Part 32 (1/2)

she is going away, and I shall have her no longer, and I shall be left alone, alone, alone!”

The servant, who had gone upstairs so gaily, turned as pale as wax, and a hard and bitter look came into her face. For a moment she watched him clutching the bedclothes convulsively, uttering hoa.r.s.e cries of despair, his face pressed against the coverlet. Then, by a violent effort, she seemed to make up her mind.

”But, monsieur, there is no sense in making trouble for yourself in this way. It is ridiculous. Since that is how it is, and you cannot do without mademoiselle, I shall go and tell her what a state you have let yourself get into.”

At these words he got up hastily, staggering still, and, leaning for support on the back of a chair, he cried:

”I positively forbid you to do so, Martine!”

”A likely thing that I should listen to you, seeing you like that! To find you some other time half dead, crying your eyes out! No, no! I shall go to mademoiselle and tell her the truth, and compel her to remain with us.”

But he caught her angrily by the arm and held her fast.

”I command you to keep quiet, do you hear? Or you shall go with her!

Why did you come in? It was this wind that made me ill. That concerns no one.”

Then, yielding to a good-natured impulse, with his usual kindness of heart, he smiled.

”My poor girl, see how you vex me? Let me act as I ought, for the happiness of others. And not another word; you would pain me greatly.”

Martine's eyes, too, filled with tears. It was just in time that they made peace, for Clotilde entered almost immediately. She had risen early, eager to see Pascal, hoping doubtless, up to the last moment, that he would keep her. Her own eyelids were heavy from want of sleep, and she looked at him steadily as she entered, with her inquiring air.

But he was still so discomposed that she began to grow uneasy.

”No, indeed, I a.s.sure you, I would even have slept well but for the mistral. I was just telling you so, Martine, was I not?”

The servant confirmed his words by an affirmative nod. And Clotilde, too, submitted, saying nothing of the night of anguish and mental conflict she had spent while he, on his side, had been suffering the pangs of death. Both of the women now docilely obeyed and aided him, in his heroic self-abnegation.

”What,” he continued, opening his desk, ”I have something here for you.

There! there are seven hundred francs in that envelope.”

And in spite of her exclamations and protestations he persisted in rendering her an account. Of the six thousand francs obtained by the sale of the jewels two hundred only had been spent, and he had kept one hundred to last till the end of the month, with the strict economy, the penuriousness, which he now displayed. Afterward he would no doubt sell La Souleiade, he would work, he would be able to extricate himself from his difficulties. But he would not touch the five thousand francs which remained, for they were her property, her own, and she would find them again in the drawer.

”Master, master, you are giving me a great deal of pain--”

”I wish it,” he interrupted, ”and it is you who are trying to break my heart. Come, it is half-past seven, I will go and cord your trunks since they are locked.”

When Martine and Clotilde were alone and face to face they looked at each other for a moment in silence. Ever since the commencement of the new situation, they had been fully conscious of their secret antagonism, the open triumph of the young mistress, the half concealed jealousy of the old servant about her adored master. Now it seemed that the victory remained with the servant. But in this final moment their common emotion drew them together.

”Martine, you must not let him eat like a poor man. You promise me that he shall have wine and meat every day?”

”Have no fear, mademoiselle.”

”And the five thousand francs lying there, you know belong to him. You are not going to let yourselves starve to death, I suppose, with those there. I want you to treat him very well.”

”I tell you that I will make it my business to do so, mademoiselle, and that monsieur shall want for nothing.”

There was a moment's silence. They were still regarding each other.

”And watch him, to see that he does not overwork himself. I am going away very uneasy; he has not been well for some time past. Take good care of him.”