The porter, instead of replying, examined with much contempt the white beard, the threadbare coat, and the old hat of the stranger, who held in his hand a large cane.
"M. de Saint Remy?" repeated the count, impatiently, shocked at the impertinent examination of the porter.
"Not at home." So saying, Pipelet"s rival drew the cord, and with a significant gesture, invited the unknown to retire.
"I will wait," said the count, and he pa.s.sed on.
"Stay, friend! one does not enter that way into houses!" cried the porter, running after and taking him by the arm.
"How, scoundrel!" answered the old man, raising his cane; "you dare to touch me!"
"I will dare something else, if you do not walk out at once. I have told you that my lord was out, so walk off."
At this moment, Boyer, attracted by the sound of voices, made his appearance. "What is the matter?" demanded he.
"M. Boyer, this man will absolutely enter, although I have told him that my lord is out."
"Let us put a stop to this," replied the count, addressing Boyer; "I wish to see my son---if he has gone out, I will wait."
We have said that Boyer was ignorant neither of the existence nor of the misanthropy of the father, and sufficiently a physiognomist, he did not for a moment doubt the ident.i.ty of the count, but bowed low to him, and answered, "If your lordship will be so good as to follow me, I am at his orders."
"Go on," said Saint Remy, who accompanied Boyer, to the profound dismay of the porter.
Preceded by the valet, the count arrived on the first story, and still following his guide, was ushered into a little saloon, situated immediately over the boudoir of the ground floor.
"My lord has been obliged to go out this morning," said Boyer, "and if your lordship will have the kindness to wait, it will not be long before he returns." And the valet disappeared.
Remaining alone, the count looked around him with indifference, until suddenly he discovered the picture of his wife, the mother of Florestan de Saint Remy. He folded his arms on his heart, held down his head, as if to avoid the sight of this victim, and walked about with rapid steps.
"And yet I am not certain---he may be my son---sometimes this doubt is frightful to me. If he is my son, then my abandoning him, my refusal ever to see him, are unpardonable. And then to think my name--of which I have ever been so proud--belongs to the son of a man whose heart I could have torn out! Oh! I do not know why I am not bereft of my senses when I think of it." Saint Remy, continuing to walk with agitation, raised mechanically the curtain which separated the saloon from Florestan"s study and entered the apartment.
He had hardly disappeared for a moment, than a small door, concealed by the tapestry, opened softly, and Madame de Lucenay, wrapped in a shawl of green Cashmere, and wearing a very plain black velvet bonnet, entered the saloon which the count had just left. The d.u.c.h.ess, as we have said before, had a key to the little private garden-door; not finding Florestan in the apartments below, she had supposed that, perhaps, he was in his study, and without any fear had come up by a small staircase which led from the boudoir to the first story.
Unfortunately, a very threatening visit from M. Badinot had obliged him to go out precipitately.
Madame de Lucenay, seeing no one, was about to enter the cabinet, when the curtains were thrown back, and she found herself face to face with the father of Florestan. She could not restrain a cry of alarm.
"Clotilde!" cried the count, stupefied.
The d.u.c.h.ess remained immovable, contemplating with surprise the old white-bearded man, so badly clothed, whose features did not appear altogether strange.
"You, Clotilde!" repeated the count, in a tone of sorrowful reproach, "you here--in my son"s house?"
These last words decided Madame de Lucenay; she at length recognized the father of Florestan, and cried, "M. de Saint Remy!" Her position was so plain and significant, that the d.u.c.h.ess disdained to have recourse to a falsehood to explain the motive of her presence in this house; counting on the paternal affection which the count had formerly shown her, she extended her hand, and said, with an air--gracious, cordial, and fearless--which belonged only to her, "Come, do not scold! you are my oldest friend! Do you remember, more than twenty years ago, you called me your dear Clotilde?"
"Yes, I called you thus, but--"
"I know in advance all that you will say to me; you know my motto; _What is, is; what shall be, shall be._"
"Ah, Clotilde!"
"Spare me your reproaches; let me rather speak to you of my joy at seeing you! your presence recalls so many things; my poor father, in the first place; and then my fifteenth year. Ah! fifteen--sweet fifteen!"
"It was because your father was my friend, that--"
"Oh, yes!" answered the d.u.c.h.ess, interrupting him, "he loved you so much! Do you remember he called you, laughingly "Green Ribbon." You always said to him, "You will spoil Clotilde; take care!" and he would answer, embracing me, "I believe I spoil her; and I must hurry and spoil her more, for soon fashion will carry her off, and spoil her in its turn." Excellent father that I lost!"
A tear glistened in the fine eyes of Madame de Lucenay, and giving her hand to Saint Remy, she said to him, in an agitated voice, "True, I am happy, very happy to see you again; you awaken souvenirs so precious, so dear to my heart! If you have been in Paris for any time,"
continued Madame de Lucenay, "it was very unkind in you not to come to see me; we should have talked so much of the past; for you know I begin to arrive at the age when there is a great charm in talking to old friends."
Perhaps the d.u.c.h.ess could not have spoken with more nonchalance if she had been receiving a visit at Lucenay House.
Saint Remy could not refrain from saying, earnestly, "Instead of talking of the past, let us talk of the present. My son may come in at any moment, and--"
"No!" said Clotilde, interrupting him, "I have the key of the private door, and his arrival is always announced by a bell when he comes in by the gate; at this noise I shall disappear as mysteriously as I came, and leave you alone. What a sweet surprise you are going to cause him! you, who have for so long a time abandoned him!"
"Hold! I have reproaches to make you."
"To me, to me?"
"Certainly! What guide, what a.s.sistance had I on entering into society? and, for a thousand things, the counsels of a father are indispensable. Thus, frankly, it has been very wrong in you to--"
Here Madame de Lucenay, giving way to the peculiarity of her character, could not prevent herself from laughing heartily, and saying to the count: "You must avow that the position is at least singular, and that it is very piquant that I should preach to you!"
"It is rather strange; but I deserve neither your sermons nor your praises. I come to my son; but it is not on account of my son. At his age he can no longer need my counsels."
"What do you mean?"
"You must know for what reasons I detest society and hold Paris in horror!" said the count. "Nothing but circ.u.mstances of the last importance could have induced me to leave Angers, and, above all, to come here--in this house! But I have conquered my repugnance, and have recourse to every one who can aid me in researches of great interest to me."
"Oh! then," said Madame de Lucenay, with most affectionate eagerness, "I beg you dispose of me, if I can be of any use to you. Is there need of any applications? M. de Lucenay ought to have a certain influence: for, on the days when I go to dine with my great Aunt de Montbrison, he gives a dinner at home to some deputies; this is not done without some motive; this inconvenience must be paid for by some probable advantage. Once more, if we can serve you, command us. There is my young cousin, Duke de Montbrison, connected with all the n.o.bility, perhaps he could do something? In this case, I offer him to you. In a word, dispose of me and mine: you know if I can call myself a devoted friend!"
"I know it; and I do not refuse your a.s.sistance; although, however--"
"Come, my dear _Alceste_, we are people of the world, let us act like such, whether we are here or elsewhere, it is of no import, I suppose, to the affair which interests you, and which now interests me extremely, since it is yours. Let us speak of this, and sincerely; I require it."
Thus saying, the d.u.c.h.ess approached the fireplace, and, leaning against it, she put out the prettiest little foot in the world to warm it.
With perfect tact, Madame de Lucenay seized the occasion to speak no more of the viscount, and to converse with M. de Saint Remy on a subject to which he attached much importance.
"You are ignorant, perhaps, Clotilde," said the count, "that for a long time past I have lived at Angers?"
"No--I knew it."
"Notwithstanding the isolated state I sought, I had chosen this city, because one of my relations dwelt there, M. de Fermont, who, during my troubles, acted as a brother toward me, having acted as a second in a duel."
"Yes, a terrible duel; my father told me of it," said Madame de Lucenay, sadly; "but happily, Florestan is ignorant of this duel, and also of the cause that led to it."
"I was willing to let him respect his mother," answered the count, and, suppressing a sigh, he continued, and related to Madame de Lucenay the history of Madame de Fermont up to the time of her leaving Angers for Paris.