Part 53 (2/2)
By this time the banker had contrived to rea.s.sure the doctor.
”Besides,” he added, ”everything is going on well, even our Tafila mines. I have taxed our people, according to their means, from one to twenty thousand francs, and we are certain of a million.”
The doctor rubbed his hands, and a delicious prospect of enjoyments stretched out before him.
”I have seen Catenac,” continued Martin Rigal. ”He has returned from Vendome, and the Duke de Champdoce is wild with hope and expectation, and is on the path which he thinks will take him to his son.”
”And how about Perpignan?”
Mascarin laughed.
”Perpignan is just as much a dupe as the Duke is; he thinks absolutely that he has discovered all the clues that I myself placed on his road.
Before, however, they have quite concluded their investigations, Paul will be my daughter's husband and Flavia the future d.u.c.h.ess of Champdoce, with an income that a monarch might envy.”
He paused, for there was a light tap on the door, and Flavia entered.
She bowed to the doctor, and, with the graceful movement of a bird, perched herself upon her father's knee, and, throwing her arms round his neck, kissed him again and again.
”This is a very nice little preface,” said the banker with a forced smile. ”The favor is granted in advance, for, of course, this means that you have come to ask one.”
The girl shook her head, and returned in the tone of one addressing a naughty child,--
”Oh, you bad papa! Am I in the habit of selling my kisses? I am sure that I have only to ask and to have.”
”Of course not, only----”
”I came to tell you that dinner was ready, and that Paul and I are both very hungry; and I only kissed you because I loved you; and if I had to choose a father again, out of the whole it would be you.”
He smiled fondly.
”But for the last six weeks,” said he, ”you have not loved me so well.”
”No,” returned she with charming simplicity, ”not for so long--nearly for fifteen days perhaps.”
”And yet it is more than a month since the good doctor brought a certain young man to dinner.”
Flavia uttered a frank, girlish laugh.
”I love you dearly,” said she, ”but especially for one thing.”
”And what is that, pray?”
”Ah! that is the secret; but I will tell it you for all that. It is only within the last fortnight that I have found out how really good you have been, and how much trouble you took in bringing Paul to me; but to think that you should have to put on those ugly old clothes, that nasty beard and those spectacles.”
At these words the banker started so abruptly to his feet that Flavia nearly fell to the ground.
”What do you mean by this?” said he.
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