Part 5 (1/2)

CHAPTER V.

A STRANGE REVELATION.

The old Count Laborde had been too much weakened by suffering and privation to recover very rapidly. For a few days he spent most of his time reclining upon a couch in the little cabin, where Mimi devoted herself to him with the tenderest care. At times she would come upon deck at the urgent request of her father, and then Claude would devote himself to her with still more tender care. The old man did not take much notice of surrounding things. He lay most of the time with his eyes closed, in a half-dreamy state, and it was only with an effort that he was able to rouse himself to speak. He took no notice whatever of any one but his daughter. Cazeneau made several efforts to engage his attention, but he could not be roused.

Thus there were short intervals, on successive days, when Claude was able to devote himself to Mimi, for the laudable purpose of beguiling the time which he thought must hang heavy on her hands. He considered that as he was in some sort the master of the schooner, these strangers were all his guests, and he was therefore bound by the sacred laws of hospitality to make it as pleasant for them as possible. Of course, also, it was necessary that he should exert his hospitable powers most chiefly for the benefit of the lady; and this necessity he followed up with very great spirit and a.s.siduity.

By the conversation which he had already had with her, it will be seen that they had made rapid advances towards intimacy. Claude was eager to extend this advance still farther, to take her still more into his confidence, and induce her to take him into hers. He was very eager to tell her all about himself, and the nature of his present voyage; he was still more eager to learn from her all that she might know about the Montresor family. And thus he was ever on the lookout for her appearance on deck.

These appearances were not so frequent as he desired; but Mimi's devotion to her father kept her below most of the time. At such times Claude did the agreeable to the other pa.s.sengers, with varying success. With the lieutenant he succeeded in ingratiating himself very rapidly; but with Cazeneau all his efforts proved futile. There was about this man a sullen reserve and _hauteur_ which made conversation difficult and friends.h.i.+p impossible. Claude was full of _bonhomie_, good-nature generally, and sociability; but Cazeneau was more than he could endure; so that, after a few attempts, he retired, baffled, vexed at what he considered the other's aristocratic pride.

What was more noticed by him now, was the fact that Pere Michel had grown more reserved with him; not that there was any visible change in the good priest's friendly manner, but he seemed pro-occupied and strangely self-absorbed. And so things went on.

Meantime the schooner can hardly be said to have gone on at all. What with light head winds, and currents, and calms, her progress was but slow. This state of things was very irritating to Zac, who began to mutter something about these rascally Moosoos bringing bad luck, and ”he'd be darned if he wouldn't like to know where in blamenation it was all going to end.” But as Claude was no longer so good a listener as he used to be, Zac grew tired of talking to empty s.p.a.ce, and finally held his peace. The winds and tides, and the delay, however, made no difference with Claude, nor did it interfere in the slightest with his self-content and self-complacency. In fact, he looked as though he rather enjoyed the situation; and this was not the least aggravating thing in the surroundings to the mind of the impatient skipper.

Thus several days pa.s.sed, and at length Claude had an opportunity of drawing Mimi into another somewhat protracted conversation.

”I am very much obliged to you,” said Claude, gayly, ”for making your appearance. I have been trying to do the agreeable to your s.h.i.+pmate Cazeneau, but without success. Is he always so amiable? and is he a friend of yours?”

Mimi looked at Claude with a very serious expression as he said this, and was silent for a few minutes.

”He is a friend of papa's,” said she at last. ”He came out with us--”

”Is he a great friend of yours?” asked Claude.

Mimi hesitated for a moment, and then said,--

”No; I do not like him at all.”

Claude drew a long breath.

”Nor do I,” said he.

”Perhaps I am doing him injustice,” said Mimi, ”but I cannot help feeling as though he is in some way connected with dear papa's troubles. I do not mean to say that he is the cause of them. I merely mean that, as far as I know anything about them, it is always in such a way that he seems mixed up with them. And I don't think, either, that his face is very much in his favor, for there is something so harsh and cruel in his expression, that I always wish that papa had chosen some different kind of a person for his friend and confidant.”

”Is he all that?” asked Claude.

”O, I suppose so,” said Mimi. ”They have secrets together, and make, together, plans that I know nothing about.”

”Do you suppose,” asked Claude, ”that you will ever be in any way connected with their plans?”

He put this question, which was a general one, in a very peculiar tone, which indicated some deeper meaning. It seemed as though Mimi understood him, for she threw at him a hurried and half-frightened look.

”Why?” she asked. ”What makes you ask such a question as that?”

”O, I don't know,” said Claude. ”The thought merely entered my mind--perhaps because I dislike him, and suspect him, and am ready to imagine all kinds of evil about him.”

Mimi regarded him now with a very earnest look, and said nothing for some time.