"And yet he called on you to-day?" remarked De Breulh.
"Don"t interrupt me," said the Viscountess. "Yes, he called, and that is enough. He is good-looking, faultlessly dressed, and talks well. He brought a letter from an old friend of my grandmother"s, the Marchioness d"Arlanges. She is a dear old thing, she uses awful language, and some of her stories are quite too--you know what I mean. In the letter the old lady said that the Marquis was one of her friends, and begged me for her sake to do him the service he required. Of course I asked him to be seated, and a.s.sured him that I would do anything that lay in my power.
Then he began talking about M. de Clinchain, and told me a funny story about that eccentric man and a little actress, when I heard a great noise in the anteroom. I was about to ring and inquire the cause, when the door flew open and in came Van Klopen, the ladies" tailor, with a very inflamed countenance. I thought that he had come in a hurry because he had hit on something extremely fetching and wished me to be the first to see it. But do you know what the impudent fellow wanted?"
A smile shone in De Breulh"s eyes, as he answered,--
"Money, perhaps!"
"You are right," returned the Viscountess, gravely; "he brought my bill into my very drawing-room, and handed it in before a stranger. I never thought that a man who supplies the most aristocratic portion of society could have been guilty of such a piece of impertinence. I ordered him to leave the room, taking it for granted that he would do so with an apology, but I was wrong. He flew into a rage and threatened me, and swore that if I did not settle the bill on the spot, he would go to my husband. The bill was nearly twenty thousand francs; imagine my horror!
I was so thunderstruck at the amount that I absolutely entreated him to give me time. But my humility added to his annoyance, and taking a seat in an armchair, he declared that he would not move from it until he received his money, or had seen my husband."
"What was Croisenois doing all this time?" asked M. de Breulh.
"He did nothing at first, but at this last piece of audacity he took out his pocketbook, and throwing it in Van Klopen"s face, said: "Pay yourself, you insolent scoundrel, and get out of this.""
"And the tailor went off?"
"No. "I must give you a receipt," said he, and taking writing materials from his pocket, he wrote at the foot of the bill, "Received from the Marquis de Croisenois, on account of money owing by the Viscountess de Bois Arden, the sum of twenty thousand francs.""
"Well," said De Breulh, looking very grave, "and after Van Klopen"s departure, I suppose Croisenois remained to ask the favor regarding which he had called?"
"You are mistaken," answered his cousin. "I had great difficulty in making him speak; but at last he confessed that he was deeply in love with Mademoiselle de Mussidan, and entreated me to present him to her parents and exert all my influence in his behalf."
Both the young men started.
"That is the man!" cried they.
"What do you mean?" asked the Viscountess, looking from one to the other.
"That your Marquis de Croisenois is a despicable scoundrel, who had imposed upon the Marchioness d"Arlanges. Just you listen to our reasons for coming to this conclusion." And with the most perfect clearness De Breulh had the whole state of the case before the Viscountess.
The lady listened attentively, and then said,--
"Your premises are wrong; just let me say a word on the matter. You say that there is some man who by means of the influence that he exercises over the Count and Countess, can coerce them into granting him Sabine"s hand. But, my dear Gontran, an utter stranger to the family could not exercise this power. Now M. de Croisenois has never entered the doors of the house, and came to me to ask for an introduction."
The justness of this remark silenced De Breulh, but Andre took another view of the matter.
"This seems all right at a first glance, but still, after the extraordinary scene that the Viscountess has described, I should like to ask a few questions. Was not Van Klopen"s behavior very unexpected?"
"It was brutal and infamous."
"Are you not one of his best customers?"
"I am, and I have spent an enormous sum with him."
"But Van Klopen is nasty sometimes; did he not sue Mademoiselle de Riversac?" asked De Breulh.
"But he did not, I expect, force his way into her drawing-room and behave outrageously before a perfect stranger. Do you know M. de Croisenois?" returned Andre.
"Very slightly; he is of good family, and his brother George was much esteemed by all who knew him."
"Has he plenty of money?"
"I do not think so, but in time he will inherit a large fortune; very likely he is over head and ears in debt."
"And yet he had twenty thousand francs in his pocketbook; is not that rather a large sum to carry when you are simply making a morning call?
and it is curious, too, that it should have been the exact sum wanted.
Then there is another point; the pocketbook was hurled into Van Klopen"s face. Did he submit without a word to such treatment?"
"He certainly said nothing," replied Madame de Bois Arden.
"One question more, if you please. Did Van Klopen open the book and count the notes before he gave the receipt?"
The Viscountess thought for a moment.
"I was a good deal excited," said she at length, "but I am almost sure that I saw no notes in Van Klopen"s hands."
Andre"s face grew radiant.
"Good, very good; he was told to pay himself, and yet he never looked to see if the money was there, but gave a receipt at once. Of course, as Van Klopen kept the pocketbook, the Marquis could have had nothing in it besides the exact sum that was required."
"It does seem odd," muttered De Breulh.
"But," said Andre, "your bill was not exactly twenty thousand francs, was it?"
"No," answered the Viscountess. "I ought to have had change to the amount of a hundred or a hundred and twenty francs, but I suppose he was too much excited to give it me."
"But for all that he could remember that he had writing materials with him, and give you a receipt?"
The Viscountess was utterly bewildered.
"And," continued Andre, "how is it that Van Klopen knew De Croisenois"
name? And now, lastly, where is the receipt?"
Madame de Bois Arden turned very pale and trembled violently.
"Ah," said she, "I felt sure that something was going to happen, and it was on this very point that I wanted your advice. Well, I have not got the receipt. M. de Croisenois crumpled it up in his hand and threw it on the table. After a while, however, he took it up and put it in his pocket."
"It is all perfectly clear," said Andre in jubilant tones; "M. de Croisenois had need of your aid, he saw that he could not easily obtain it, and so sought to bind you by the means of a loan made to you at a time of great need."
"You are right," said De Breulh.
The Viscountess" giddy mode of action had brought her into many sc.r.a.pes, but never into so terrible a one as this.
"Great heavens!" cried she, "what do you think that M. de Croisenois will do with this receipt?"
"He will do nothing," answered M. de Breulh, "if you do everything to advance his suit; but pause for an instant, and he will show the hand of steel which has up to now been covered by the velvet glove."
"I am not alarmed at a new slander?" returned the Viscountess.