LOUISON
Toward noon Louison awoke from the lethargic sleep in which Rolla's
liquid had thrown her, and her first look fell upon the virago, who was
sitting in a half-drunken condition near the window. The young girl
unconsciously uttered a cry when she saw the repulsive woman, and this
cry aroused Rolla from out of her dreams about well-filled brandy
bottles into reality.
"Well, my pigeon, how goes it?" she asked, grinning.
"My head hurts," replied Louison faintly, and throwing an anxious look
about the strange apartment, she timidly added: "Where am I?"
"Where are you? Among good people certainly, who have become interested
in you and will do what's right."
Louison was silent and tried to collect her thoughts. But it was no use,
she had to close her eyes again from exhaustion.
"Ah, you are sensible I see; that pleases me," said Rolla, giggling.
"Robeckal thought you would stamp and cry, but I said right away: 'The
little one is smart, she will not throw her fortune away.' What is the
use of virtue, anyway? It hardly brings one dry bread, so the sooner
you throw it overboard the better it is. Oh, you will make your way,
never fear. Your face is handsome, and who knows but that you will have
your own elegant house and carriage one of these days? The little
vicomte is certainly no Adonis, with his high shoulder, but one cannot
have everything and--"
Louison had listened to Rolla's words with increasing loathing, and when
she heard the name of the vicomte pronounced, her memory returned to
her. Hastily springing up, she uttered a loud cry, and clutching Rolla
tightly about the shoulder she exclaimed:
"Let me go or you shall be sorry for it!"
Rolla looked at the street-singer with a foolish laugh, and, shaking her
thick head, she laconically said:
"Stay here."
"But I will not stay here," declared Louison firmly. "I will go away!
Either you let me go or I shall cry for help. I am a respectable girl,
and you ought to be ashamed to treat me in this way."
"So you--are a respectable girl," said the woman, in a maudlin voice.
"What conceit--you have! You might have been so yesterday, but
to-day--try it--tell the people that you spent a few hours in the Cannon
Queen's house in Belleville and are still a respectable girl. Ha! ha!
They will laugh at you, or spit in your face. No, no, my pretty dear, no
one will believe that fairy story, and if an angel from heaven came down
and took rooms in my house, it would be ruined. Give in, my chicken, and
don't show the white feather! No one will believe that you are
respectable and virtuous, and I think you ought to save yourself the
trouble. It is too late now."
"You lie!" cried Louison, in desperation.
"So--I lie--it is about time that I shut your bold mouth," growled the
virago, and raising her voice, she cried: "Robeckal, bring me the
bottle."
The next minute hurried steps were heard coming up the stairs, and Rolla
hastened to open the locked door. It was Robeckal, who entered with a
small bottle in his hand. When Louison saw him she turned deathly pale,
and running to the window she burst the panes with her clinched fist and
called loudly for help.
"Minx!" hissed Robeckal, forcibly holding her back and throwing her to
the ground.
With Rolla's assistance he now poured the contents of the bottle down
her throat. When he tried to open the tightly compressed lips, Louison
bit him in the finger. He uttered an oath, put a piece of wood between
her teeth, and triumphantly exclaimed:
"For the next few hours you are done for, you little hussy."
"If it were only not too much," said Rolla, as Louison, groaning loudly,
sank backward and closed her eyes.
"Have no fear; I know my methods," laughed Robeckal. "I am not so
foolish as to kill the little one before we have the vicomte's money in
our hands. She will sleep a few hours, and wake up tamed. Come, let us
put her on the sofa and leave her alone."
The worthy pair laid the unconscious girl on the sofa and went away.
Rolla, on closing the door, put the key in her pocket. They began to
play cards in the basement, a pursuit which agreed with them, and at the
same time swallowed deep draughts of brandy.
Toward six o'clock the vicomte entered. He threw a well-filled
pocket-book on the table, and in a tone of command said: "The key!"
"First we will count," growled Rolla; and opening the pocket-book with
her fat hands she passed the contents in review.
"It is correct," she finally said; and taking the key out of her pocket
she handed it to the vicomte.
As soon as the latter had left the room, Rolla shoved the pocket-book in
her dirty dress, and hastily said:
"Come, Robeckal, the little one might make a noise. Let him see how he
will get through with her."
Robeckal acquiesced, and they both quickly left the house, leaving all
the doors open behind them.
They had hardly been gone, when a cry of rage rang through the house,
and immediately afterward the vicomte burst into the room.
"You have deceived me," he cried, in a rage; "the window is open and the
girl is gone!"