Part 32 (1/2)

”Then,” she said very prettily, ”I must try to deserve it. Come help me to make myself beautiful.”

She led Genevieve away by the hand.

Maurice remained rooted to the spot. Somehow he guessed what sudden change had operated upon his cousin's spirit. Something must have taken place in the corridor between these two! He murmured sadly, ”Poor Albert, poor little cousin!”

The young Count appeared before him in his most radiant humour.

”I have just met Esperance,” he said. ”She was joyous, brilliant, I have never before seen her so happy!”

Maurice gnawed his moustache, and moved rather angrily.

”We should never have come here,” he said, ”success has turned her head.”

”She was born for success,” said the Count. ”I often ask myself whether I have a right to accept the sacrifice she is making for me.”

”My dear friend, when things are well you should leave them alone.”

”When you love as I love, you desire above everything the happiness of the one you love.”

”Unless the one you love should prefer someone else to you?”

”You are wrong, Maurice. I would sacrifice myself for Esperance's happiness if I knew she wanted to marry another man.”

Maurice shrugged his shoulders.

”We are not of the same race. Your blood runs colder in your veins than mine, for mine boils. But, perhaps you have a better understanding of these things?”

And he left the Count to go and help the Duke prepare the ”Judgment of Paris.”

Three young girls had been chosen for this tableau. Mlle. de Berneuve, a beautiful brunette (Hera); Mlle. Lebrun, with flaming hair (Athene); and Esperance, delicately blonde, was to represent Aphrodite, to whom the shepherd Paris would award the prize for beauty.

To personify Aphrodite the girl wore a long pink tunic, with a peplum of the same colour heavily embroidered. Her hair was piled high on her head, leaving the lovely nape of her neck half covered by her draperies, her exquisitely delicate arms emerging from a sleeveless tunic. To represent the shepherd Paris, the Duke was wearing a short tunic embroidered with agate beads to hold the stuff down, and a sheep skin. A red cap was on his head. He was magnificent to look upon.

The stage began to revolve. Paris held out his apple to Aphrodite, who went crimson at his glance. The girl's blushes did not escape the audience, where the comments varied according to the person who made them.

Maurice, Genevieve, and Jean understood what Esperance read in Paris's eyes. A sad smile gave a melancholy grace to the lovely Aphrodite.

Both the actors had forgotten that they were not alone. Hypnotized under the gaze of Paris, the young girl made a gesture towards him. A sharp, ”Don't move” from the prompter brought her back to herself. She turned her head, saw the audience, with the eyes and gla.s.ses of everyone focussed upon her. It seemed to her that they must all know her secret. She tottered; and supported herself upon Athene. She must have fallen from the frame and been badly hurt, if the Duke had not caught her just in time. A cry escaped from the audience. The Marquis de Montagnac gave a sign to the stage hands to stop revolving the stage.

Albert climbed up on the stage at once. He thrust Paris quickly aside, picked up the girl and carried her out on to the terrace. Maurice and Jean followed him. She was not unconscious, but she could not speak and she recognized no one. Genevieve knelt beside her. At first delicacy--discretion--held the spectators back, but curiosity soon drove them forward. But the Duke did not appear. He had seemingly vanished.

The Doctor of the Chateau was called from playing croquet. He began by ordering the crowd away. Esperance was stretched out on an easy chair on the terrace. The Doctor looked at her for a moment, amazed at her beauty, then sat beside her, feeling her pulse. Genevieve described what had happened. He listened attentively.

”There is nothing serious,” he said, ”only a little exhaustion and collapse. I will go and mix a soothing drink for her.”

Esperance, still unconscious, was carried by her fiance to her room, where Genevieve and Mlle. Frahender put her to bed. Albert went back to wait for the Doctor. Maurice went in search of Charles de Morlay.

He met a forester, who told him that the Duke had gone for a ride in the forest, and had sent word to the d.u.c.h.ess that he might not be back to lunch.

Maurice returned disturbed and thoughtful. Genevieve was waiting for him with the news that the Doctor had himself administered a sleeping draught to Esperance which he said should make her sleep at least five hours.

”So much the better! That will give us a little time to consider and to decide what is to be done. The truth is that we ought to clear out this very day! Love is a miscreant!”