Part 57 (1/2)
Let us leave the young couple asleep, and see what the engineers of this whole intrigue were doing.
On leaving Cherubin, Darena had gone in search of his friend Poterne, who, still dressed as a Polish count, was waiting for him at a restaurant in Menilmontant. The two gentlemen sat down to breakfast and discussed their plot.
”It goes as if it were on wheels,” said Darena. ”Cherubin is now with the girl, whom he thinks that I kidnapped for him! I trust that Chichette won't make any slips of the tongue. But no matter! with that accent of hers, anything will go; and besides, a lover never pays any attention to idioms!”
”Was my little Bruno at his post?”
”Yes; he is supposed to be the concierge's son. That boy has the look of a famous scamp.”
”He has a lot of intelligence; he'll go a long way!”
”So I believe.”
”Besides, for the last act of our comedy, it will be better to have n.o.body there but a boy, who won't interfere with us at all. And then, too, it will be much more probable that I was able to force my way into the house, if there's n.o.body but a boy to guard it; for we must strike the great blow now. A few thousand-franc notes, by the way, are all right; but they're gone too soon. We have an opportunity to obtain a good round sum and we mustn't let it slip; it won't come again.”
”You are perfectly right, Poterne. What we are going to do to-day is not strictly honorable; but, after all, the little fellow is rich; sixty thousand francs won't ruin him.”
”You don't want me to ask for more?”
”Oh, no! we mustn't flay him. It's understood then--in two hours you will go to the house.”
”Why not earlier?”
”My dear Poterne, how impatient you are! we must give the lovers time to breakfast and to abandon themselves to the joys of love. Deuce take it!
everybody must amuse himself, after all; and consider, Poterne, that by leaving them together longer, you will inevitably take them _in flagrante delicto!_ That is much the shrewder way. You are supposed to be the husband; your wife has been spirited away, and you find her in her ravisher's arms; you bellow and roar and swear that you will kill them both--your wife especially! Cherubin pleads for mercy for her, and you refuse to accord it unless he signs notes of hand for sixty thousand francs.--You have some stamped paper, haven't you?”
”Oh! I have all that I need. But suppose the young marquis defends himself, suppose he refuses to sign?”
”Nonsense! a mere boy! You must threaten him with prosecution for abducting your wife; you will have your dagger, and you can still insist on killing her; Cherubin is too generous not to try to save her.”
”I agree with you there.”
”In all this, Monsieur Poterne, take good care not to hurt anybody! Your dagger isn't sharp, I trust?”
”Oh, no! there's no danger.”
”And when you speak, a.s.sume some kind of an accent, so that he won't recognize you.”
”I will be careful, and I will do a great deal in pantomime.”
Everything being arranged, the gentlemen breakfasted and conversed at great length; ordered a pipe and cigars, and smoked to pa.s.s the time away.
More than two hours pa.s.sed. Poterne replaced his green spectacles on his nose, saying:
”Now I can go and finish up our business.”
He rose; Darena did the same.
”Yes, it is time; let us go.”