A COUNCIL OF WAR.
Mad with his terrible forebodings, Andre hurried through the streets in the direction of the Hotel de Mussidan, caring little for the attention that his excited looks and gestures caused. He had no fixed plan as to what to do when he arrived there, and it was only on reaching the Rue de Matignon that he recovered sufficient coolness to deliberate and reflect.
He had arrived at the desired spot; how should he set to work to obtain the information that he required? The evening was a dark one, and the gas-lamps showed a feeble light through the dull February fog. There were no signs of life in the Rue de Matignon, and the silence was only broken by the continuous surge of carriage wheels in the Faubourg Saint Honore. This gloom, and the inclemency of the weather, added to the young painter"s depression. He saw his utter helplessness, and felt that he could not move a step without compromising the woman he so madly adored. He walked to the gate of the house, hoping to gain some information even from the exterior aspect of the house; for it seemed to him that if Sabine were dying, the very stones in the street would utter sounds of woe and lamentation; but the fog had closely enwrapped the house, and he could hardly see which of the windows were lighted. His reasoning faculties told him that there was no use in waiting, but an inner voice warned him to stay. Would Modeste, who had written to him, divine, by some means that he was there, in an agony of suspense, and come out to give him information and solace? All at once a thought darted across his mind, vivid as a flash of lightning.
"M. de Breulh will help me," cried he; "for though I cannot go to the house, he will have no difficulty in doing so."
By good luck, he had M. de Breulh"s card in his pocket, and hurried off to his address. M. de Breulh had a fine house in the Avenue de l"Imperatrice, which he had taken more for the commodiousness of the stables than for his own convenience.
"I wish to see M. de Breulh," said Andre, as he stopped breathless at the door, where a couple of footmen were chatting.
The men looked at him with supreme contempt. "He is out," one of them at last condescended to reply.
Andre had by this time recovered his coolness, and taking out De Breulh"s card, wrote these words on it in pencil: "One moment"s interview. ANDRE."
"Give this to your master as soon as he comes in," said he.
Then he descended the steps slowly. He was certain that M. de Breulh was in the house, and that he would send out after the person who had left the card almost at once. His conclusion proved right; in five minutes he was overtaken by the panting lackey, who, conducting him back to the house, showed him into a magnificently furnished library. De Breulh feared that some terrible event had taken place.
"What has happened?" said he.
"Sabine is dying;" and Andre at once proceeded to inform De Breulh of what had happened since his departure.
"But how can I help you?"
"You can go and make inquiries at the house."
"Reflect; yesterday I wrote to the Count, and broke off a marriage, the preliminaries of which had been completely settled; and within twenty-four hours to send and inquire after his daughter"s health would be to be guilty of an act of inexcusable insolence; for it would look as if I fancied that Mademoiselle de Mussidan had been struck down by my rupture of the engagement."
"You are right," murmured Andre dejectedly.
"But," continued De Breulh, after a moment"s reflection, "I have a distant relative, a lady who is also a connection of the Mussidan family, the Viscountess de Bois Arden, and she will be glad to be of service to me. She is young and giddy, but as true as steel. Come with me to her; my carriage is ready."
The footman were surprised at seeing their master on such terms of intimacy with the shabbily dressed young man, but ventured, of course, on no remarks.
Not a word was exchanged during the brief drive to Madame de Bois Arden"s house.
"Wait for me," exclaimed De Breulh, springing from the vehicle as soon as it drew up; "I will be back directly."
Madame de Bois Arden is justly called one of the handsomest women in Paris. Very fair, with ma.s.ses of black hair, and a complexion to which art has united itself to the gifts of nature, she is a woman who has been everywhere, knows everything, talks incessantly, and generally very well. She spends forty thousand francs per annum on dress. She is always committing all sorts of imprudent acts, and scandal is ever busy with her name. Half a dozen of the opposite s.e.x have been talked of in connection with her, while in reality she is a true and faithful wife, for, in spite of all her frivolity, she adores her husband, and is in great awe of him. Such was the character of the lady into whose apartment M. de Breulh was introduced. Madame de Bois Arden was engaged in admiring a very pretty fancy costume of the reign of Louis XV., one of Van Klopen"s masterpieces, when M. de Breulh was announced, which she was going to wear, on her return from the opera, at a masquerade ball at the Austrian Amba.s.sador"s. Madame de Bois Arden greeted her visitor with effusion, for they had been acquaintances from childhood, and always addressed each other by their Christian names.
"What, you here at this hour, Gontran!" said the lady. "Is it a vision, or only a miracle?" But the smile died away upon her lips, as she caught a glimpse of her visitor"s pale and hara.s.sed face. "Is there anything the matter?" asked she.
"Not yet," answered he, "but there may be, for I hear that Mademoiselle de Mussidan is dangerously ill."
"Is she really? Poor Sabine! what is the matter with her?"
"I do not know; and I want you, Clotilde, to send one of your people to inquire into the truth of what we have heard."
Madame de Bois Arden opened her eyes very wide.
"Are you joking?" said she. "Why do you not send yourself?"
"It is impossible for me to do so; and if you have any kindness of heart, you do as I ask you; and I want you also to promise me not to say a word of this to any one."
Excited as she was by this mystery, Madame de Bois Arden did not ask another question.
"I will do exactly what you want," replied she, "and respect your secret. I would go at once, were it not that Bois Arden will never sit down to dinner without me; but the moment we have finished I will go."
"Thanks, a thousand times; and now I will go home and wait for news from you."
"Not at all,--you will remain here to dinner."
"I must,--I have a friend waiting for me."
"Do as you please, then," returned the Viscountess, laughing. "I will send round a note this evening."
De Breulh pressed her hand, and hurried down, and was met by Andre at the door, for he had been unable to sit still in the carriage.
"Keep up your courage. Madame de Bois Arden had not heard of Mademoiselle Sabine"s illness, and this looks as if it was not a very serious matter. We shall have the real facts in three hours."
"Three hours!" groaned Andre, "what a lapse of time!"
"It is rather long, I admit; but we will talk of her while we wait, for you must stay and dine with me."
Andre yielded, for he had no longer the energy to contest anything. The dinner was exquisite, but the two men were not in a condition of mind to enjoy it, and scarcely consumed anything. Vainly did they endeavor to speak on indifferent subjects, and when the coffee had been served in the library, they relapsed into utter silence. As the clock struck ten, however, a knock was heard at the door, then whisperings, and the rustle of female attire, and lastly Madame de Bois Arden burst upon them like a tornado.
"Here I am," cried she.
It was certainly rather a hazardous step to pay such a late visit to a bachelor"s house, but then the Viscountess de Bois Arden did exactly as she pleased.
"I have come here, Gontran," exclaimed she, with extreme vehemence, "to tell you that I think your conduct is abominable and ungentlemanly."
"Clotilde!"
"Hold your tongue! you are a wretch! Ah! now I can see why you did not wish to write and inquire about poor Sabine. You well knew the effect that your message would have on her."
M. de Breulh smiled as he turned to Andre and said,--
"You see that I was right in what I told you."
This remark for the first time attracted Madame de Bois Arden"s attention to the fact that a stranger was present, and she trembled lest she had committed some grave indiscretion.
"Gracious heavens!" exclaimed she, with a start, "why, I thought that we were alone!"
"This gentleman has all my confidence," replied M. de Breulh seriously; and as he spoke he laid his hand upon Andre"s shoulder. "Permit me to introduce M. Andre to you, my dear Clotilde; he may not be known to-day, but in a short time his reputation will be European."
Andre bowed, but for once in her life the Viscountess felt embarra.s.sed, for she was surprised at the extremely shabby attire of this confidential friend, and then there seemed something wanting to the name.