Part 93 (1/2)
”You think not, Madeleine?”
This question was asked with an eagerness which would have betrayed Adolphine's secret, if her maid had not already guessed it.
”But f.a.n.n.y isn't married!” murmured Adolphine sadly, a moment later.
”Well, mamzelle, for my part, I am glad of it! She'd have kicked up altogether too much dust if she had been a countess.”
”But when will Gustave come back?”
”Why, you don't suppose that he will still want to marry your sister, do you?”
”Why not? He loved her so much!”
”Well, I'll bet that he won't. Think of it, mamzelle, after two such affronts as that! for you told me it was the second time she had broken with him. Why, he would have to be a downright fool for that. Is Monsieur Gustave a fool?”
”Oh, no! far from it.”
”Well, then----”
At that moment the bell rang; Adolphine started, without knowing why, and Madeleine cried:
”There, suppose it was him? Speak of the devil----”
It was, in fact, Gustave, and Madeleine's face was wreathed in smiles when she announced him to her mistress. The young man entered with more or less embarra.s.sment, caused by Cherami's disclosures. But Adolphine held out her hand, and he pressed it in his with such force that the girl was deeply moved; for Gustave had never manifested so much pleasure at sight of her.
In a moment she spied the scar, and exclaimed in dismay:
”Mon Dieu! Monsieur Gustave, you are wounded!”
”No; it is all healed.”
”But you surely have been terribly wounded. What was it?”
”A sword-cut.”
”You have had a duel?”
”Yes, with an Irish officer. I was in London then.”
”And why? For--whom did you fight?”
”Oh! it was for a mere trifle. A quarrel following a hearty breakfast.”
”Mon Dieu! if you had been killed!”
”I shouldn't be with you now.”
”Was the wound serious?”
”Yes, it kept me housed six weeks. But for that, I should have been at home more than a month ago.”