"Yes, sir," answered Miette, "I have understood quite well."
"Well," said Monsieur Dalize, "since you are so good a teacher, don"t you think that you could, during vacation, cause a little chemistry and a little physical science to enter into that little head?" And he pointed to Paul Solange.
The latter, notwithstanding the sentiment of respectful sympathy which he felt for Monsieur Roger, and although he had listened with interest to his explanations, could not prevent a gesture of fear, so p.r.o.nounced that everybody began to laugh.
Miette, who wished to console her good friend Paul and obtain his pardon for her teasing, came up to him, and said,--
"Come, console yourself, Paul; I will let you take my portrait a dozen times, as you did last year,--although it is very tiresome to pose for a portrait."
[Ill.u.s.tration]
[Ill.u.s.tration]
CHAPTER IX.
THE TOWER OF HEURTEBIZE.
Next morning at six o"clock Paul Solange opened the door of the chateau and stepped out on to the lawn. He held a sketch-book in his hand. He directed his steps along a narrow pathway, shaded by young elms, towards one of the gates of the park. At a turning in the alley he found himself face to face with Monsieur Roger, who was walking slowly and thoughtfully. Paul stopped, and in his surprise could not help saying,--
"Monsieur Roger, already up?"
Monsieur answered, smiling,--
"But you also, Master Paul, you are, like me, already up. Are you displeased to meet me?"
"Oh, no, sir," Paul hastened to say, blushing a little. "Why should I be displeased at meeting you?"
"Then, may I ask you where you are going so early in the morning?"
"Over there," said Paul, stretching his hand towards a high wooded hill: "over there to Heurtebize."
"And what are you going to do over there?"
Paul answered by showing his sketch-book.
"Ah, you are going to draw?"
"Yes, sir; I am going to draw, to take a sketch of the tower; that old tower which you see on the right side of the hill."
"Well, Master Paul, will you be so kind," asked Monsieur Roger, "as to allow me to go with you and explore this old tower?"
Paul, on hearing this proposal, which he could not refuse, made an involuntary movement of dismay, exactly similar to that he had made the night before.
"Oh, fear nothing," said Monsieur Roger, good-naturedly. "I will not bore you either with physical science nor chemistry. I hope you will accept me, therefore, as your companion on the way, without any apprehensions of that kind of annoyance."
"Then, let us go, sir," answered Paul, a little ashamed to have had his thoughts so easily guessed.
They took a short cut across the fields, pa.s.sing wide expanses of blossoming clover; they crossed a road, they skirted fields of wheat and of potatoes. At last they arrived upon the wooded hill of Heurtebize, at the foot of the old tower, which still proudly raised its head above the valleys.
"What a lovely landscape!" said Monsieur Roger, when he had got his breath.
"The view is beautiful," said Paul, softly; "but it is nothing like the view you get up above there."
"Up above?" said Monsieur Roger, without understanding.
"Yes, from the summit of the tower."
"You have climbed up the tower?"
"Several times."
"But it is falling into ruins, this poor tower; it has only one fault, that of having existed for two or three hundred years."
"It is indeed very old," answered Paul; "it is the last vestige of the old chateau of Sainte-Gemme, which, it is said, was built in the sixteenth century, or possibly even a century or two earlier; n.o.body is quite certain as to the date; at all events, the former proprietors several years ago determined to preserve it, and they even commenced some repairs upon it. The interior stairway has been put in part into sufficiently good condition to enable you to use it, if you at the same time call a little bit of gymnastics to your aid, as you will have to do at a few places. And I have used it in this way very often; but please now be good enough to----"
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Paul stopped, hesitating.
"Good enough to what? Tell me."
Then Paul Solange added,--
"To say nothing of this to Madame Dalize. That would make her uneasy."
"Not only will I say nothing, my dear young friend, but I will join you in the ascent,--for I have the greatest desire to do what you are going to do, and to ascend the tower with you."
Paul looked at Monsieur Roger, and said, quickly,--
"But, sir, there is danger."
"Bah! as there is none for you, why should there be danger for me?"
Somewhat embarra.s.sed, Paul replied,--
"I am young, sir; more active than you, perhaps, and----"
"If that is your only reason, my friend, do not disturb yourself. Let us try the ascent."
"On one condition, sir."
"What is that?"
"That I go up first."