"Misfortune compelled us to sell it, but I have always regretted it."
"Why, my dear, you never mentioned it to us."
"I didn"t know that it was for sale now."
"It is settled, my dear, let us not look any farther; we have found what we want, the house where you pa.s.sed a large part of your childhood! Dear Edouard! Oh! how we shall enjoy living there!--You agree, mamma, do you not?"
"Why, my child, if the house is not too dear----"
"Oh! it can"t be too dear; it is Edouard"s house; we shall be so happy there!"
"Villeneuve-Saint-Georges--yes, I believe that the air is very good there!"
"Certainly it"s delicious; let us start at once, dear."
"But it is already late, my child, for you did not get up early; and if we should wait until to-morrow----"
"To-morrow! and suppose the house should be sold to-day? Ah! I should never get over it; nor Edouard either; he says nothing, but he too is crazy to start."
"Very well, my children, since it will give you so much pleasure; but it is four leagues from here!"
"We have a good country cabriolet, and the horse has been resting for a fortnight; he will take us there very fast."
"Where shall we dine?"
"At Villeneuve-Saint-Georges; there are some very good restaurants there, aren"t there, my dear?"
"Why, yes. Oh! we shall have no difficulty about getting dinner there."
"And it will be dark when we come back.--You know, Adeline, that I don"t like to drive after dark."
"Oh! Edouard will drive, mamma; you know what a prudent driver he is.
Besides, the road is magnificent; isn"t it, my dear?"
"Why, yes; at all events, it was ten years ago."
"You see, mamma, that there is no danger. Oh! say that you will go!"
"I must do whatever you want!"
"How good you are! I will run and put on my hat."
Adeline ran to her dressing-room, Edouard told old Raymond, their servant, to put the horse in the cabriolet. Madame Germeuil prepared for the drive, and Marie, the maid-servant of the new household, was grieved to learn that they would not taste the dainty dinner which she had prepared for the day after the wedding.
The young wife was ready first; a woman takes little time over her toilet when she is certain to please; doubtless that is why old coquettes pa.s.s two hours in front of the mirror. Adeline wore a simple muslin dress, with a belt about the shapeliest waist imaginable; a straw hat, not overladen with feathers and flowers, and a light shawl thrown carelessly over her shoulders; in that unpretentious costume Adeline was charming; everything about her was attractive; every feature was instinct with love and happiness; and pleasure makes a pretty woman even prettier.
Edouard gazed at his wife in rapture, and Madame Germeuil looked upon her daughter with pride; Adeline kissed them both and took her mother"s hand to make her go downstairs at once; the young woman was eager to be gone, and to see the country house where her Edouard was brought up. He was no less desirous to revisit the scenes which had witnessed his childish sports. At last the mother was seated on the back seat of the carriage, with Adeline by her side; Edouard took the reins, and they started for Villeneuve-Saint-Georges.
V
THE FACE WITH MOUSTACHES
Edouard drove the horse at a fast pace, and they reached the village in a short time. When they had pa.s.sed through the main street, and turned in the direction of the country, they discovered the house which they were anxious to see; thereupon Adeline leaped for joy, and took off her hat so that she could see better; Edouard urged the horse more eagerly, and Madame Germeuil shrieked, saying that they would be overturned.
At last the cabriolet stopped in front of the gate which gave admission to the courtyard.
"This is the place, this is the very place," said Edouard, leaping to the ground; "oh! there is no mistake. I recognize the gate, the courtyard, and even this bell. It"s the same one that was here in my time. And there is the sign saying that the house is for sale."
While he was examining with emotion the outside of the house, Adeline a.s.sisted her mother from the carriage; they fastened the horse, and then entered the courtyard, for the gate was not locked.
"Oh! how I shall enjoy myself here!" said Adeline, glancing about with a satisfied expression; "isn"t this house fascinating, mamma?"
"But, one moment, my child; we have seen nothing as yet."
A tall peasant came out of a room on the ground floor, followed by an enormous dog.
"What do you want?" he said, scrutinizing them surlily enough.
"We want to see this house," Edouard replied.
"All right," muttered the concierge between his teeth; "come with me, and I will take you to my master."
Edouard, with his wife and Madame Germeuil, followed their conductor, who ascended a staircase and showed them into a dining-room on the first floor, where he left them, to go to summon his master.
Soon a shrill little voice arose in the room which the concierge had entered, and our travellers heard this colloquy:
"What do you want of me, Pierre?"
"Some one has come to buy the house, monsieur."
"Have you come again to disturb me to no purpose, and to bring me some boorish fellow, as you did just now?"
"Oh! no, monsieur! these folks look like swells!"
"That devilish fellow put me into a terrible temper! I shall be sick, I am sure!"
"I tell you, monsieur, that these folks have a cabriolet."
"Oh! that"s different! I"ll go and speak to them."
Madame Germeuil and her children were wondering what they should think of what they had heard, when the door of the adjoining room opened, and a short, thin, yellow, wrinkled man, in dressing gown and nightcap appeared and saluted his visitors with an air which he tried in vain to make amiable.
"We wish to examine this house," said Edouard; "not that I do not know it very well; but these ladies would be very glad to see it."
"It is very strange," said the little man, glancing at the concierge; "everybody knows my house!--And is it your purpose to buy it?"