitte.
Your most affectionately devoted Jerome Thuillier.
”Good!” said la Peyrade; ”evidently there is some hindrance on the other side; I shall have time to turn myself round.”
That evening, when the servant announced him in the Thuillier salon, the Comtesse de G.o.dollo, who was sitting with Brigitte, hastened to rise and leave the room. As she pa.s.sed la Peyrade she made him a very ceremonious bow. There was nothing conclusive to be deduced from this abrupt departure, which might signify anything, either much or nothing.
After talking of the weather and so forth for a time, as persons do who have met to discuss a delicate subject about which they are not sure of coming to an understanding, the matter was opened by Brigitte, who had sent her brother to take a walk on the boulevard, telling him to leave her to manage the affair.
”My dear boy,” she said to Theodose, ”it was very nice of you not to come here to-day like a _grasp-all_, to put your pistol at our throats, for we were not, as it happened, quite ready to answer you. I think,”
she added, ”that our little Celeste needs a trifle more time.”
”Then,” said la Peyrade, quickly, ”she has not decided in favor of Monsieur Felix Ph.e.l.lion?”
”Joker!” replied the old maid, ”you know very well you settled that business last night; but you also know, of course, that her own inclinations incline her that way.”
”Short of being blind, I must have seen that,” replied la Peyrade.
”It is not an obstacle to my projects,” continued Mademoiselle Thuillier; ”but it serves to explain why I ask for Celeste a little more time; and also why I have wished all along to postpone the marriage to a later date. I wanted to give you time to insinuate yourself into the heart of my dear little girl--but you and Thuillier upset my plans.”
”Nothing, I think, has been done without your sanction,” said la Peyrade, ”and if, during these fifteen days, I have not talked with you on the subject, it was out of pure delicacy. Thuillier told me that everything was agreed upon with you.”
”On the contrary, Thuillier knows very well that I refused to mix myself up on your new arrangements. If you had not made yourself so scarce lately, I might have been the first to tell you that I did not approve of them. However, I can truly say I did nothing to hinder their success.”
”But that was too little,” said la Peyrade; ”your active help was absolutely necessary.”
”Possibly; but I, who know women better than you, being one of them,--I felt very sure that if Celeste was told to choose between two suitors she would consider that a permission to think at her ease of the one she liked best. I myself had always left her in the vague as to Felix, knowing as I did the proper moment to settle her mind about him.”
”So,” said la Peyrade, ”you mean that she refuses me.”
”It is much worse than that,” returned Brigitte; ”she accepts you, and is willing to pledge her word; but it is so easy to see she regards herself as a victim, that if I were in your place I should feel neither flattered nor secure in such a position.”
In any other condition of mind la Peyrade would probably have answered that he accepted the sacrifice, and would make it his business to win the heart which at first was reluctantly given; but delay now suited him, and he replied to Brigitte with a question:--
”Then what do you advise? What course had I better take?”
”Finish Thuillier's pamphlet, in the first place, or he'll go crazy; and leave me to work the other affair in your interests,” replied Brigitte.
”But am I in friendly hands? For, to tell you the truth, little aunt, I have not been able to conceal from myself that you have, for some time past, changed very much to me.”
”Changed to you! What change do you see in me, addled-pate that you are?”