"But take care, messieurs," said the notary; "if you delay, you may make the journey for nothing, and I shall already have started for Paris with Cherubin."
"Oh! I don"t think so," said Monfreville.
"As for me, messieurs, I am a bold player," said Darena, "and I will give you the start. I will not leave Paris until a full hour after you, and even so I am sure that I shall arrive in time."
Jasmin, who was bewildered and somewhat alarmed by all that he heard, exclaimed with an air of dismay:
"I say, messieurs, I hope that you won"t do my young master any injury in all this; I mean, I hope that you won"t make him unhappy?"
"Ha! ha! ha! this old fellow is enchanting with his innocence!" said Darena.--"Never fear, venerable retainer! We shall employ only pleasant methods! As for you, all there is for you to do is to find a way to get Monsieur Cherubin"s little foster-sister out of the way to-morrow morning. That is indispensable for the success of our excursion."
"You hear, Jasmin?" said the notary. "Remember that the happiness, the future of your young master is at stake, and that you will be very blameworthy if you do not try to help us."
The old servant bowed and went out, saying that he would obey.
Monfreville and Darena also left the notary"s, saying to each other:
"Until to-morrow, at Gagny."
X
THE ARMS OF ACHILLES
Jasmin returned to the house utterly upset; the old servant did not know whether he ought to rejoice or to grieve; he would be very glad to see his master at Paris, so that he might be always with him, and serve him as he had served the old marquis; but he was afraid that that would grieve the youth whom he called his dear child; and he was also afraid that life in Paris would not be so good for Cherubin"s health as life in the village.
While making these reflections, he summoned all the servants in the house. It will be remembered that Jasmin had kept all those who had been in the employ of his former master, and that is why Cherubin"s household consisted entirely of mature persons. The cook had pa.s.sed his sixtieth year; the coachman was approaching his sixty-fifth; there was a little jockey of fifty; and Mademoiselle Turlurette, who was a child compared with all the rest, was in her thirty-seventh year, none the less.
"My children," said Jasmin to the servants, "I think it my duty to inform you that our young master will come among us to-morrow."
"To-morrow!" cried Turlurette, with a joyful exclamation; "is that certain?"
"It is very certain--perhaps. However, arrange everything so that Monsieur Cherubin will be pleased; see that everything is rubbed and polished with more care than ever. Cook, prepare a dainty dinner.
Coachman, let the carriage and horses be ready, in case he should want to use them. Have flowers placed in the hall, as on the days when my late master gave a ball."
"Are we going to have a display of fireworks?" asked Turlurette in a quizzical tone.
"No, mademoiselle, no, I have had enough of fireworks!" replied Jasmin, pa.s.sing his hand over his face; "and unless Monsieur Cherubin orders, not even a rocket will ever be fired in this courtyard again. But still, we must see that it is very lively here. By the way, we will have some music--three organ grinders, and as many violin players, who will be stationed in the courtyard; they must play their best pieces when our young master enters the house; that cannot fail to be agreeable to him."
"Do you want singers too?" asked the old jockey.
"Well! if you can find any singers, men or women, it seems to me that they will not do any harm. You understand, all this for the afternoon."
The next morning, Jasmin started early for Gagny, where he arrived about ten o"clock. First of all, he asked for Cherubin, and Nicole informed him that he had gone to walk with Louise toward Maison Rouge. The old servant was about to go in search of the young people when he met Monsieur Gerondif in the square, and hastened to inform him as to what was to happen during the day.
The professor clapped his hands, tossed his new hat in the air, and seemed inclined to cut a caper.
_"Tandem! Denique! Ultima c.u.maei venit jam carminis aetas! Jam nova progenies clo demitt.i.tur alto!_"
"Why no, that isn"t it," replied Jasmin; "I tell you that the notary and two of his friends are coming."
"Very good! perfect! more than perfect! We must now find my pupil at once."
"I was going to look for him; he is walking with little Louise in the direction of Maison Rouge."
"With little Louise, who is already large. How imprudent it is! It is high time to separate the man from the serpent!"
"Did you see a serpent?"
"The serpent, my dear Jasmin, is woman, the apple, sin! You don"t seem to understand; I will explain it to you some other day, but now we must find the child at once."
"Especially as those gentlemen requested me to send the little girl away this morning, while they were talking to my master."
"You see, those gentlemen think as I do; they understand that this little girl is now a dangerous companion, most certainly. We will get her out of the way, virtuous Jasmin, we will find a pretext, a subterfuge. Come, take my arm and let us run."
"Run! the devil! that"s very easy to say! However, I"ll try."
"Men run at all ages, worthy Jasmin, and you were built for a runner."
As he spoke, the professor took the old servant"s arm and hurried him away in the direction where they hoped to find Cherubin. As they walked rapidly along, Jasmin asked Monsieur Gerondif:
"Have you thought of any excuse for sending the girl away?"
"No; have you?"
"No, I have not."
"Let us go on, that will come in due time."
That rapid march lasted for three-quarters of an hour. Jasmin could hold out no longer, he was entirely out of breath. But the professor still pulled him along, saying:
"_Macte puer! macte animo!_ Our dear Cherubin"s happiness is at stake.
Look out, excellent Jasmin, you are stumbling; you are putting your feet in the ruts, in pools of water!"
The excellent Jasmin"s breath was exhausted, and he decided to fall in the middle of the road.
"I can"t go any farther," he stammered; "I must get my breath."
But at that moment Monsieur Gerondif glanced at a clump of trees a short distance from the road and exclaimed:
"There they are! the little girl is eating apricots; she offers one to my pupil, who stands lost in admiration before his apricot! It is time that we arrived."
Cherubin had gone out early with Louise that morning; they had taken a basket containing bread and fruit, and looked forward to eating their luncheon in the woods; that frugal collation seemed most delicious to them. And, in sooth, what more could they desire? they were together, and they loved each other; that is the most enjoyable repast to which one brings a contented heart.
The relations between Louise and Cherubin at this time were so pleasant, so pure, that they were happy to be together and aspired to no other happiness. It may be, however, that young Louise"s affection was more eager, more expansive, because there was already a tinge of sadness in it. She was afraid that Cherubin would decide to go to Paris; she was afraid that she was going to lose her friend; and that fear made her love him even more, for our affections are strengthened by the sorrows that they cause us.