Part 36 (2/2)
”If you are wise you will at once efface yourself Write to her if you will--make your act of contrition by letter I will explain why you have gone without seeing her I will tell her that you did so upon ood diplomat, Gervais Trust me”
M le Marquis raised his head, and showed a face that pain was searing
He held out his hand ”Very well, Charles Serve s”
CHAPTER XI THE FRACAS AT THE THEATRE FEYDAU
Leaving his host to act as his plenipotentiary with Mademoiselle de Kercadiou, and to explain to her that it was his profound contrition that co formal leave of her, the Marquis rolled away frolooh for ataste He looked back upon the episode with nausea--the inevitable psychological reaction-- at himself that until yesterday he should have found her so desirable, and cursing hiratification he should seriously have i Made very extraordinary in his frame of mind, so that I need not elaborate it further It resulted froo to make up the composition of every man
The Chevalier de Chabrillane--who in reality occupied towards the Marquis a position akin to that of gentle berline A s table had been erected between theested piquet But M le Marquis was in no huhts absorbed hi over the cobbles of Nantes' streets, he remembered a proht in ”The Faithless Lover” And noas running away fronant to hied word, and he was acting like a coward And there was more than that He had led the ht of her at present, and with some justice--to expect favours from him in addition to the lavish awards which already he had ain with him as to her future He was to take her to Paris, put her into her own furniture--as the expression ran, and still runs--and under the shadow of his powerful protection see that the doors of the great theatres of the capital should be opened to her talents He had not--he was thankful to reflect--exactly committed himself But neither had he definitely refused her It beca, since he was compelled to choose between his trivial passion for her--a passion quenched already--and his deep, almost spiritual devotion to Mademoiselle de Kercadiou
His honour, he considered, demanded of him that he should at once deliver himself from a false position La Binet would make a scene, of course; but he knew the proper specific to apply to hysteria of that nature Money, after all, has its uses
He pulled the cord The carriage rolled to a standstill; a footman appeared at the door
”To the Theatre Feydau,” said he
The foothed cynically
”I'll trouble you not to be amused,” snapped the Marquis ”You don't understand” Thereafter he explained himself It was a rare condescension in him But, then, he could not bear to be rew serious in reflection of the Marquis'
extreested ”Myself, I confess that I should find it easier”
Nothing could better have revealed M le Marquis' state of mind than his answer
”Letters are liable both to e and to misconstruction Two risks I will not run If she did not answer, I should never knohich had been incurred And I shall have no peace of mind until I know that I have set a term to this affair The berline can hile we are at the theatre We will go on afterwards We will travel all night if necessary”
”Peste!” said M de Chabrillane with a grie drew up at the lighted portals of the Feydau, and M le Marquis stepped out He entered the theatre with Chabrillane, all unconsciously to deliver himself into the hands of Andre-Louis
Andre-Louis was in a state of exasperation produced by Cli absence from Nantes in the company of M le Marquis, and fed by the unspeakable coarded that event of quite unht affect the frae with a complete detachment, in the heart and soul of him Andre-Louis was tormented and revolted It was not Climene he blamed
He had been mistaken in her She was just a poor weak vessel driven helplessly by the first breath, however foul, that proreed; and he congratulated hi her his wife He felt for her now nothing but a deal of pity and sootten of the love she had lately inspired in his of love, all that remained after the potent wine of it had been drained off His anger he reserved for her father and her seducer
The thoughts that were stirring in hi, when it was discovered that Climene had not yet returned from her excursion of the previous day in the coach of M le Marquis, were already wicked enough without the spurring they received froht Leandre
Hitherto the attitude of each of these men towards the other had been one of mutual contempt The phenomenon has frequently been observed in like cases Nohat appeared to be a coht them into a sort of alliance So, at least, it seemed to Leandre when he went in quest of Andre-Louis, ith apparent unconcern was s the inn
”Na!” said Leandre ”How can you take your ease and smoke at such a time?”
Scaramouche surveyed the sky ”I do not find it too cold,” said he ”The sun is shi+ning I am very well here”
”Do I talk of the weather?” Leandre was very excited