"I am forgetting all about my poor pensioners," said she.
"Ah, if I might but accompany you!"
"And so you may, but you must walk fast."
It is quite true that great events spring from very trivial sources; and had Diana gone to visit La Besson, Norbert might have heard something concerning Daumon that would have put him on his guard; but, unfortunately, to-day Diana was bound on a visit to an old woman in another part of the parish.
Norbert looked on whilst this fair young creature busied herself in her work of charity, and then he silently placed two louis from the money he had borrowed, on the table, and left the cottage. Diana followed him, and, laying her finger upon her lips with the significant word "to-morrow," turned down the path that led to her father"s house.
Norbert could hardly believe his senses when he found himself again alone. Yes, this lovely girl had almost confessed her affection for him, and he was ready to pour out his life blood for her. He tore up the letter which had cost him so much trouble to compose, for he felt that he could make no use of it. He had now no anxieties regarding the future, and he thanked Providence for having caused him to meet Diana de Laurebourg. It never entered his brain that this apparently frank and open-hearted girl had materially furthered the acts of Providence. At supper that night he was so gay, and in such excellent spirits, that even his father"s attention was at last attracted.
"I would lay a wager, my boy," remarked the Duke, "that you have had a good day"s sport."
"You would win your wager," answered the young man boldly.
His father did not pursue the subject; but as Norbert felt that he must give some color to his a.s.sertion, he stopped the next day, and purchased some quails and a hare. He waited fully half an hour for Diana; and when she did appear, her pale face and the dark marks under her eyes showed that anxiety had caused her to pa.s.s a sleepless night.
No sooner had she parted from Norbert than she saw the risk that she was running by her imprudent conduct. She was endangering her whole future and her reputation,--all indeed that is most precious to a young girl.
For an instant the thought of confiding all to her parents entered her brain; but she rejected the idea almost as soon as she had conceived it, for she felt that her father would believe that the parsimonious Duke de Champdoce would never consent to such a marriage, and that her entire liberty would be taken from her, and that she might even be sent back to the convent.
"I cannot stop now," she murmured, "and must be content to run all risks to effect an object in which I am now doubly interested."
Diana and Norbert had a long conversation together on this day in a spot which had become so dear to them both, and it was only the approach of a peasant that recalled the girl to the sense of her rash imprudence, and she insisted on going on her ostensible errand of charity. Norbert, as before, escorted her, and even went so far as to offer his arm, upon which she pressed when the road was steep or uneven.
These meetings took place daily, and after a few short minutes spent in conversation, the young lovers would set off on a ramble. More than once they were met by the villagers, and a little scandal began to arise.
This was very imprudent on Diana"s side; but it had been a part of her plan to permit her actions to be talked of by the tongue of scandal.
Unfortunately the end of November was approaching, and the weather growing extremely cold. One morning, as Norbert arose from his couch, he found that a sharp icy blast was swaying the bare branches of the trees, and that the rain was descending in torrents. On such a day as this he knew that it was vain to expect Diana, and, with his heart full of sadness, he took up a book and sat himself down by the huge fire that blazed in the great hall.
Mademoiselle de Laurebourg had, however, gone out, but it was in a carriage, and she had driven to a cottage to see a poor woman who had broken her leg, and who had nothing but the scanty earnings of her daughter Francoise upon which to exist. As soon as Diana entered the cottage she saw that something had gone wrong.
"What is the matter?" asked she.
The poor creature, with garrulous volubility, exhibited a summons which she had just received, and said that she owed three hundred francs, and that as she could no longer pay the interest, she had been summoned, and that her little property would be seized, and so a finishing stroke would be put to her troubles.
"It is the Counsellor," said she, "that rogue Daumon, who has done all this."
The poor woman went on to say that when she went to her creditor to implore a little delay, he had scoffingly told her to send her pretty daughter to him to plead her cause.
Mademoiselle de Laurebourg was disgusted at this narrative, and her eyes gleamed with anger.
"I will see this wicked man," said she, "and will come back to you at once."
She drove straight to the Counsellor"s house. Daumon was engaged in writing when the housekeeper ushered Diana into the office. He rose to his feet, and, taking off his velvet skull cap, made a profound bow, advancing at the same time a chair for his visitor"s accommodation.
Though Diana knew nothing of this man, she was not so unsophisticated as Norbert, and was not imposed upon by the air of servile obsequiousness that he a.s.sumed. With a gesture of contempt, she declined the proffered seat, and this act made Daumon her bitter enemy.
"I have come," said she in the cold, disdainful words in which young girls of high birth address their inferiors,--"I have come to you from Widow Rouleau."
"Ah! you know the poor creature then?"
"Yes, and I take a great interest in her."
"You are a very kind young lady," answered the Counsellor with a sinister smile.
"The poor woman is in the most terrible distress both of mind and body.
She is confined to her bed with a fractured limb, and without any means of support."
"Yes, I heard of her accident."
"And yet you sent her a summons, and are ready to seize all she possesses in the world."
Daumon put on an air of sympathy.
"Poor thing!" said he. "How true it is that misfortunes never come singly!"
Diana was disgusted at the man"s cool effrontery.
"It seems to me," answered she, "that her last trouble is of your making."
"Is it possible?"
"Why, who is it but you who are the persecutor of this poor lone creature?"
"I!" answered he in extreme astonishment; "do you really think that it is I? Ah! mademoiselle, why do you listen to the cruel tongues of scandal-mongers? To make a long story short, this poor woman bought barley, corn, potatoes, and three sheep from a man in the neighborhood, who gave her credit to the extent of I daresay three hundred francs.
Well, in time, the man asked--most naturally--for his money, and failing to get it, came to me. I urged him to wait, but he would not listen to me, and vowed that if I did not do as he wished he would go to some one else. What was I to do? He had the law on his side too. Ah!" continued he, as though speaking to himself, "if I could only see a way of getting this poor creature out of her trouble! But that cannot be done without money."
He opened a drawer and pulled out about fifty francs.
"This is all my worldly wealth," said he sadly. "But how foolish I am!
For, of course, when poor Widow Rouleau has a wealthy young lady to take an interest in her, she must have no further fear."
"I will speak to my father on the matter," answered Diana in a voice which showed that she had but little hope of interesting him in the widow"s misfortunes.
Daumon"s face fell.
"You will go to the Marquis de Laurebourg?" asked he. "Now, if you would take my advice, I should say, go to some intimate friend,--to the Marquis de Champdoce, for instance. I know," he went on, "that the Duke does not make his son a very handsome allowance; but the young gentleman will find no difficulty in raising whatever he may desire--as it will not be long before he is of age--without counting his marriage, which will put an enormous sum at his disposal even before that."
Diana fell in an instant into the trap the wily Daumon had laid for her.
"A marriage!" exclaimed she.
"I know very little about it; only I know that if the young man wishes to marry without his father"s consent, he will have to wait at least five years."
"Five years?"
"Yes; the law requires that a young man who marries against his father"s desire should be twenty-five years of age."
This last stroke was so totally unexpected, that the girl lost her head.