"No, no," declared Mme. Laroque; "that's impossible. I couldn't allow
it. Let me see ... We have half a dozen horses here doing nothing; but
perhaps you don't ride?"
"Oh, I ride, but--you really need not--I am going to----"
"Alain, get a horse saddled for M. Odiot.... Which do you suggest,
Marguerite?"
"Give him Proserpine," whispered M. de Bevallan maliciously.
"Oh, no! not Proserpine," declared Marguerite.
"And why not Proserpine?" I asked.
"Because she'd throw you," said the girl frankly.
"Oh, would she? Really? May I ask, mademoiselle, if you ride her?"
"Yes, I do, but she gives me some trouble."
"Oh, well, perhaps she'll give you less when I've ridden her once or
twice! That decides me. Have Proserpine saddled, Alain."
Mlle. Marguerite's dark eyebrows contracted as she sat down with a
gesture that disclaimed all responsibility for the catastrophe she
foresaw.
"If you want spurs," said M. de Bevallan, who evidently did not mean me
to return alive, "I have a pair at your service."
Without appearing to notice Mlle. Marguerite's reproachful look at the
obliging gentleman, I accepted his offer. Five minutes later a frantic
scuffling announced the approach of Proserpine, who was brought with
some difficulty to one of the flights of steps under the private garden.
She was a fine half-bred, as black as jet. I at once went down the
perron. Some kind people, with M. de Bevallan at their head, followed
me to the terrace--from motives of humanity, no doubt--and at the same
time the three windows of the _salon_ were opened for the use of the
women and old men. I would willingly have dispensed with all this
publicity, but it could not be helped, and besides, I had very little
anxiety about the result of this adventure. I might be a very young
land agent, but I was an old horseman. I could scarcely walk when my
father put me upon a horse--to my mother's great alarm--and afterward he
took the greatest pains to render me his equal in an art in which he
excelled. Indeed, he had carried my training to the verge of
extravagance, sometimes making me put on the heavy ancestral armour to
perform my feats of equitation.
Proserpine allowed me to disentangle the reins, and even to touch her
neck without giving the slightest sign of irritation; but as soon as she
felt my foot in the stirrup she shied at once, and sent a volley of
kicks above the marble vases on the staircase; then sat comfortably down
on her hindquarters and beat the air with her forefeet. After this she
rested, quivering all over. "A bit fidgety to mount," said the groom,
with a wink.
"So I see, my good fellow, but I shall astonish her. See," and at the
same time I sprang into the saddle without touching the stirrup and got
my seat before Proserpine had quite realized what had happened. The
instant after we shot at a hard gallop into the chestnut avenue,
followed by some clapping of hands, which M. de Bevallan had the grace
to start.
That evening I could see, from the way people treated me, that this
incident, trifling as it was, had raised me in the public opinion. Some
other talents of the same sort, which I owed to my education, helped me
to secure the only kind of consideration I wished for--one which
respected my personal dignity. Besides, I made it quite evident that I
should not abuse the kindness and consideration shown me, by usurping a
position incompatible with my humble duties at the chateau. I shut
myself up in my tower as much as I could without being boorish; in a
word, I kept strictly in my place, so that none should be tempted to
remind me of it.
A few days after my arrival, during one of the large dinners which at
that season were of nearly daily occurrence, I heard the _sous-prefet_
of the neighbouring little town, who was sitting next to the lady of the
house, ask her who I was. Mme. Laroque, who is rather forgetful, did not
remember that I was quite close, and, _nolens volens_, I heard every
word of her reply.
"Please, don't ask me," she said. "There's some extraordinary mystery
about him. We think he must be a prince in disguise.... There are so
many who like to see the world in this fashion. This one has every
conceivable talent: he rides, plays the piano, draws, and does each to
perfection! ... Between ourselves, my dear _sous-prefet_, I believe he
is a very bad steward, but there's no doubt he is a very agreeable man."
The _sous-prefet_--who also is a very agreeable man, or thinks he is,
which is just as satisfactory to himself--stroked his fine whiskers with
his plump hand and said sweetly that there were enough beautiful eyes in
the chateau to explain many mysteries; that he quite understood the
steward's object, and that Love was the legitimate father of Folly, and
the proper steward of the Graces.... Then, changing his tone abruptly,
he added:
"However, madame, if you have the slightest anxiety about this person, I
will have him interrogated to-morrow by the head constable."
Mme. Laroque protested against this excess of gallantry. The
conversation so far as it concerned me went no further. But I was very
much annoyed, not with the _sous-prefet_, who had greatly amused me; but
with Mme. Laroque, who seemed to have been more than just to my personal
qualities, and not sufficiently convinced of my official abilities.
As it happened, I had to renew the lease of one of the larger farms on
the day following. The business had to be transacted with a very astute
old peasant, but, nevertheless, I held my own with him, thanks to a
judicious combination of legal phraseology and diplomatic reserve. When
we had agreed on the details, the farmer quietly placed three _rouleaux_
of gold on my desk. Though I did not understand this payment, as there
was nothing due, I refrained from showing any surprise. By some
indirect questions, which I asked as I unfolded the packets, I
ascertained that this sum was the earnest-money of the bargain; or, in
other words, a sort of bonus which the farmers present to the landlord
when their leases are renewed.
[Illustration: "You do not ask me where I am taking you," she said (see
page 123)]
I had not thought of claiming this, as I had not found it mentioned in
the leases drawn up by my able predecessor, which had been my models.
For the moment I drew no conclusions from his silence on this point, but
when I handed over the windfall to Mme. Laroque her surprise astonished
me.
"And what is this?" she said.