"I swear to you, monsieur le marquis--"
"Make an end of this," said Villebelle, interrupting him. "Listen to me.
I love, what do I say, I adore this young girl whom I have seen only for a moment; for a very long time I have not experienced sensations similar to those I felt in her presence. This is not a pa.s.sing caprice; these are not desires to which the heart is a stranger. No, on seeing Blanche I felt moved, uneasy, softened. I cannot define all that pa.s.sed within me. It seemed to me that I recognized that lovely child--that my love for her had existed for a long time. After that you must divine that it is impossible henceforth to live without her. Blanche must be mine; I am capable of every sacrifice in order to arrive at that end."
"Ah, monsieur, that is what I feared," said Touquet, who appeared to be really grieved at what he heard. "You wish to make Blanche your mistress!"
"I wish to make her happiness; I feel that my love for her will be lifelong."
"That is impossible, monseigneur. Blanche is about to be married to a young man whom she loves. You must see that your love cannot render her happy."
For some moments the marquis walked up and down the room, then he cried pa.s.sionately,--
"I repeat to you, Blanche must be mine--it must be so. I will leave no means unemployed to attain this end. She cannot yet love her destined husband; she has only known him for a few days."
"Monseigneur, who has informed you as to all this?"
"What does that matter to you? That love is but a pa.s.sing sentiment and I shall know how to make her forget it by overwhelming her with presents, with jewels, and by seeking to invent new pleasures to make each day delightful to her."
"Monseigneur, Blanche is accustomed to retirement; she is not a coquette; your ornaments, your gifts will have no effect upon her."
"Enough of this," said the marquis, "your objections weary me; I have now some orders to give you. I wish you to give me Blanche, on whom I swear to settle an independent fortune. Such a treasure I feel is worthy of a great price. Wait, here are six thousand crowns in notes and gold.
You shall have as much more when you have fulfilled my commands."
The barber eyed with avaricious looks the money which the marquis had spread upon the table; then he turned his eyes away, saying in a gloomy voice,--
"Gold! yes, it is always that which draws me on; but this time--no, I cannot. Remember, monseigneur, that within two days Blanche should be united to her lover."
"Then at once, tonight even, it is necessary that she be given into my hands."
The barber appeared to be weighing the proposition in his mind; from time to time he looked at the money on the table, and, finally, speaking with a great effort, he said,--
"It cannot be, monseigneur, I am extremely grieved to have to disappoint you, but matters are too far advanced."
The marquis drew near Touquet, and grasping him tightly by the arm, said in a low tone,--
"It will, then, be necessary that I beg my uncle, the grand provost, to cause a new inquiry to be held in regard to the murder of Blanche"s father. Do you think, scoundrel, that I do not partly divine the cause which has induced you to keep this young girl so carefully hidden from everybody"s sight? Her beauty would be remarked, and could not fail to draw a throng of admirers who would have much to say of Blanche, and in seeking to learn who she is and what family she belongs to they would obtain new facts about that unfortunate traveller who was murdered on the evening of his arrival in Paris. They would make reflections on the fortune which came to you, n.o.body knows how, some time after that event."
"Monseigneur," said the barber, whose face had become livid, while a convulsive trembling seized his limbs; "monseigneur, what do you say?
Could you believe it of me?"
"I believe nothing yet, but tomorrow I shall urge the magistrates to make an effort to pierce this mystery."
"Monseigneur, you shall have Blanche," said Touquet dropping into a chair as though he were perfectly helpless.
The marquis smiled triumphantly and seemed to forget all but his love.
Touquet who had been thrown into a state of the deepest depression and consternation, remained for some minutes without daring to raise his eyes, and unable to resume his ordinary expression. Finally, he rose and murmured, in a broken voice,--
"Believe me, monsieur le marquis, that it is not the suspicions you have conceived which determine me to obey you--my devotion alone--"
"Enough," said the marquis interrupting him; "not another word about that. I am quite willing to believe that appearances are deceitful. We will occupy ourselves only with my love. I don"t wish to lose a single instant in obtaining possession of Blanche, and, since you tell me that in two days she was to have been married, it is necessary that she should leave this house tonight."
"I agree with you," said Touquet, "since she is to go the sooner the better. But how can it be done tonight?"
"I don"t recognize you, Touquet; you see nothing but obstacles, as for me, I don"t know of any. It is not yet midnight, we have some time remaining. I"ll go to my hotel and send Germain, my valet de chambre, to get a carriage--and to go only as far as my little house."
"Monseigneur, you must not take Blanche there; she would not be safe; the place is too near Paris. Urbain Dorgeville, the person she was to marry, will make every effort to discover her. The young man adores her; he is enterprising; you have everything to fear from his despair."
"I fear n.o.body, and you know it. However, I think your advice is wise.
Blanche is so pretty; I already feel jealous of a glance given by her to another, and a good many giddy fellows know my little house. But wait, wait, I have just what will suit me; amongst all the property that came to me from my mother is a chateau situated in the neighborhood of Grandvilliers, about twenty-two leagues from here, and far enough from the town and the highway to avoid the notice of travellers."
"Very well, monsieur, that will suit perfectly."
"I have only once visited this chateau, which is called Sarcus, but although I only made a short stay there, I was greatly struck by the elegance of the beautiful estate. The chateau, built in 1522, was given to Mademoiselle de Sarcus by Francis the First, and in the neighborhood is noted for the marvellous beauty of its architecture, and especially of its facade, in which the artist excelled all his previous works. That is the place to which I shall take, or rather, to which I shall have Blanche taken. Twenty-eight leagues--two trusty men--she will be at the chateau in ten hours or so. As for myself, after tomorrow I shall arrange my affairs, and pretending at court that I am obliged to go to England, I shall repair secretly to Sarcus to her whom I never more wish to leave. You see, Touquet, my plan is perfect and no one will suspect that I have abducted the young orphan."
"Yes, monseigneur, no one among your brilliant acquaintances; but how shall we induce Blanche to go with you quietly and prevent a noise and cries which will attract the attention of the neighbors?"
"Oh, hang it! it will be necessary to mislead her at first--that"s your look out. Is your invention so sterile that you can think of nothing to deceive a mere child. You can make her believe that she is going to rejoin her future husband."
"Wait, monseigneur, I"ve thought of a way, but Blanche mustn"t see you.
She would suspect something, and my stratagem would fail."
"I repeat to you she will start alone--a postilion and two well-armed men behind the carriage will answer to me for her safety."
"That is all that is necessary."
"It is midnight. I"ll go and settle everything. My valet de chambre shall start before at full speed, that he may give my orders at the chateau and that he may be there to receive our beautiful girl; at two o"clock in the morning I shall be at your door with a coach; you understand me, at two o"clock."
"Yes, monsieur le marquis," said the barber, "I will not forget the hour."
"Manage so as to have Blanche ready to get into the carriage. I leave it to you. Do not try to evade your promise or my vengeance will be terrible."
"You may rely on me, monseigneur."
The marquis wrapped himself in his mantle and hastily left the barber"s shop. Touquet remained alone for some time, thoughtful and depressed; at length he rose abruptly.
"What does it matter after all," said he, "whether Blanche be with Urbain or the marquis? Shall I be foolish enough to sympathize with the love of two children? In keeping this young girl with me I hoped to avoid all suspicion. But at last I shall be relieved of the burden that oppresses me. Come let"s put up this gold; the marquis has promised me as much more--and I would have refused him. No. My destiny must be accomplished; this metal has always served as its compa.s.s. I was only sixteen years old when it caused me to commit actions which drew down upon me my father"s curse; arrived in Paris, which I had yearned to know, I soon found myself robbed of everything I possessed by people who were more adroit than myself; I had been deceived and I wished to make others suffer as I had suffered. I gave scope to my talents. Up to that time I had done no great wrong--but this cursed thirst for gold. Ten years have pa.s.sed and have not effaced from my memory that horrible night--when--since then I have not tasted a moment"s peace. I will return to my birthplace and if my father is still alive I will try to obtain his pardon; perhaps then I may regain quiet of mind. But if he knew how I enriched myself."
The barber again gave himself to his reflections. Soon Saint-Eustache"s clock struck one. Touquet slowly took the money from the table, and, after locking it in his room upstairs, he went to Blanche"s chamber and knocked at the door.
The poor little girl was not asleep; she had been too greatly excited by the events of the evening. She still seemed to see the stranger seated near her, holding her hand and looking at her with an expression that she could not define. She felt oppressed; it seemed to her that she should never see Urbain more. The marquis" figure appeared constantly between herself and Urbain, and the sadness the latter had felt on leaving her heightened her own premonitions. Yielding to this indefinite anxiety, often harder to bear than a real sorrow, Blanche could not rest, and the sound of a knock at her door in the middle of the night awoke in her fresh terror.
"Who is there?" she cried, in a faltering voice.
"It is I, Blanche," answered the barber; "open the door. I have something of importance to tell you."
The young girl, who had recognized Touquet"s voice, rose, hastily put on a dressing gown, and opened the door. The barber held the lamp in his hand and avoided looking at the young girl, who, on the contrary, wished to question him and said,--
"Mercy, my good friend, what has happened?"