Volume I Part 9 (2/2)
”It should be the fair Thelenie--Madame de Sainte-Suzanne, if you prefer.”
”Ah! you also know----”
”That you have been her lover. Who doesn't know that? But are you so no longer? have you ceased to love her?”
”You are becoming too inquisitive again; I shall not answer that.”
”You are unfaithful to her, I see; who in the world has succeeded in captivating you? Come, my little Edmond, take me for your confidante; that's a very modest role for me to a.s.sume.”
At that moment Freluchon rushed up to them, seized Edmond's arm and led him away, saying:
”They're right over there, both of them--dancing. I recognized their Andalusian steps. Henriette is dressed as a Folly; come at once; they don't propose to be recognized, but we'll bring them to it.”
Edmond instantly threw off the little blue domino's arm and hurried away with Freluchon.
Two women, each wearing a small mask of velvet, without a barb, and dressed, one as a sort of _debardeur_, that is to say, in a high s.h.i.+rt, velvet trousers with broad satin bands, a fringed sash and a round hat covered with flowers; the other as Folly, with a fool's bauble in her hand, bells on her arm and legs and cap, around her waist, everywhere, in short,--were dancing with two men whose costumes were eccentric to the last degree.
One, in a Greek tunic, with deerskin breeches and riding-boots, wore a Roman helmet. The other, dressed as a Cupid, with quiver and arrows, had on his head the sort of head-covering usually a.s.signed to Don Quixote, that is to say, a dish turned upside down.
The dancing of these gentlemen was in keeping with their costumes; it was very daring. The man in the helmet whirled his arms about like the wings of a windmill, with terrifying rapidity. The Cupid kicked up his heels almost in the face of his vis-a-vis, and from time to time, when he was doing the _cavalier seul_, threw himself flat on his stomach and executed the evolution known as the _spider_. As yet, the two little women had ventured upon nothing more than permissible cancan steps.
”The devil!” said Freluchon, planting himself behind the Folly; ”those bucks have a style of dancing that's rather risky for their partners.
Look out, Henriette; that Cupid will land his foot in your eye, and that's more dangerous, I a.s.sure you, than a kick somewhere else!”
The Folly pretended not to hear and went on dancing.
Edmond meanwhile, standing behind the little _debardeur_, said to her:
”My dear Amelia, I am very much afraid that your Roman will carry away your nose while he imitates a windmill with his arms; that would be a pity!”
The _debardeur_, like the Folly, made no reply; but a slight movement of the shoulders betrayed her, and seemed to say:
”Oh! let me alone; you bore me!”
A moment later Freluchon called loudly to his friend:
”I say, Edmond, they turned me out of my lodgings this morning, because I hadn't paid my rent or for my furniture! Did you ever hear such nonsense? Just imagine that my furniture, which I thought was paid for, wasn't!--Well! it didn't take away my spirits; on the contrary, it put me just in the mood to dance and enjoy myself!”
”But I, who lived with you--where am I to sleep?” rejoined Edmond with a laugh; ”here am I too without a home!”
”Never fear! we'll find some Roman or some Cupid to give us shelter!--And to think that for lack of four hundred francs I missed the finest match!”
”Nonsense! really?”
”Yes, my dear fellow, a superb match! a flower-maker, thoroughbred, who would have brought me as her dowry, in addition to her virtue, of which I will say nothing, the most agreeable disposition to have me shut up at Clichy,--with or without an eye-gla.s.s--in a very short time.”
The little woman disguised as a Folly suddenly walked up to Freluchon and said to him under her breath, but in a voice that trembled with anger:
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