Then the prince, regaining his self-possession, said, calmly and coldly:
"And whom do you wish to marry, Frantz?"
"Mlle. Antonine Hubert, monseigneur."
"Who is this Mlle. Hubert? What did you say her name was?"
"Hubert, monseigneur."
"And what is Mlle. Hubert?"
"The niece of a French magistrate, monseigneur, President Hubert."
"And where have you made the acquaintance of this young lady?"
"Here, monseigneur."
"Here? I have never received any person of that name."
"When I say here, monseigneur, I mean to say in this walk where we are."
"Speak more clearly."
"Your Royal Highness sees this wall of protection which separates the neighbouring garden?"
"Yes, go on."
"I was promenading in this walk when I saw Mlle. Antonine for the first time."
"In this garden?" replied the prince, advancing to the wall, and taking a view of it. Then he added:
"This young lady, then, lives in the next house?"
"Yes, monseigneur; her uncle occupies a part of the ground floor."
"Very well."
After a few minutes" reflection, the prince added, severely:
"You have given me your confidence, Frantz. I accept it; but act with perfect candour, with the most thorough sincerity, if you do not--"
"Monseigneur!" interrupted Frantz, in painful surprise.
"Well, well, I was wrong to suspect your truthfulness, Frantz. You have never lied to me in your life. Speak, I will listen to you."
"Your Royal Highness knows that, since our arrival in Paris, I have rarely gone out in the evening."
"That is true; I am aware of your disinclination to society, and, too, of your excessive timidity, which increases your distaste for appearing at these dreaded French functions, where you are naturally a stranger. I have not insisted upon it, Frantz, and have allowed you to dispose of most of your evenings as you pleased."
"In one of these evenings, monseigneur, six weeks ago, I saw Mlle.
Antonine for the first time. She was watering flowers; I was leaning on my elbow there at the wall. She saw me; I saluted her. She returned my salutation, blushed, and continued to water her flowers; twice she looked up at me, and we bowed to each other again; then, as it grew dark entirely, Mlle. Antonine left the garden."
It is impossible to reproduce the ingenuous grace with which poor Frantz made this artless recital of his first interview with the young girl.
The emotion betrayed by his voice, the heightened colour of his face, all proved the honesty of this pure and innocent soul.
"One question, Frantz," said the prince. "Has this young lady a mother?"
"No, monseigneur, Mlle. Antonine lost her mother when she was in the cradle, and her father died some years ago."
"Is her uncle, President Hubert, married?"
"No, monseigneur."
"How old is she?"
"Fifteen years and a half, monseigneur."
"And is she pretty?"
"Antonine! monseigneur!"
In this exclamation of Frantz, there was almost a reproach, as if it were possible for him not to recognise the beauty of Mlle. Antonine.
"I ask you, Frantz," repeated the archduke, "if this young girl is pretty?"
"Monseigneur, do you recollect the sleeping Hebe in the gallery of your palace of Offenbach?"
"One of my finest Correggios."
"Monseigneur, Mlle. Antonine resembles this painting by Correggio, although she is far more beautiful."
"It would be difficult to be that."
"Monseigneur knows that I always speak the truth," replied Frantz, ingenuously.
"Well, go on with your story."
"I cannot tell you, monseigneur, what I felt when returning to my chamber. I thought of Mlle. Antonine. I was agitated, troubled, and happy at the same time. I did not sleep all night. The moon rose; I opened my window, and remained on my balcony until day, looking at the tops of the trees in Mlle. Antonine"s garden. Oh, monseigneur, how long the hours of the next day seemed to me! Before sunset, I was there again at the wall. At last mademoiselle came again to water her flowers. Every moment, thinking she had already seen me, I prepared to salute her, but I do not know how it happened, she did not see me. She came, however, to water flowers close to the wall where I was standing. I wanted to cough lightly to attract her attention, but I dared not. Night came on, my heart was broken, monseigneur, for still mademoiselle had not seen me.
Finally, she returned to the house, after setting her little watering-pot near the fountain. Fortunately, thinking, no doubt, that it was out of place there, she returned, and set it on a bench near the wall. Then by chance, turning her eyes toward me, she discovered me at last. We saluted each other at the same time, monseigneur, and she went back into the house quickly. I then gathered some beautiful roses, and, trying to be very dexterous, although my heart was beating violently, I had the good luck to let the bouquet fall in the mouth of the watering-pot that mademoiselle had left there. When I returned to my room, I trembled to think what would be the thought of the young lady when she found these flowers. I was so uneasy, that I had a great mind to descend again and jump over the little wall and take the bouquet away. I do know what restrained me. Perhaps I hoped that Mlle. Antonine would not take offence at it. What a night I pa.s.sed, monseigneur! The next day I ran to the wall; the watering-pot and the bouquet were there on the bench, but I waited in vain for Mlle. Antonine. She did not come that evening or the next day to look after her flowers. I cannot describe to you, monseigneur, the sadness and the anguish I endured those three days and nights, and you would have discovered my grief if you had not taken your departure just at that time."
"For the journey to Fontainebleau, you mean?"
"Yes, monseigneur. But, pardon me; perhaps I am abusing the patience of your Royal Highness?"
"No, no, Frantz, continue; on the contrary, I insist upon knowing all. I pray you, continue your story with the same sincerity."