Volume Ii Part 14 (2/2)
Honorine and Agathe had promised each other never to breathe a word of what they had seen and heard that evening by the cross in the ravine.
There are some subjects with respect to which the slightest indiscretion is a crime, in that it may have the most serious consequences; and the words which the owner of the Tower had uttered when he was on his knees beside the cross, were of those which one regrets having heard, and which one tries to forget.
However, there was no reason why the two friends should not discuss the subject between themselves, and in fact they often did.
Agathe, who always defended Paul, would exclaim:
”No, that man is not an a.s.sa.s.sin! I am absolutely convinced of it.
Indeed, the very emotion that he showed when I said that a stranger had been murdered in the ravine, and the warmth with which he repelled that suggestion prove that it is false.”
”It is a fact that he did seem keenly wounded by your words. But why, then, did he ask the forgiveness of the man who is buried there?--When one has fought a duel, loyally and honorably, it is no crime; the victor may regret his victory, but he does not accuse himself of it as of a criminal act.”
”But how can we tell how it happened--what brought it about?”
”Well, let us say no more about it; that will be the better way.”
”You are right; let us never mention it again.”
But it rarely happened that the following day pa.s.sed without Honorine herself leading the conversation to the subject of the owner of the Tower. And after talking about him, the young woman would be thoughtful and melancholy for a long while.
Agathe noticed this fact, but she was very careful not to mention it to her friend; women very quickly understand the secrets of the heart, and know when it is advisable not to seem to have divined them.
Edmond had returned to Ch.e.l.les; he had pa.s.sed several days in Paris, because he had been led to hope for a very well-paid position in a banking house; but it had been given to another and the young man was not cast down. He still had about twenty thousand francs; with that amount, with love in one's heart, and with a great hope of its being reciprocated, one has before one a whole future of happiness.
One morning the two ladies were working in the garden and Pere Ledrux was raking a path a short distance away, when Honorine suddenly said:
”It's a long while since we have had a call from Doctor Antoine Beaub.i.+.c.hon; I wonder if he can be sick?--Pere Ledrux, do you know whether Doctor Antoine is well?”
”Oh, yes!” replied the gardener; ”I saw him this very morning going to Madame Droguet's.--Tutu-turlututu.”
”It's strange that he hasn't been to see us for a fortnight.”
”Well! perhaps it's because he agrees with the rest--that you have enough company without him!”
”What's that? enough company? I don't understand. What do you mean by that, Pere Ledrux?”
”I--nothing at all; in the first place, you understand it don't make any difference to me, it ain't any of my business; you can have whole regiments come to see you for all me; you're your own mistresses, and I ain't the one to find fault!--But you know, there's some folks who do nothing but meddle with what don't concern 'em, and talk--why, just for the sake of talking!”
”Do you understand one word of all that he says, Agathe?”
”Not very well; but it seems that people think that we receive a great deal of company. Isn't that what they say, Pere Ledrux?”
”Yes, they say that you receive a good many men; that you've had some come from Paris, without counting those from this part of the country, who go to walk with you in the evening.--Tutu--turlututu.”
”You hear, Agathe; what do you think of that?”
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