The count had been completely disconcerted by the unexpected meeting with his son; his wily smoothness was too much ruffled for him to couch his first words in polite language; he could not forbear saying,--
"I entertained the hope that my visit would be private; it is very unfortunate that I encountered Maurice; it will give him cause to think that I am opposed to his grandmother"s course." He smoothed over this slip of the tongue by adding, "And, certainly, so I am! I disapprove of her excessive rigor; her conduct toward you does not meet with my full sanction."
It was the unintentional expression of Madeleine"s countenance, perhaps, which made Count Tristan remember that his own conduct had strongly resembled that of his mother. But his auditor spoke no word; she was too kind to utter her thoughts, and too frank to say what she did not think.
The count went on,--
"I could not yield to my strong impulse yesterday, and defend you; it would not have done; my mother would only have been exasperated. I was forced apparently to agree with her. The sacred t.i.tle of "mother,"
which is never to be forgotten, compelled me to yield her this respect,--a respect due alike to her years and to her position. But, now that we are alone, I may tell you how pained, how grieved I was at the occurrences of yesterday."
"I no longer think of them," replied Madeleine.
"As I said," continued the count, "when you left us so mysteriously in Brittany, however troubled we might have been at your sudden step, however anxious about your welfare, it was useless to be indignant, since you thought your course the right one, and you were ever conscientiousness personified; besides it should always be taken into consideration that, come what might, you are still our relation; the ties of blood are indissoluble. I said to my mother, "It can never be forgotten that Madeleine is your niece.""
"I would have had her forget it," replied Madeleine. "I preserved my incognita, and kept at a distance from you all that you might not be wounded by the remembrance."
"But be sure, Madeleine, that I, for one, cannot forget our relationship, nor cease to treat you as my niece."
Madeleine could not but be touched by this unexpected declaration. She answered, gratefully, "It is more than I ask, yet I thank you."
"Yes," returned the count, "and to prove to you how far I am from looking down upon you,--how much I honor your position, and how highly I esteem you,--how thoroughly I comprehend your character, and the readiness with which you always serve others,--I come here to-day to ask a favor at your hands."
"Is it possible?" exclaimed Madeleine, delightedly. "You make me truly happy. Can I, indeed, serve you? You could scarcely have spoken words that had more power to gladden me."
"That is precisely what I imagined," answered the count, complacently.
"Now let me explain the matter. You have often heard me speak of the property left to Maurice by his uncle. It is now almost our sole possession. Its value depends upon the railroad which may or may not run through that portion of the country. A committee of nine persons has been selected to decide whether this road shall run to the right or left. If they choose the road to the right, the property of Maurice will not be benefited, and--and--and--I cannot enter into particulars, but--but--it is almost valueless. If they choose the left road, the value of the estate will be so much increased that it will yield us,--that is, will yield my son something very handsome. Of this committee, Mr. Hilson and Mr. Meredith will vote for the left road, and, through the influence of Madame de Fleury, for which I am indebted to you, M. de Fleury"s banker, Mr. Gobert, will also vote for the left: that secures us three votes."
"How glad I am that I was able to accomplish something to serve you!"
said Madeleine.
"There is much more, I trust, that you will be able to accomplish. The votes of Mr. Gilmer and Mr. Rutledge must be gained,--the only two which it seems possible to obtain; for the other gentlemen are inflexible in their decision. Mrs. Gilmer is one of your customers. I hear that she raves about you; if that is the case, you can do anything with her, and _she_ will manage her _husband_. Have you no mode of winning her over to our side?"
Madeleine pondered a moment, then answered gayly,--
"Yes, I have at my command one method that is certain,--_perfectly certain_. Mrs. Gilmer is very desirous of receiving an invitation to Madame de Fleury"s ball. The marchioness has left her out on purpose.
Mrs. Gilmer has made numerous efforts, but, thus far, unsuccessful ones, to obtain this invitation; if I could secure it for her she would gladly repay me by inducing her husband to vote as you desire."
"Bravo! Bravo! we shall succeed; for you can surely obtain the invitation. Madame de Fleury herself said that she was enchanted at the opportunity of obliging you,--that she could not do too much to show her great consideration."
"Yes; but you can scarcely comprehend the difficulty of persuading her to consent to invite Mrs. Gilmer. She mortally detests her, and I could offer few pet.i.tions which she would be less likely to grant. Still, I will use strong arguments,--powerful inducements. I will endeavor to think of some temptation which she cannot resist."
"That is just what I believed you would do, my dear Madeleine," said the count, taking her hand.
Madeleine withdrew it, though not too abruptly. The contact gave her, magnetically, as it were, a painful impression.
"But how," she asked, "is Mr. Rutledge to be reached?"
"Through you,--through _you_ again, my kind, good Madeleine," answered the count, hilariously.
"Through _me_? I do not know him except by name. He is a bachelor; therefore there is no wife who can be induced to become a mediator."
"No, there is no wife, to be sure, but there is a lady-love whom he hopes to make his wife, and she, also, is one of your patrons; it is the sister of Lord Linden; you might solicit her, or you might obtain her influence through his lordship."
"Through his lordship? That is not possible," replied Madeleine, decisively.
"Surely it may be," remarked the count, "since you are acquainted with him, and I have faith in your powers of persuasion."
Madeleine looked very much astonished as she answered, "What has made you imagine that I have any acquaintance with Lord Linden?"
"I saw him upstairs in one of your _salons_, sitting in a comfortable arm-chair, as though he were very much at home, reading a book."
Madeleine looked confounded.
"Lord Linden?"
"Yes; you will therefore admit that it was quite natural for me to suppose that he had the _entree_ here?"
"I did not know that he was in the house!" returned Madeleine, ingenuously. "He has never been here before to my knowledge. I once was thrown in contact with him in travelling from New York to Washington.
The cars met with an accident and he broke his arm; I, being unhurt, was of some little a.s.sistance; but I have never seen him since."
"Then it is a most fortunate chance," resumed Count Tristan, "that brings him here. Through him you can influence his sister,--through her the vote of Mr. Rutledge will be secured, and these two votes gained; the road to the left will be chosen, and for this I shall be wholly your debtor. Truly, Madeleine, you are the fairy Maurice used to call you in old times; for you have the power, the gift of working wonders, and you always _had_!"
"Cousin Tristan,"--began Madeleine, seriously, then paused; "do you allow me still to call you so?"
"Yes,--yes, undoubtedly; and especially when we are alone. Call me _cousin_, certainly; but what did you wish to say?"
"You must find some other advocate as far as Mr. Rutledge is concerned.
I fear I have not sufficient influence with Lady Augusta Linden to make this request, or to induce her to grant it, or to prevent her thinking the pet.i.tion itself an impertinence."
"That does not matter; you can manage the affair through Lord Linden, and the opportunity presents itself this very moment, since he is here,--here under your own roof."
"I cannot see him,--I particularly desire not to see him; there are reasons which must prevent my asking any favor at his hands. It is totally out of my power to do what you desire."
"But it is of the greatest importance, Madeleine; this opportunity must not be thrown away. What would Maurice think if he believed that you refused to serve him at such a critical moment?"
"Maurice, if he knew all which I could tell him, would be the first to forbid my appealing to Lord Linden. I pray you to seek some other means of influencing Mr. Rutledge; he cannot be reached through me."
"I have no other!" cried the count, with desperate energy. "My sole dependence is upon you. And, Madeleine, this is not the mere question of gain: more than I dare confide to you depends upon the decision of that committee."
Madeleine made no response, but her manner plainly manifested that she was not prepared to retract what she had said.
"Madeleine," continued the count, with ill-disguised anger, and feeling that he had no alternative but to make a confession which humbled him to the dust, "this property was held in trust by me; my difficulties, my embarra.s.sments, have been overwhelming: they have brought me to the verge of absolute ruin. A man may be placed in positions where he is forced into actions from which he would otherwise shrink; this was my case. I obtained from Maurice a power of attorney which he thinks I have never used,--but--but--impelled by my troubles, and without his knowledge, I have been induced,--women cannot understand business matters; it was a course that could not be avoided,--I have been forced to compromise the interest of Maurice; I have been compelled to mortgage his estate so heavily that it is valueless unless this road augments its present worth. Do you not see what is at stake? Will you not exert yourself to save me, to save Maurice from the mortification of knowing that I have committed an action which might be misconstrued,--which might be condemned,--might be considered,"--the count paused, overcome with shame.
Madeleine hesitated; for the sake of Maurice she could endure to be misunderstood,--she could submit to place herself in a position which humbled and compromised her.
The count saw that her resolution was shaken, and he did not lose his advantage.
"Remember that Maurice is beginning life; he has imbibed the sanguine spirit of the land in which he has lately lived. What a sudden and crushing blow to him will be the revelation that awaits him! Can _you_ bear to contemplate its effect? _I_ cannot. Answer, Madeleine; he has suffered much, much for _your_ sake: will you, will you make him suffer more?"