Part 6 (2/2)
”But so deserted a church,--so out of the way! Who would come here from the Louvre but for a tryst?”
She smiled, indulgently. ”Can a thing have no cause except the obvious one?” she said. ”I visit this church once every month, because, obscure though it be, it is a.s.sociated with certain events in the history of my ancestors.”
”But,” I went on, though beginning to feel relieved, ”if M. de Noyard was thrusting his presence on you, why did he leave before you did?”
”Probably because he knew that I would not leave the church while he remained to press his company upon me outside.”
The low tones that we had to use, on account of our surroundings, gave our conversation an air of confidence and secrecy that was delicious to me; and now her voice fell even lower, when she added:
”I take the pains to explain these things to you, monsieur, because I do not wish you to think that I have intrigues;” and she regarded me fixedly with her large gray eyes, which in the dimness of the place were darker and more l.u.s.trous than usual.
Delightfully thrilled at this, I made to take her hand and stoop to kiss it, but stopped for a last doubt.
”Mademoiselle,” I said, ”I think you only the most adorable woman in the world. But there is one thing which has cost me many a sleepless hour, many a jealous surmise. If I could be rea.s.sured as to the nature of your errand that night when I first saw you--”
”Oh!” she laughed, ”I was coming from an astrologer's.”
”But you were not coming from the direction of Ruggieri's house.”
”There are many astrologers in Paris, besides Ruggieri. Although the Queen-mother relies implicitly on him, one may sometimes get a more pleasing prediction from another; or, another may be clear on a point on which he is vague.”
”But the hour--”
”I took the time when I was not on duty, and he kept me late. It was for a friend that I visited the astrologer,--a friend who was required in the palace all that evening. The astrologer had to be consulted that night, as my friend wished to be guided in a course that she would have to take the next morning. Now, Monsieur Curiosity, are you satisfied?”
This time I took her hand and pressed my lips upon it.
She was silent for a moment, noting the look of admiration on my face.
Then, quickly, and in little more than a whisper, she said:
”I have answered your questions, though not admitting your right to ask them. Would you know how to gain that right?”
”Tell me!” I said, my heart beating rapidly with elation.
”Challenge M. de Noyard, and kill him!”
I stared in astonishment.
”Now you may know whether or not I love him,” she added.
”But, mademoiselle,--why--”
”Ah, that is the one thing about which I must always refuse to be questioned! I ask you this service. Will you grant it?”
”If he has given you offence,” I said, ”certainly I will seek him at once.”
”Not a word of me is to be said between you! He must not know that I have spoken to you.”
”But a man is not to be killed without reason.”
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