Part 61 (1/2)
”Could you really fight with me?”
Alfred was moved, but he strove to control himself as he replied:
”When one has insulted a person, should one not be ready to give him satisfaction?”
”But can I take offense at a word inspired by anger, and which your heart disavows? Should one never forgive his friend for anything? What would be the use of friends.h.i.+p if it does not make us more indulgent to those whom we love?”
”Friends.h.i.+p! I no longer believe in yours!”
”Alfred, I have but one thing more to say to you; I propose that Isaure shall be my wife.”
”Your wife?” cried Alfred in amazement, ”your wife,--that young peasant!”
”Yes, I am fully determined upon it. Will you forgive me now for the preference which she accords to me?”
”If you really propose to make her your wife,” said Alfred, after a moment's silence, ”you deserve to win her; for, I admit, I never had that intention. But it is very hard for me to believe it. However, I shall find a way to ascertain the truth.”
Alfred walked back to the chateau and Edouard did the same; but they said nothing more to each other.
XXI
SERVANTS' GOSSIP.--ALFRED AND THE VAGABOND
The next day, at daybreak, a certain excitement was apparent among the servants of the chateau; they were a.s.sembled in the courtyard, talking earnestly among themselves. Among those who declaimed the most loudly was the concierge, who seemed to be haranguing the others.
”I tell you that it can't be anything,” cried Cunette, gesticulating in a most dramatic way. ”For more than fifteen years I've been concierge in this chateau, and nothing strange ever happened here.”
”I don't know whether it is strange or not,” said the groom, ”but I tell you that I saw a light. You know we came back late with monsieur; and then I had to groom the horse, put away the carriage, and then eat my supper; so that it was very late when I went to bed. As the weather was fine and I didn't feel much like sleeping, I went to the window and happened to look at the tower opposite, which you call the North Tower.”
”Where no one lives,” said Cunette, ”because monseigneur thought that it was in too bad condition, and that it wasn't worth while to have it done over new, as there's plenty of room in the chateau.”
”Well, whether anyone lives there or not, I tell you that last night about eleven o'clock--or rather, it was pretty near midnight--I saw a light in one of the little windows up at the top.”
”Mon Dieu!” said Jeannette; ”midnight! That's the time for ghosts, ain't it, Mamzelle Cheval?”
”Nonsense!” said the cook; ”do you suppose I believe in ghosts? All those stories are made up to frighten folks. It's more likely to be thieves who want to steal my chickens,--that is, if it was anything at all.”
”What!” said Francois, approaching the other servants, ”are there ghosts in this chateau, too?”
”Oh, no! Monsieur Francois; there's no question of ghosts,” replied the groom, ”it's just a light that I saw last night in the tower where no one sleeps.”
”It was a reflection of the moon, that he took for a light,” said Cunette; ”I am the concierge, and I'll answer for it that no suspicious person came into the chateau.”
”Pardi!” said Jeannette, ”if it was a ghost, do they come in through the doors?”
”Observe,” continued the concierge, ”that Benoit says that the light was up high at that window; that's in the a.r.s.enal; what would any thieves go to the a.r.s.enal for, where there's nothing but old rusty swords?”
”But suppose it wasn't a thief?”