"Evidently."
"It would be well, then, for her to perform her devotions at the altar of the Virgin, where she will also conduct her young friend to-morrow morning at nine o"clock. I would also suggest that the ladies take their places to the left of the altar."
"To the left of the altar! and why, Celestin?"
"Because I shall be performing my devotions at the same altar."
"Excellent!" cried the abbe, "no better plan could be devised. Mlle.
Helena shall call the girl"s attention to you, and you will make an admirable impression from the very first. A very clever idea, my dear Celestin, a very clever idea!"
"Don"t give me the credit of it, my dear abbe," replied Celestin, with ironical modesty. "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar"s."
"And to what Caesar am I to attribute this admirable idea for a first interview?"
"To the author of these lines, my dear abbe." And in a sardonic tone, M.
de Macreuse repeated:
""Ah, if you had but seen him as I first saw him, You would feel for him the same fondness that I feel.
Each day to church he came with gentle air, To kneel devoutly right before me, And attracted the gaze of all a.s.sembled there, By the sincerity and ardour of his prayer."
"You see everything has been planned for me, even to offering the holy water on leaving the church," added Macreuse. "And yet, people persist in declaring that the writings of this impious playwright are immoral and reprehensible."
"That"s pretty good, upon my word!" cried the abbe, laughing heartily.
"Well, Heaven speed the good cause, whatever may be the weapons used!
You have everything to hope for, my dear Celestin. You are clever and persevering, and more likely to make a favourable impression on the orphan than any one I know. I would advise, however, that you be extremely careful about your dress. Let it be rich, but not gaudy, and characterised always by that elegant simplicity which is the perfection of good taste. Let me look at you a minute, Yes," continued the abbe, after scrutinising the young man closely for a moment, "you had better give a slight wave to your hair instead of wearing it smooth. It takes something more than fine talk to captivate a young girl"s fancy."
"Oh, you need feel no uneasiness, my dear abbe, I understand all those little matters. I know, too, that the greatest victories are often won by trivial means. And success in this instance means the most delightful and blissful future of which man ever dreamed," exclaimed Celestin, his eyes sparkling joyously.
"And you will attain this success, for all the resources at our disposal--and they are immense--will be employed, if need be."
"Ah, my indebtedness to you will be immeasurable."
"And your success will not benefit you alone!"
"What do you mean by that, my dear abbe?"
"I mean that your success will have an enormous, an incalculable influence. Yes, all those fine young gentlemen who pose as freethinkers, all the lukewarm, all the indifferent, who uphold us but weakly, will see what one gains by being with us, for us, and of us. These advantages have also been demonstrated to some extent, I think, by the very enviable position--especially for one of your years and of--of your--obscure birth--" added the abbe, blushing a little, and Celestin somehow seemed to share this embarra.s.sment.
"So, my dear Celestin," the priest continued, "while envious and insolent aristocrats squander their wealth and their health in vile orgies and senseless dissipation, you, my dear child,--come from n.o.body knows where, aided and pushed forward by n.o.body knows whom,--will quietly make your way in the world, and soon every one will be petrified with amazement at your marvellous good fortune."
"Ah, my dear abbe, you may rest a.s.sured that my grat.i.tude--"
But the abbe again interrupted him by saying, with a peculiar smile:
"Do not persist in talking of your grat.i.tude. No one has a chance to be ungrateful to us. We are not children; we take our precautions; besides, our best guarantee is the love and good-will of those who are indebted to us."
And the abbe, again pinching the young man"s ear in a paternal way, continued:
"Now let me mention another no less important matter. You know the saying, "He who hears only one bell hears but one note." You may rest a.s.sured that Mlle. Helena will descant eloquently upon your many virtues to the little Beaumesnil. Your goodness, your piety, the angelic sweetness of your face, the dignified modesty of your demeanour, will be her constant theme. She will do everything she can to make the girl fall madly in love with you; but it would be an excellent thing if these praises were echoed by somebody else, and particularly if they were repeated by persons of such prominence that the words would exert a great influence upon the mind of the little Beaumesnil."
"That would be a great help, I admit, my dear abbe."
"Let us see, then, my dear Celestin. Among your fashionable friends is there no lady who could be entrusted with this delicate mission? How about Madame de Francville?"
"She is too silly."
"Madame de Bonrepos, then?"
"She is too indiscreet and too garrulous."
"Madame Lefebure?"
"She is too much of a plebeian. There is but one lady upon whose friendship and discretion I can rely sufficiently to make such a request," continued Celestin, after quite a long pause. "That is Madame la d.u.c.h.esse de Senneterre."
"And you couldn"t possibly do better, for the d.u.c.h.ess has an immense amount of influence in society," said the abbe, thoughtfully. "I think, too, that you are not mistaken in your a.s.sertion, for I have heard her praise you very warmly on several occasions, and have even heard her express great regret that her son Gerald was not more like you."
On hearing Gerald"s name, M. de Macreuse"s face darkened ominously, and it was in a tone of positive hatred that he exclaimed:
"That man insulted me before everybody not very long ago. I will have my revenge, you may be sure of that."
"My dear boy, did you never hear the Roman proverb, "Vengeance should be eaten cold." It is a true one. My advice to you is to remember--and wait. Haven"t you a good deal of influence over his mother already?"
"Yes," replied Celestin, "and the longer I think about it, the more convinced I am that it is to Madame de Senneterre that I ought to apply in this matter. I have had convincing proof of the interest she takes in me more than once; and the confidence I now show in her will please her, I am sure. I will consult with her, too, I think, as to the best means of establishing friendly relations between her and Mlle. de Beaumesnil.
That will be a comparatively easy matter, I think."
"In that case, you had better see the d.u.c.h.ess as soon as possible,"
replied the abbe.
"It is only half past twelve," said Celestin, glancing at the clock, "and Madame de Senneterre is generally at home to her intimate friends from one to two o"clock. I will go there at once."
"On your way you had better consider well if any inconveniences are likely to result from these overtures on your part. I can see only advantages."
"It is the same with me. Nevertheless, I will think the matter over. As for the rest, that is decided, you know. To-morrow morning at nine o"clock, a little to the left of the altar, in the Chapel of the Virgin, in the Church of St. Thomas d"Aquin, remember."
"That is understood," answered the abbe. "I will go and inform Mlle.
Helena of our arrangements. She will be at the chapel with Mlle. de Beaumesnil to-morrow morning at nine o"clock. I can vouch for that. Now go at once to Madame de Senneterre"s. You have no time to lose."
So, after an affectionate leave-taking, Celestin hastened to the Hotel de Senneterre.
CHAPTER XVI.
AN INCOMPREHENSIBLE REFUSAL.
On the morning of the same day on which the foregoing conversation between Abbe Ledoux and M. de Macreuse took place, Madame la d.u.c.h.esse de Senneterre, having received an important letter, went out at ten o"clock, as usual. On her return, at half past eleven, she immediately asked for her son Gerald; but that young gentleman"s valet reported to madame"s maid that M. le duc had not slept at home the night before.