"Oh! madame, may G.o.d bless you for what you do," said Saint Remy; "but pardon me for not having told you my name--so much sorrow! so much emotion!--I am the Count de Saint Remy; the husband of Madame de Fermont was my most intimate friend. I live at Angers. I left that city because I was uneasy at not having received any news from these two n.o.ble and worthy women. I have since heard that they have been completely ruined."
"Oh! sir, you do not know all. Madame Fermont has been most cruelly despoiled!"
"By her notary, perhaps? For a moment I had such a suspicion."
"The man was a monster, sir! Alas! this cruel crime is not his only one.
But, happily," said Clemence, thinking of Rudolph, "he has been compelled to make rest.i.tution; and while closing the eyes of Madame de Fermont, I have been able to a.s.sure her that her daughter is provided for. Her death thus had fewer pangs."
"I comprehend; knowing that her daughter was under your protection, madame, my poor friend died more tranquilly."
"Not only is my protection forever secured to Miss de Fermont, but her fortune will also be restored."
"Her fortune! How? The notary--"
"Has been forced to restore her money, which he had appropriated to himself by a horrid crime!"
"A crime?"
"This man a.s.sa.s.sinated the brother of Madame de Fermont, and made her believe that this unfortunate man had committed suicide, after having dissipated her fortune."
"This is horrible; it can hardly be credited; and yet I have had my doubts about this notary, for Renneville was honor itself. And this money--"
"Is deposited with a venerable priest, M. le Cure of Bonne-Nouvelle; he will hand it to Miss de Fermont."
"This rest.i.tution is not sufficient for human justice, madame! The scaffold claims this notary, for he has not only committed one murder, but two. The death of Madame de Fermont, the sufferings which her daughter has endured on this hospital bed, have been caused by the infamous abuse of confidence of this wretch!"
"And this wretch has committed another murder, quite as frightful!"
"What do you say, madame?"
"If he made away with the brother of Madame de Fermont by a pretended suicide, only a few days since he cruelly murdered a young girl, in whose destruction he was interested, by causing her to be drowned, certain that this would be attributed to accident."
Saint Remy shuddered, looked at Madame d"Harville with surprise, and thinking of Fleur-de-Marie, cried: "Oh! what a strange coincidence!"
"What is the matter, my lord?"
"That young girl! Where was it he wished to drown her?"
"In the Seine, near Asnieres, I am told."
"It is she! it is the same!" cried Saint Remy.
"Of whom do you speak, my lord?"
"Of the girl this monster had an interest in."
"Fleur-de-Marie?"
"Do you know her, my lady?"
"Poor child! I loved her tenderly. Ah! if you had known how beautiful she was! But how did your lordship--"
"Dr. Griffon and myself gave her the first a.s.sistance."
"The first a.s.sistance? to her? where?"
"On Ravageurs" Island, where she was saved."
"Saved! Fleur-de-Marie! saved?"
"By a good creature, who, at the risk of her life, drew her out of the Seine. But what is the matter, madame?"
"Oh! sir, I dare not believe in so much happiness. I entreat you, tell me--describe the girl!"
"Of admirable beauty, and angelic face--"
"Large blue eyes--flaxen hair?"
"Yes, my lady."
"And when they tried to drown her, was she with an aged woman?"
"In fact it was only yesterday she could speak. She then mentioned that an old woman accompanied her."
"G.o.d be praised!" cried Clemence, clasping her hands fervently. "I can inform him that his favorite still lives. What joy for him, who in his last letter spoke of this poor child with such painful regret! Pardon me, sir; but if your lordship only knew how happy your information makes me, as well as another, who, still more than myself, has loved and protected Fleur-de-Marie! But I pray you, where is she at this moment?"
"Near Asnieres, in the house of one of the physicians of this hospital--Dr.
Griffon, who, notwithstanding some oddities which I deplore, has excellent qualities."
"And she is now out of danger?"
"Yes, madame; but only since two or three days. Today she is allowed to write to her protectors."
"Oh! it is I, my lord, I who will do this, or rather, it is I who will have the joy of conducting her to those, who, believing her dead, regret her so bitterly."
"I appreciate those regrets, madame; for it is impossible to know Fleur-de-Marie without being charmed with her angelic qualities: her grace and sweetness exercise on all those who approach her an unbounded influence. The woman who saved her, and who has since watched her night and day, as she would have watched her own child, is a courageous and determined person, but of a temper so habitually violent, that she has been called La Louve--judge! Well! a word from Fleur-de-Marie can calm her. I have heard her sob and utter cries of despair, when, at one time, Dr.
Griffon had but little hopes of saving Fleur-de-Marie."
"That does not astonish me--I know La Louve."
"You, madame?" said Saint Remy, surprised; "you know La Louve?"
"It must surprise you, truly, my lord," said the marchioness, smiling sweetly, for Clemence was happy--oh! very happy--in thinking of the joyful surprise she would cause the prince. What would have been her delight, if she had known that it was a daughter whom he believed dead--that she was about to restore to Rudolph. "Oh! this is so joyful a day for me, that I wish it to be so for others; it seems to me that there must be many unfortunate persons here to succor; this would be an excellent way to express my grat.i.tude, my joy, for the news you have given me." Then, addressing one of the sisters, who had just given a drink to Miss de Fermont, she said, "Well, sister, is she yet sensible?"
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CONVALESCENT]
"Not yet, madame--she is so weak. Poor thing! her pulse can hardly be felt."