Part 31 (1/2)
”She will not believe the pretext I have given her,” he said to himself, as he sealed the letter ”but she will quite understand, and, now, it is all over between us.”
And then all at once a feeling of utter loneliness came over him, and a vision of the life that would from henceforth be his rose before him with strange distinctness. He shuddered in spite of himself, and then he fell to going over again in his mind all his sorrows.
In the meantime, Bijou had shown Jeanne Dubuisson to the room she was to occupy during her visit to the chateau.
”It is your imagination, I tell you; nothing but your imagination,”
she said to her friend. ”He does like me, certainly, but just in the way one cares for a cousin, or even a sister.”
”No! It was quite enough to look at his face when he went out of the drawing-room. He was quite upset, and I am sure he has not got over it yet.”
”Wouldn't you like me to go and ask him? But, there, it is seven o'clock. We have only just time to dress. I will come back for you when the first dinner-bell rings.”
When Bijou came out of her bedroom, simply but charmingly dressed, as usual, the long landing was dark and silent. The servants had drawn the blinds, but had not yet lighted the lamps.
Jean, who was coming out of his room, could just distinguish, in the darkness, a few yards away from him, a figure in a light dress. He hurried up to it, and Bijou asked:
”Is that you, Jean?”
”Yes,” he answered; ”and I want a word with you.”
”Something that won't take long? The first bell has gone.”
”Something very short; but I should prefer no one else hearing.”
”Shall we go into your room, then, or into mine?”
”Into yours, as we are so near it.”
Bijou opened the door, and, when Blaye was inside, she said:
”Wait a minute. Don't move, or I shall knock against you. I will light--”
”Oh, it isn't worth getting a light,” he said, catching hold of her arm to stop her. ”I can say what I have to without that. Besides, it won't take long. I want to tell you, Bijou, my dear, that what you did, you know, just now--”
She appeared to be trying to remember.
”Just now? Whatever was it I did?”
”Well, in a very nice way--oh! in a very nice way, indeed, you know--you kissed me, but you are too grown-up to do that now when there are people there.”
”And when there isn't anyone there?” she asked, laughing, ”may I then--tell me?”
Before he had time to reply, she had laid her hands on his shoulder, and lifted her face towards his. He bent his head at the same moment, and her lips touched his. Bijou gave a little half-timid murmur of affection, which moved him deeply.
He made up his mind now to tell her of his love, and tried to draw her to him; but the young girl pushed back the hands which were endeavouring to hold her, and ran out of the room, and, by the rustle of her dress along the wall, Jean knew that she was hurrying away.
X.