At the sight of M. d"Escorval he uttered an oath. But there was more sorrow and anxiety than anger in his manner, as he said:
"You, Monsieur, you here!"
The consternation into which Marie-Anne"s words had thrown M. d"Escorval was so intense that it was with great difficulty he stammered out a response.
"You have abandoned us entirely; I was anxious about you. Have you forgotten our old friendship? I come to you----"
The brow of the former master of Sairmeuse remained overcast.
"Why did you not inform me of the honor that the baron had done me, Marie-Anne?" he said sternly.
She tried to speak, but could not; and it was the baron who replied:
"Why, I have but just come, my dear friend."
M. Lacheneur looked suspiciously, first at his daughter, then at the baron.
"What did they say to each other while they were alone?" he was evidently wondering.
But, however great may have been his disquietude, he seemed to master it; and it was with his old-time affability of manner that he invited M.
d"Escorval to follow him into the adjoining room.
"It is my reception-room and my cabinet combined," he said, smiling.
This room, which was much larger than the first, was as scantily furnished; but it contained several piles of small books and an infinite number of tiny packages.
Two men were engaged in arranging and sorting these articles.
One was Chanlouineau.
M. d"Escorval did not remember that he had ever seen the other, who was a young man.
"This is my son, Jean, Monsieur," said Lacheneur. "He has changed since you last saw him ten years ago."
It was true. It had been, at least, ten years since the baron had seen Lacheneur"s son.
How time flies! He had left him a boy; he found him a man.
Jean was just twenty; but his haggard features and his precocious beard made him appear much older.
He was tall and well formed, and his face indicated more than average intelligence.
Still he did not impress one favorably. His restless eyes were always invading yours; and his smile betrayed an unusual degree of shrewdness, amounting almost to cunning.
As his father presented him, he bowed profoundly; but he was very evidently out of temper.
M. Lacheneur resumed:
"Having no longer the means to maintain Jean in Paris, I have made him return. My ruin will, perhaps, be a blessing to him. The air of great cities is not good for the son of a peasant. Fools that we are, we send them there to teach them to rise above their fathers. But they do nothing of the kind. They think only of degrading themselves."
"Father," interrupted the young man; "father, wait, at least, until we are alone!"
"Monsieur d"Escorval is not a stranger." Chanlouineau evidently sided with the son, since he made repeated signs to M. Lacheneur to be silent.
Either he did not see them, or he pretended not to see them, for he continued:
"I must have wearied you, Monsieur, by telling you again and again: "I am pleased with my son. He has a commendable ambition; he is working faithfully; he will succeed." Ah! I was a poor, foolish father! The friend who carried Jean the order to return has enlightened me, to my sorrow. This model young man you see here left the gaming-house only to run to public b.a.l.l.s. He was in love with a wretched little ballet-girl in some low theatre; and to please this creature, he also went upon the stage, with his face painted red and white."
"To appear upon the stage is not a crime."
"No; but it is a crime to deceive one"s father and to affect virtues which one does not possess! Have I ever refused you money? No.
Notwithstanding that, you have contracted debts everywhere, and you owe at least twenty thousand francs."
Jean hung his head; he was evidently angry, but he feared his father.
"Twenty thousand francs!" repeated M. Lacheneur. "I had them a fortnight ago; now I have nothing. I can hope to obtain this sum only through the generosity of the Duc de Sairmeuse and his son." These words from Lacheneur"s lips astonished the baron.
Lacheneur perceived it, and it was with every appearance of sincerity and good faith that he resumed:
"Does what _I say_ surprise you? I understand why. My anger at first made me give utterance to all sorts of absurd threats. But I am calm now, and I realize my injustice. What could I expect the duke to do? To make me a present of Sairmeuse? He was a trifle brusque, I confess, but that is his way; at heart he is the best of men."
"Have you seen him again?"
"No; but I have seen his son. I have even been with him to the chateau to designate the articles which I desire to keep. Oh! he refused me nothing. Everything was placed at my disposal--everything. I selected what I wished--furniture, clothing, linen. It is all to be brought here; and I shall be quite a _grand seigneur_."
"Why not seek another house? This----"
"This pleases me, Monsieur. Its situation suits me perfectly."
In fact, why should not the Sairmeuse have regretted their odious conduct? Was it impossible that Lacheneur, in spite of his indignation, should conclude to accept honorable separation? Such were M.
d"Escorval"s reflections.
"To say that the marquis has been kind is saying too little," continued Lacheneur. "He has shown us the most delicate attentions. For example, having noticed how much Marie-Anne regrets the loss of her flowers, he has declared that he is going to send her plants to stock our small garden, and that they shall be renewed every month."
Like all pa.s.sionate men, M. Lacheneur overdid his part. This last remark was too much; it awakened a sinister suspicion in M. d"Escorval"s mind.
"Good G.o.d!" he thought, "does this wretched man meditate some crime?"
He glanced at Chanlouineau, and his anxiety increased. On hearing the names of the marquis and of Marie-Anne, the robust farmer had turned livid. "It is decided," said Lacheneur, with an air of the lost satisfaction, "that they will give me the ten thousand francs bequeathed to me by Mademoiselle Armande. Moreover, I am to fix upon such a sum as I consider a just recompense for my services. And that is not all; they have offered me the position of manager at Sairmeuse; and I was to be allowed to occupy the gamekeeper"s cottage, where I lived so long. But on reflection I refused this offer. After having enjoyed for so long a time a fortune which did not belong to me, I am anxious to ama.s.s a fortune of my own."
"Would it be indiscreet in me to inquire what you intend to do?"
"Not the least in the world. I am going to turn pedler."
M. d"Escorval could not believe his ears. "Pedler?" he repeated.
"Yes, Monsieur. Look, there is my pack in that corner."