"Now, let me do it," he said. "It is a great favor I ask; it is too good a means, and too good a time to obtain a rendezvous."
All the rest, who thought the young girl was joking, cried: "We protest! He shall not climb up."
But the Marquise, disturbed, repeated: "And yet some one must go and see."
The Prince exclaimed with a dramatic gesture:
"She favors the Duke, we are betrayed."
"Let us toss a coin to see who shall go up," said the Chevalier. He took a five-franc piece from his pocket, and began with the Prince.
"Tail," said he. It was head.
The Prince tossed the coin in his turn saying to Saval: "Call, Monsieur."
Saval called "Head." It was tail.
The Prince then gave all the others a chance, and they all lost.
Servigny, who was standing opposite him, exclaimed in his insolent way: "PARBLEU! he is cheating!"
The Russian put his hand on his heart and held out the gold piece to his rival, saying: "Toss it yourself, my dear Duke."
Servigny took it and spinning it up, said: "Head." It was tail.
He bowed and pointing to the pillar of the balcony said: "Climb up, Prince." But the Prince looked about him with a disturbed air.
"What are you looking for?" asked the Chevalier.
"Well,--I--would--like--a ladder." A general laugh followed.
Saval, advancing, said: "We will help you."
He lifted him in his arms, as strong as those of Hercules, telling him:
"Now climb to that balcony."
The Prince immediately clung to it, and, Saval letting him go, he swung there, suspended in the air, moving his legs in empty s.p.a.ce.
Then Servigny, seeing his struggling legs which sought a resting place, pulled them downward with all his strength; the hands lost their grip and the Prince fell in a heap on Monsieur de Belvigne, who was coming to aid him. "Whose turn next?" asked Servigny. No one claimed the privilege.
"Come, Belvigne, courage!"
"Thank you, my dear boy, I am thinking of my bones."
"Come, Chevalier, you must be used to scaling walls."
"I give my place to you, my dear Duke."
"Ha, ha, that is just what I expected."
Servigny, with a keen eye, turned to the pillar. Then with a leap, clinging to the balcony, he drew himself up like a gymnast and climbed over the bal.u.s.trade.
All the spectators, gazing at him, applauded. But he immediately reappeared, calling:
"Come, quick! Come, quick! Yvette is unconscious." The Marquise uttered a loud cry, and rushed for the stairs.
The young girl, her eyes closed, pretended to be dead. Her mother entered distracted, and threw her self upon her.
"Tell me what is the matter with her, what is the matter with her?"
Servigny picked up the bottle of chloroform which had fallen upon the floor.
"She has drugged herself," said he.
He placed his ear to her heart; then he added:
"But she is not dead; we can resuscitate her. Have you any ammonia?"
The maid, bewildered, repeated: "Any what, Monsieur?"
"Any smelling-salts."
"Yes, Monsieur." "Bring them at once, and leave the door open to make a draft of air."
The Marquise, on her knees, was sobbing: "Yvette! Yvette, my daughter, my daughter, listen, answer me, Yvette, my child. Oh, my G.o.d! my G.o.d! what has she done?"
The men, frightened, moved about without speaking, bringing water, towels, gla.s.ses, and vinegar. Some one said: "She ought to be undressed." And the Marquise, who had lost her head, tried to undress her daughter; but did not know what she was doing. Her hands trembled and faltered, and she groaned:
"I cannot,--I cannot--"
The maid had come back bringing a druggist"s bottle which Servigny opened and from which he poured out half upon a handkerchief. Then he applied it to Yvette"s nose, causing her to choke.
"Good, she breathes," said he. "It will be nothing."
And he bathed her temples, cheeks, and neck with the pungent liquid.
Then he made a sign to the maid to unlace the girl, and when she had nothing more on than a skirt over her chemise, he raised her in his arms and carried her to the bed, quivering, moved by the odor and contact of her flesh. Then she was placed in bed. He arose very pale.
"She will come to herself," he said, "it is nothing." For he had heard her breathe in a continuous and regular way. But seeing all the men with their eyes fixed on Yvette in bed, he was seized with a jealous irritation, and advanced toward them. "Gentlemen," he said, "there are too many of us in this room; be kind enough to leave us alone,--Monsieur Saval and me--with the Marquise."
He spoke in a tone which was dry and full of authority.
Madame Obardi had grasped her lover, and with her head uplifted toward him she cried to him:
"Save her, oh, save her!"
But Servigny turning around saw a letter on the table. He seized it with a rapid movement, and read the address. He understood and thought: "Perhaps it would be better if the Marquise should not know of this," and tearing open the envelope, he devoured at a glance the two lines it contained: