Part 4 (2/2)

”I hope so, monsieur, especially as you are not now in Germany,” said Monsieur Joseph, thinking very earnestly of his own sword and pistols, ready for use in his own room.

He need only step in at that window, a few yards off. A fierce word, a blow, would be a suitable beginning--and then--if only Riette were out of sight, and the Prefect would not interfere--there could not be a better ground than the sand here by the house. Must one wait for all the formalities of a duel, with the Prefect and Angelot to see fair play?

However, he tried hard to restrain himself, at least for the moment.

”My wife is dead, monsieur, and I have but that one child,” he said, forcing the words out with difficulty: it was a triumph of the wise and gentle Joseph over the fiery and pa.s.sionate Joseph.

He thought of Urbain, when he wanted to conquer that side of himself; Urbain, who by counsel and influence had made it safe for him to live under the Empire, and who now, hating vulgarity and insolence as much as he did himself, would have pointed out that General Ratoneau's military brutality was not worth resenting; that there were greater things at stake than a momentary annoyance; that the man's tongue had been loosened, his lumbering spirit quickened, by draughts of sparkling wine of Anjou, and that his horrible curiosity carried no intentional insult with it. Indeed, as Monsieur Joseph perceived immediately, with a kind of wonder, the man fancied that he was making himself agreeable to his host.

”Ah, sapristi, I am sorry for you, monsieur, and for the young lady too,” he said. ”I am not married myself--but the loss of wife and mother must be a dreadful thing. Excuse a soldier's tongue, monsieur.”

Monsieur Joseph accepted the apology with a quick movement of head and hand, being as placable as he was pa.s.sionate. The General continued to stare at Henriette, who moved slowly, seeming to think of nothing, to see nothing, but the wild flowers and the crowd of flitting b.u.t.terflies in the meadow.

During this little interlude, one of the gendarmes, who had seemed asleep, got up and moved towards the Prefect, who turned to speak to him, and after the first word walked with him a few yards, so as to be out of hearing of the others. Angelot, who had been standing beside the Prefect, glanced after them with a touch of anxiety. He did not like the looks of that gendarme, though he had not, like Marie Gigot, recognised him as specially dangerous. He walked forward a few steps and stood beside his uncle. Suppose the meeting of that morning, risky if not unlawful, were to come to the Prefect's knowledge; suppose his uncle's dangerous friends were ferreted out of their hiding-place in the wood; what then was he, his father's son, to do? His mother's son, though far enough from sharing her enthusiasms, had an answer ready: whatever it might cost, he must stand by the little uncle and Riette.

”Your daughter is still young,”--it was the General's hoa.r.s.e voice--”too young yet to be reported to the Emperor. Monsieur le Prefet must wait three or four years. Then, when she is tall and pretty--”

Angelot's brow darkened. What was the creature saying?

”You were pleased to mean--” Monsieur Joseph was asking, with extreme civility.

”Ah, bah, have you heard nothing of the new order? Well, as I say, it will not affect you at present. But ask Monsieur le Prefet. He will explain. It is rather a sore subject with him, I believe, he has the prejudices of his cla.s.s--of your cla.s.s, I mean.”

”You are talking in riddles, indeed, monsieur,” said Monsieur Joseph.

They looked round at the Prefect. He had now finished his short talk with the gendarme, and as he turned towards the other group, Angelot's young eyes perceived a shadow on his kind face, a grave look of awakened interest. Angelot was also aware that he beckoned to him. As soon as he came up with him, the Prefect said, ”That is mademoiselle your cousin, is it not, gathering flowers in the meadow? I should like to pay her my compliments, if she is coming this way.”

”I will go and tell her so, Monsieur le Prefet,” said Angelot.

”Do, my friend.”

His eyes, anxious and thoughtful, followed the young man as he walked across towards the distant edge of the wood, whose dark shadows opened behind Riette and the crocuses. She looked up, startled, as her cousin came near, and for a moment seemed to think of disappearing into the wood; but a sign from him rea.s.sured her, and she came with a dancing step to meet him.

”I have been rousing curiosity, Monsieur le Prefet,” said the General, smiling grimly, as the Prefect rejoined the other men. ”I have been telling Monsieur de la Mariniere that one of these days you will report his daughter to the Emperor.”

The Prefect looked angry and annoyed. His handsome face flushed. With an involuntary movement he laid his hand on Monsieur Joseph's shoulder; their eyes met, and both men smiled.

”I sometimes think,” said Monsieur de Mauves, ”that His Majesty does not yet quite know France. His ideas have great spirit and originality, but they are not always very practical.”

”They are generally put into practice,” growled the General.

”Yes--but I do not think this one will go far. Certainly, it will have died out long before Mademoiselle de la Mariniere is grown up.”

”But explain, my dear friend!” cried Monsieur Joseph. ”Is the Emperor going to raise a regiment of Amazons, to fight Russia? I am dying with curiosity.”

”Some people would find your idea less disagreeable than the fact,” said the Prefect, smiling, while the General shook with laughter.

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