Part 113 (1/2)

Bruno did as he was ordered, but ground his teeth as he walked toward the door. When he returned again, his manner was as polite and attentive as before.

”Proceed,” said he, ”no one hears us; a mourner listens to you patiently.”

”A mourner! We have greater cause to mourn than you have. We thought we had allied ourselves with one of the best families in the land.” Bruno started as if angry.

”Pray drop your acting for the present,” continued the Baroness, whose voice and appearance had changed. ”We are alone now, and unmasked. In spite of the outward show of politeness, you have never treated me with the respect which I have a right to demand. Don't contradict me; please let me finish what I am about to say: When I calmly reflected on the matter, I was not angry with you on that account. I knew my position.

But now, my dear son-in-law, matters have changed. I was what your sister was, but I never feigned virtue. The world esteemed me at my true value--”

Bruno heaved a deep sigh.

The Baroness continued, grinding her teeth with anger as she spoke:

”When your sister was so kind to us, I could have knelt to her in humility. She must give me back my humility, though she be in h.e.l.l! It was not she who was the better; it was I--But now, my son-in-law, your disdainful behavior must cease. Let me tell you, you ought to feel glad that we've allied ourselves with you. But we shall never let you feel it; that is, if you conduct yourself in a becoming manner.”

”And am I not doing so?” asked Bruno, who, during this attack, had entirely lost his self-command.

”We will see; but, first of all, let me tell you that, after this, I shall reside with Arabella as often and as long as I choose to. This insipidly moral queen has been taught a lesson, too. At present, however, I have no desire to appear at court. But the social circle is open to me--I shall enter it, arm in arm with you, my amiable, my gallant son.”

The old woman rose and, bowing gracefully, offered her arm to Bruno.

The latter took his mother-in-law's hand in his own and held it to his lips.

”Fie! you've been drinking wine, in your grief!” cried the old danseuse, hurriedly putting her fine and strongly perfumed handkerchief to her lips.

”Miss Mother-in-law--” the words were on the end of Bruno's tongue; he would like to have hurled them at her. Steps were heard. A moment afterward the intendant entered, his presence serving as a great relief to Bruno.

”I beg pardon! don't let me disturb you,” said he, when he saw Bruno's mother-in-law.

”You're not disturbing us,” replied Bruno quickly. ”In spite of a violent attack of fever, our dear mother, now our grandmother, has hastened to console us. I am fortunate in still having a few faithful relatives, and a friend like yourself. I shall now live entirely for the family still left me.”

The Baroness nodded a pleased a.s.sent. She was thoroughly satisfied with Bruno's first rehearsal of his new _role_.

”We shan't leave to-day?” inquired the intendant.

”Yes, yes. We must not lose another minute.”

The mother-in-law undertook to tell Arabella of Bruno's departure, and to inform her that he had been sent away on public business.

While slowly drawing on his black gloves, Bruno thanked his mother-in-law. He thanked her sincerely, for while he well knew that he was about to enter upon a state of dependence, and that her presence in his house would prove distasteful to him in many ways, he, at the same time, consoled himself with the hope that she would prove a companion to his wife, and that he could thus absent himself from home more frequently, and for longer periods, than he had before done; for he felt it not a little irksome to be obliged to spend so much of his time with his wife. The leave-taking was short, but hearty. Bruno was permitted to kiss his mother-in-law's cheek. After he got into the carriage, he rubbed his lips till they were almost sore, in order to wipe the rouge off of them.

It was already evening when they drove off, and they pa.s.sed the night at the first posting-house. Bruno lay down on the bed to rest himself ”for a little while,” but he did not awake until late the following morning.

CHAPTER X.

The queen, overcome with grief, lay sleeping in her apartment.

The court ladies were gathered together on the terrace under the weeping ash, and did not care to leave one another. It seemed as if a fear of ghosts oppressed them all. It was but a few days since Irma had been in their midst. She had been sitting in the chair without a back--she never leaned against anything. The seat she had occupied remained empty, and if the paths were not freshly raked every morning, her footprint would still be there. And now she had vanished from the world. Her light had been extinguished, and in so terrible a manner.

Who could tell how long her ghost might haunt the palace and what mischief it might do. The world, at last, knew what had been going on.