"Yes, and it"s necessary, she says, that you should be present when she tells it."
"Me? monseigneur."
"Tomorrow she shall be satisfied. Do you see those letters? All of those were sent to me from Paris. They are from the great ladies who regret me; there are reproaches, promises, vows, and a little of everything.
Here, throw all that in the fire."
"What, monsieur le marquis, even those which are unopened?"
"Yes, of course; do they not all say the same thing? Ah, a single smile from Blanche is worth all the sweet nothings of these ladies. Why is she not here, near me?"
"If monseigneur desires it--"
"That she may come with her eyes full of tears? No."
The marquis filled a large gla.s.s with wine, which he drank at a draught, when he exclaimed,--
"I"m commencing, however, to fear that I sigh in vain; Blanche is near me, in my chateau, but I dare not--but to employ violence, I cannot resort to that."
"Without employing violence, monseigneur, are there not a thousand ways?
She sleeps undefended--and you have double keys to all the rooms."
"What perfidy!"
"Not greater, monseigneur, than taking her in a carriage, telling her that she was going to join Urbain."
"Be silent, you are a monster; and to listen to your horrible counsels renders me more criminal than yourself."
"It was not I, monseigneur, who counselled you to fall in love with Blanche, but since she is in your power, it seems to me that your scruples are a little tardy."
The marquis remained silent for some moments; then he resumed,--
"This morning she spoke to me less coldly; I remained several hours with her; she seemed to me less timid. I took her hand, and she left it for a long time in mine."
"What more do you wish for, monseigneur? In secret Blanche loves you; but do you think that so timid a young girl will confess what is pa.s.sing in her heart? It is not until after she has yielded that she banishes all constraint."
"Blanche loves me, say you? Ah, if it were true. But it is late; go and take some rest. Tomorrow we will go and see Julia."
Touquet bowed to the marquis, and looked stealthily and scrutinizingly at him; then he took a candle, and departed in silence. For a long while the marquis remained at the table, buried in thought, or drinking gla.s.s after gla.s.s of wine. He seemed to wish to drown in the liquor the thoughts which pursued him. Finally he rang for Germain, and said to him in a gloomy voice,--
"Who has the double keys to the chateau?"
"The porter should have them, monseigneur."
"Bid him come here, I wish to speak to him."
The old porter hastened to obey his master"s orders.
"Are there some double keys for these apartments?" said the marquis.
"Yes, monseigneur, there are even triple keys; "tis an ancient usage that dates from--"
"Go and get me those of the tower which looks on the lake."
The porter departed, and soon returned with a bunch of keys, saying,--
"If monseigneur wishes I will conduct him through the chateau."
"Give me those and go, I do not need your a.s.sistance," said the marquis, s.n.a.t.c.hing the keys from his hand.
The old man, stupefied, bowed and departed, without daring to raise his eyes on his master. The marquis dismissed his servants, saying that he had need of rest, and presently the most profound silence reigned in the chateau and in the grounds pertaining to it.
As for the Marquis de Villebelle, he walked irresolutely about his apartment, holding the bunch of keys in his hand, and meditating deeply.
He was apparently still undecided as to what course he should take, and muttered to himself from time to time,--
"No, I cannot make use of these keys--she seemed to give me her confidence and I dare not abuse it; but must she pa.s.s her life thus? To be so near her, to have abducted her in vain. What would all the libertines say of me, all the people of fashion, if they knew of my conduct? But if they could see Blanche! Why did that cursed Touquet speak to me of these keys? I should have divined that when he entered this chateau, that man would advise me to commit some wicked action."
Some moments pa.s.sed, and at last the marquis took up a candle, and exclaimed,--
"It is settled; I will listen only to the pa.s.sion which leads me."
He left his room, which was separated from the tower where Blanche was lodged by a long gallery adorned with portraits of the marquis"
ancestors. Villebelle walked slowly, pausing often to listen, and trembling for fear he should meet someone; he kept his eyes down, and seemed afraid to look at the portraits of his ancestors, who, for the most part, had honored their country by their bravery and virtue. At this moment something told him he was about to commit an act which was unworthy of the name which they had transmitted to him, and when his eyes met by chance one of those n.o.ble faces with which the gallery was hung, he seemed to read in it an expression of indignation and scorn. At last he reached the end of the gallery, and never had it seemed to him so long; he mounted a grand staircase, crossed several rooms, and entered the tower which held the young girl. A violent trembling seized him. Wishing to master his uneasiness, he hastened his walk. All the doors of communication were open, and he soon found Blanche"s room. He paused, and looked at the keys which he held in his hand; he still hesitated, but, seeking to deaden himself to the crime which he was about to commit, he tried several keys, and was soon in Blanche"s room.
The deepest silence reigned in this place; the marquis stepped very softly, taking each step with precaution. The door of the bedroom was not closed. Villebelle looked in, and by the light of the lamp placed on the hearth, perceived the young girl asleep.
"She sleeps," said the marquis; "she thinks herself safe in this shelter, but her breathing is oppressed; she seems as though she were going to speak; if I could but hear her."
He approached the bed. Blanche was dreaming of her lover; softly she breathed Urbain"s name, and extended her arms as if imploring someone; then she murmured,--
"O dear G.o.d! they still keep us apart."
Villebelle felt moved and softened.
"No, she does not love me," said he softly; "in her sleep she is always thinking of Urbain."
He sighed profoundly, and was about to depart, when Blanche awakened, opened her eyes, and called out in terror,--
"O heavens! who is there?"
"It is I, Blanche," answered the marquis in a halting voice.
"You seigneur? so late in my room? What do you want with me?"
"Be calm, I beg of you."
"But you are trembling yourself, seigneur, what has happened?"
"Nothing, nothing; I wished to see you--to speak to you, to look at you once more."