Volume II Part 37 (1/2)
”Truly, you are insatiable,” said the marquis; ”thus,” added he, restraining with great difficulty his emotion, ”thus I shall see you no more--to-day!” he hastened to add.
”Are you vexed that I go out this morning so early?” asked Madame d'Harville, quickly, astonished at the tone of his voice. ”If you ask it, I will put off my visit to Madame de Lucenay.”
The marquis was on the point of betraying himself; but said, in the most affectionate manner, ”Yes, my dear, I am as much vexed to see you go out as I shall be impatient to see you return; these are defects I shall never correct myself of.”
”And you will do well, dear; for I should be very angry.”
A bell announcing a visit resounded throughout the hotel.
”Here are, doubtless, some of your guests,” said Madame d'Harville; ”I leave you--by the way, what are you going to do to-night? If you have not disposed of your evening, I wish you would accompany me to the opera; perhaps, now, music will please you more!”
”I place myself under your orders with the greatest pleasure.”
”Are you going out soon? Shall I see you again before dinner?”
”I am not going out. You will find me here.”
”Then, when I return, I will come and see if your bachelor breakfast has been amusing.”
”Adieu, Clemence.”
”By, 'by! I leave you the field clear; I wish you much pleasure. Be very gay!” And after having cordially pressed the hand of her husband, Clemence went out by one door a moment before M. de Lucenay entered by another.
”She wishes me much amus.e.m.e.nt--she tells me to be gay--she went away tranquilly--smiling! this does honor to my dissimulation. By Jove! I did not think myself so good an actor. But here is Lucenay.”
The Duke de Lucenay entered the room; his wound had been so slight that he did not carry his arm in a sling. He was one of those men whose countenances are always cheerful and contemptuous, movements always restless, and mania to make a bustle insurmountable. Yet, notwithstanding his caprices, his pleasantries in very bad taste, and his enormous nose, he was not a vulgar man, thanks to a kind of natural dignity and courageous impertinence which never abandoned him.
”How indifferent you must suppose me to be as regards anything concerning you, my dear Henry!” said D'Harville, extending his hand to Lucenay; ”but it was only this morning I heard of your disagreeable adventure.”
”Disagreeable! come now, marquis! I got the worth of my money, as they say. I never laughed so much in my life! M. Robert appeared so solemnly determined not to pa.s.s for having a cold. You don't know what was the cause of the duel? The other night at the emba.s.sy, I asked him, before your wife and the Countess M'Gregor, how he got on with his cough; between us, he had not this inconvenience. But never mind.
You understand--to say that before handsome women is annoying.”
”What folly! I recognize you there. But who is this M. Robert?”
”I' faith! I don't know anything about him; he is a gentleman whom I met at the watering-places; he pa.s.sed before us in the winter-garden at the emba.s.sy; I called him to play off this joke; he answered the second day after by giving me, very gallantly, a nice little thrust with his sword. But don't let us talk of this nonsense. I come to beg a cup of tea.” Saying this, Lucenay threw himself at full length on the sofa; after which, introducing the end of his cane between the wall and the frame of a picture placed over his head, he commenced moving it backward and forward.
”I expected you, my dear Henry, and I have arranged a little surprise for you.”
”Oh, what is it?” cried Lucenay, pus.h.i.+ng the picture into a very ticklish position.
”You'll end by pulling that picture on your head.”
”That's true, by Jove! you have the eye of an eagle. But your surprise, what is it?”
”I have sent for some friends to breakfast with us.”
”Ah, good! marquis, bravo! bravissimo! archibravissimo!” screamed Lucenay, striking heavy blows on the sofa cus.h.i.+ons. ”And whom shall we have?”
”Saint Remy.”