Part 63 (2/2)

”It was you who brought Louise to this house; go now and find her. Say to the persons in whose service she is that she is not to work any more, that she has found a friend and protector; say whatever you choose, but remember that you must bring me my friend and sister. As for her, simply say to her that I am here, waiting for her, and I am perfectly sure that she will instantly make her preparations to come to me. Go, monsieur; I will stay here and wait.”

Monsieur Gerondif jumped out of the cab, blew his nose when he was on the sidewalk, and entered the house at last, saying to himself:

”Let us do it, as there is no way to avoid it! The little one will not be mine--unless, perhaps, later--no one knows. Perhaps he will endow her, and I will imagine that she's a widow.”

Cherubin counted the minutes after the tutor entered the house; he leaned out of the cab door and did not take his eyes from the porte cochere; for he momentarily expected Louise to appear, and that hope was constantly disappointed. At last two persons left the house and came toward him; they were Monsieur Gerondif and Comtois. The professor's face wore a most woebegone expression; he rolled his eyes wildly about as he approached Cherubin: but the latter did not wait for him to speak.

”Louise!” he cried, ”Louise! why hasn't she come with you? Didn't you tell her that I was here?”

”No, my n.o.ble pupil,” replied Gerondif, with an air of desperation, ”I did not tell her, for I could not. If you knew!”

”I don't want to know; I want Louise--I came here to get her. Why doesn't she come down? Do they refuse to let her go? In that case I will go up myself----”

”Oh, no! n.o.body refuses anything; but she has gone already, and that is why she doesn't come down with us.”

”What do you say? Louise----”

”Has not been at Monsieur de Noirmont's for four days; she went off one morning, very early, before anyone in the house was up.”

”Ah! you are deceiving me!”

”No, my n.o.ble pupil; but as I thought that perhaps you would not believe me, I requested Comtois, Monsieur de Noirmont's confidential valet, to come with me and confirm my story.--Speak, incorruptible Comtois; tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

Comtois stepped toward Cherubin, and said, saluting him respectfully:

”Since Mademoiselle Louise has been in our family, we had never had anything but praise for her behavior. Her modest manner, her sweetness of disposition, won all our hearts. Mademoiselle Ernestine de Noirmont treated her more as her friend than as her maid; madame was the only one who, for some unknown reason, was a trifle harsh with Mademoiselle Louise.--Well, last Friday, the day after a large dinner-party that we gave here, the girl went away. She took nothing with her but a little bundle containing her clothes--not another thing. Mademoiselle Ernestine was terribly unhappy over her going; but we supposed that Louise had decided to return to her province because she was disappointed that she had not been able to win madame's favor. That is the exact truth, monsieur. However, if you will take the trouble to go upstairs, you can see Mademoiselle Ernestine, or my master and mistress, who will tell you just what I have told you.”

Cherubin did not deem it necessary to question Monsieur or Madame de Noirmont; Comtois had no motive for lying to him, and in his eyes could be read his personal regret for Louise's departure.

”She must have returned to Gagny, beyond any question,” cried Gerondif, scratching his nose.

”To Gagny!” exclaimed Cherubin, in despair; ”why, I have just come from there! You forget that I have been there this morning, that I am just from Nicole's house, and that Louise has not been seen there.”

”Perhaps you may have pa.s.sed each other on the road.”

”Why, he says that it was four days ago that she left the house!--four days, do you understand? What has become of her during all that time?

Does it take four days to travel four leagues?”

”Not usually--but, if she stopped often on the way.”

”Ah! it was you who induced Louise to leave the village, where she was safe from all harm. It was you, monsieur, who brought her to Paris. But remember that you must find Louise, that I must know where she is, what has happened to her in the four days since she left this house; and if she has met with any misfortune--then all my wrath will fall on you!”

Cherubin leaped into the cab, gave the driver Monfreville's address, and hastened to his friend. He longed to confide his troubles to him, for he knew that his friends.h.i.+p would not fail him when he went to him to claim his aid and support.

Monfreville was at home; when his young friend appeared, deeply moved and intensely excited, he instantly questioned him concerning the cause of his agitation. Cherubin told him all that he had done since morning: his visit to the village, his conversation with Nicole and her disclosures of Monsieur Gerondif's conduct regarding Louise, and finally the girl's disappearance from the house in which she had taken service.

When he had finished his narrative, he cried:

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