Volume Ii Part 59 (1/2)
”Of that what?”
”It is enough for you to know that on the day when you announce to me the ruin of those two women, I will cover you with gold, I will give you as much of it as you can carry.”
”_Bigre!_ I'll be strong that day, I promise you!”
”It is broad daylight; don't stay here. By-and-by, about six o'clock this afternoon, be at the end of my park--on the lonely road that skirts the wall.”
”Agreed; I will be there.”
Croque left the villa, and Thelenie hastened to her apartment.
XXII
REVELATION
While all these events were taking place at Goldfish Villa, let us see what was happening in the modest abode of Honorine and Agathe.
Edmond's young betrothed was secretly unhappy at the thought that her beloved was going to Madame de Belleville's fete. She remembered how that lady had stared at her the first time that she saw her at the summer-house window, and the familiar tone in which she had spoken to Edmond.
The woman who is most innocent of intrigue has nevertheless a secret instinct which enables her to detect the sentiments which people try to conceal from her; and that instinct never deceives her in the matter of a rival.
Agathe, however, did not doubt the love or the fidelity of the man she loved; that was why, dreading to appear ridiculous if she allowed the apprehensions caused by Madame de Belleville's invitation to appear, she had been the first to urge him to attend the fete.
But that evening, as soon as Edmond had left them, to go home to dress, Agathe had gone up to her room, in order to conceal from Honorine the anxiety she felt.
Honorine had divined what was taking place in Agathe's heart; but she did not share her apprehensions. She thought that a woman ought never to abuse her influence over the man who loves her, by obliging him to do only what she wished. She imagined too that Edmond's presence at Madame de Belleville's would prevent the slanderous tongues of the village from making any unseemly remarks about herself and her young friend.
Honorine therefore was alone that evening in the small salon which opened into the garden; it was the first time that that had happened since she had lived at Ch.e.l.les. At that moment solitude was not irksome to her; when the heart has much to think about, it loves silence and repose. Honorine reflected that for several days their neighbor Paul had not called upon them. She wondered if it was possible that anything that she had said had displeased him; she could think of nothing to account for his absence, and the result of her cogitations was a deep sigh, and the reflection that she was thinking of someone who did not waste a thought on her.
The young woman, absorbed in her reverie, had long since let her embroidery fall from her hands, without being conscious that she had ceased to work, when of a sudden she felt something cold against her hand, then a heavy paw was laid on her lap; that was the way in which the dog from the Tower always said good-morning or good-evening. When she saw Ami fawning upon her, Honorine's heart beat fast with pleasure, and she patted the dog gently.
”Why, is that you, Ami? So you have found the road to this house again?
I was beginning to think that you had forgotten us altogether, and that we should not see you again!”
These words were addressed no less to the master than to the dog; and Paul, who appeared in the doorway, would have been very ungrateful if he had not taken them home to himself.
He bowed low to the young woman, saying:
”Is it not presumptuous in me, madame, to present myself here so late?”
”Why, no, monsieur; it is little more than nine o'clock, I think; and if you find me alone--which I very rarely am--it is because Agathe felt tired and sleepy. As for Monsieur Edmond, he is at a party, which fact accounts in some measure for Agathe's headache.--Now, monsieur, consider whether you have the courage to remain with one poor woman--who has nothing but her conversation to offer you.”
Paul took a chair and seated himself at some distance from Honorine. On learning that he was to be alone with her, he seemed embarra.s.sed.
Luckily, Ami was there to enliven the interview; Honorine continued to caress him and said to him:
”How glad you seem to see me, Ami! But if it gives you so much pleasure to be with me, why don't you come oftener? You don't need to wait until it happens to occur to your master to come. If he doesn't enjoy himself here, he is right not to come; but you know the way, and I don't think that he objects to your coming here to show us that you haven't forgotten us.”
”Surely you cannot think, madame, that I do not enjoy myself in your house; only in your pleasant company have I found at last some distraction from the sorrows which have made me shun society for many years.”