Volume Ii Part 67 (2/2)
”Here, this roll contains a thousand francs in gold.”
”Ah! that's very pretty! But it's only a payment on account, eh?”
”To-morrow, here, at this same hour, I will give you twice as much more, if all has gone as I desire.”
”In that case, it's a bargain.”
”You swear?”
”Is there any need of swearing between us? Get your yellow boys ready for to-morrow.”
”Until then avoid showing yourself in the village.”
”Never fear; I will keep out of sight in some wine-shop, at a little distance. It will soon be dark; to-morrow morning will soon be here.”
”I may rely on you?”
”Of course, as it's a bargain. Adieu!”
XXV
THE DOG
It was seven o'clock in the morning; the sky was clear and the weather superb. In the country it is a keen delight to enjoy a lovely morning; nature has more attractions, more charms; the gra.s.s is fresher, the foliage a deeper green; the flowers exhale a sweeter perfume; although one may justifiably be lazy in the city, it is a great fault when one lives amid the fields.
Honorine and Agathe loved to enjoy the awakening of nature; they were always in their garden at seven o'clock. And now that so great a change had taken place in their position, now that the future appeared so sunny and happy, they had too many things to say to each other to pa.s.s their time in sleep.
The gentlemen had left them rather late the night before; but when they went away, they had said: ”Until to-morrow.”
”And come earlier than you did to-day!” Agathe had said to Edmond.
He had answered yes, but his voice had not its usual distinctness. One cannot always control one's voice; that organ almost always betrays the sentiments that agitate us.
Honorine had shown to Paul the letters of Adhemar to Julia Montoni, and Paul had no doubt that, when he should send them to the count's uncle, the old man would recognize Agathe as his grand-niece.
Meanwhile, Monsieur Duronceray insisted that half of his fortune should const.i.tute the girl's dowry; then, in an undertone, almost in a whisper, he had offered the other half to Honorine, with the t.i.tle of his wife.
She had listened to that proposal without uttering a word, but her eyes had answered for her; it seemed to her so sweet to love and to be loved, that she could hardly believe in her happiness.
”Don't you think,” Agathe asked her friend, ”that Edmond seemed very distraught last evening when he bade us good-night?”
”Why, no; I didn't notice it.”
”Oh! because you didn't look at anybody but Monsieur Paul.”
”Well! are you displeased because someone loves me?”
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