Part 14 (1/2)
”What, is there more to come?” asked her father, smiling.
The child's complete and effervescent innocence had restored her father's peace of mind.
”A confession of the first importance,” said she. ”I loved him without knowing him; and, for the last hour, since seeing him, I am crazy about him.”
”A little too crazy!” said the Baron, who was enjoying the sight of this guileless pa.s.sion.
”Do not punish me for confiding in you,” replied she. ”It is so delightful to say to my father's heart, 'I love him! I am so happy in loving him!'--You will see my Wenceslas! His brow is so sad. The sun of genius s.h.i.+nes in his gray eyes--and what an air he has! What do you think of Livonia? Is it a fine country?--The idea of Cousin Betty's marrying that young fellow! She might be his mother. It would be murder!
I am quite jealous of all she has ever done for him. But I don't think my marriage will please her.”
”See, my darling, we must hide nothing from your mother.”
”I should have to show her the seal, and I promised not to betray Cousin Lisbeth, who is afraid, she says, of mamma's laughing at her,” said Hortense.
”You have scruples about the seal, and none about robbing your cousin of her lover.”
”I promised about the seal--I made no promise about the sculptor.”
This adventure, patriarchal in its simplicity, came admirably _a propos_ to the unconfessed poverty of the family; the Baron, while praising his daughter for her candor, explained to her that she must now leave matters to the discretion of her parents.
”You understand, my child, that it is not your part to ascertain whether your cousin's lover is a Count, if he has all his papers properly certified, and if his conduct is a guarantee for his respectability.--As for your cousin, she refused five offers when she was twenty years younger; that will prove no obstacle, I undertake to say.”
”Listen to me, papa; if you really wish to see me married, never say a word to Lisbeth about it till just before the contract is signed. I have been catechizing her about this business for the last six months! Well, there is something about her quite inexplicable----”
”What?” said her father, puzzled.
”Well, she looks evil when I say too much, even in joke, about her lover. Make inquiries, but leave me to row my own boat. My confidence ought to rea.s.sure you.”
”The Lord said, 'Suffer little children to come unto Me.' You are one of those who have come back again,” replied the Baron with a touch of irony.
After breakfast the dealer was announced, and the artist with his group.
The sudden flush that reddened her daughter's face at once made the Baroness suspicious and then watchful, and the girl's confusion and the light in her eyes soon betrayed the mystery so badly guarded in her simple heart.
Count Steinbock, dressed in black, struck the Baron as a very gentlemanly young man.
”Would you undertake a bronze statue?” he asked, as he held up the group.
After admiring it on trust, he pa.s.sed it on to his wife, who knew nothing about sculpture.
”It is beautiful, isn't it, mamma?” said Hortense in her mother' ear.
”A statue! Monsieur, it is less difficult to execute a statue than to make a clock like this, which my friend here has been kind enough to bring,” said the artist in reply.
The dealer was placing on the dining-room sideboard the wax model of the twelve Hours that the Loves were trying to delay.
”Leave the clock with me,” said the Baron, astounded at the beauty of the sketch. ”I should like to show it to the Ministers of the Interior and of Commerce.”
”Who is the young man in whom you take so much interest?” the Baroness asked her daughter.