THE SNARE.
After the departure of Madame de Saint-Dizier and the marquis, Adrienne
had remained in her aunt's apartment with M. Baleinier and Baron
Tripeaud.
On hearing of the commissary's arrival, Mdlle. de Cardoville had felt
considerable uneasiness; for there could be no doubt that, as Agricola
had apprehended, this magistrate was come to search the hotel and
extension, in order to find the smith, whom he believed to be concealed
there.
Though she looked upon Agricola's hiding-place as a very safe one,
Adrienne was not quite tranquil on his account; so in the event of any
unfortunate accident, she thought it a good opportunity to recommend the
refugee to the doctor, an intimate friend, as we have said, of one of the
most influential ministers of the day. So, drawing near to the physician,
who was conversing in a low voice with the baron, she said to him in her
softest and most coaxing manner: "My good M. Baleinier, I wish to speak a
few words with you." She pointed to the deep recess of one of the
windows.
"I am at your orders, madame," answered the doctor, as he rose to follow
Adrienne to the recess.
M. Tripeaud, who, no longer sustained by the abbe's presence, dreaded the
young lady as he did fire, was not sorry for this diversion. To keep up
appearances, he stationed himself before one of the sacred pictures, and
began again to contemplate it, as if there were no bounds to his
admiration.
When Mdlle. de Cardoville was far enough from the baron, not to be
overheard by him, she said to the physician, who, all smiles and
benevolence, waited for her to explain: "My good doctor, you are my
friend, as you were my father's. Just now, notwithstanding the difficulty
of your position, you had the courage to show yourself my only partisan."
"Not at all, madame; do not go and say such things!" cried the doctor,
affecting a pleasant kind of anger. "Plague on't! you would get me into a
pretty scrape; so pray be silent on that subject. Vade retro
Satanas!--which means: Get thee behind me, charming little demon that you
are!"
"Do not be afraid," answered Adrienne, with a smile; "I will not
compromise you. Only allow me to remind you, that you have often made me
offers of service, and spoken to me of your devotion."
"Put me to the test--and you will see if I do not keep my promises."
"Well, then! give me a proof on the instant," said Adrienne, quickly.
"Capital! this is how I like to be taken at my word. What can I do for
you?"
"Are you still very intimate with your friend the minister?"
"Yes; I am just treating him for a loss of voice, which he always has,
the day they put questions to him in the house. He likes it better."
"I want you to obtain from him something very important for me."
"For you? pray, what is it?"
At this instant, the valet entered the room, delivered a letter to M.
Baleinier, and said to him: "A footman has just brought this letter for
you, sir; it is very pressing."
The physician took the letter, and the servant went out.
"This is one of the inconveniences of merit," said Adrienne, smiling;
"they do not leave you a moment's rest, my poor doctor."
"Do not speak of it, madame," said the physician, who could not conceal a
start of amazement, as he recognized the writing of D'Aigrigny; "these
patients think we are made of iron, and have monopolized the health which
they so much need. They have really no mercy. With your permission,
madame," added M. Baleinier, looking at Adrienne before he unsealed the
letter.
Mdlle. de Cardoville answered by a graceful nod. Marquis d'Aigrigny's
letter was not long; the doctor read it at a single glance, and,
notwithstanding his habitual prudence, he shrugged his shoulders, and
said hastily: "Today! why, it's impossible. He is mad."
"You speak no doubt of some poor patient, who has placed all his hopes in
you--who waits and calls for you at this moment. Come, my dear M.
Baleinier, do not reject his prayer. It is so sweet to justify the
confidence we inspire."
There was at once so much analogy, and such contradiction, between the
object of this letter, written just before by Adrienne's most implacable
enemy, and these words of commiseration which she spoke in a touching
voice, that Dr. Baleinier himself could not help being struck with it. He
looked at Mdlle. de Cardoville with an almost embarrassed air, as he
replied: "I am indeed speaking of one of my patients, who counts much
upon me--a great deal too much--for he asks me to do an impossibility.
But why do you feel so interested in an unknown person?"
"If he is unfortunate, I know enough to interest me. The person for whom
I ask your assistance with the minister, was quite as little known to me;
and now I take the deepest interest in him. I must tell you, that he is
the son of the worthy soldier who brought Marshal Simon's daughters from
the heart of Siberia."
"What! he is--"
"An honest workman, the support of his family; but I must tell you all
about it--this is how the affair took place."
The confidential communication which Adrienne was going to make to the
doctor, was cut short by Madame Saint-Dizier, who, followed by M.
d'Aigrigny, opened abruptly the door. An expression of infernal joy,
hardly concealed beneath a semblance of extreme indignation, was visible
in her countenance.
M. d'Aigrigny threw rapidly, as he entered the apartment, an inquiring
and anxious glance at M. Baleinier. The doctor answered by a shake of the
head. The abbe bit his lips with silent rage; he had built his last hopes
upon the doctor, and his projects seemed now forever annihilated,
notwithstanding the new blow which the princess had in reserve for
Adrienne.
"Gentlemen," said Madame de Saint-Dizier, in a sharp, hurried voice, for
she was nearly choking with wicked pleasure, "gentlemen, pray be seated!
I have some new and curious things to tell you, on the subject of this
young lady." She pointed to her niece, with a look of ineffable hatred
and disdain.
"My poor child, what is the matter now?" said M. Baleinier, in a soft,
wheedling tone, before he left the window where he was standing with
Adrienne. "Whatever happens, count upon me!"--And the physician went to
seat himself between M. d'Aigrigny and M. Tripeaud.
At her aunt's insolent address, Mdlle. de Cardoville had proudly lined
her head. The blood rushed to her face, and irritated at the new attacks
with which she was menaced, she advanced to the table where the princess
was seated, and said in an agitated voice to M. Baleinier: "I shall
expect you to call on me as soon as possible, my dear doctor. You know
that I wish particularly to speak with you."
Adrienne made one step towards the arm-chair, on which she had left her
hat. The princess rose abruptly, and exclaimed: "What are you doing,
madame?"
"I am about to retire. Your highness has expressed to me your will, and I
have told you mine. It is enough."
She took her hat. Madame de Saint-Dizier, seeing her prey about to
escape, hastened towards her niece, and, in defiance of all propriety,
seized her violently by the arm with a convulsive grasp, and bade her,
"Remain!"
"Fie, madame!" exclaimed Adrienne, with an accent of painful contempt,
"have we sunk so low?"
"You wish to escape--you are afraid!" resumed Madame de Saint-Dizier,
looking at her disdainfully from head to foot.
With these words "you are afraid," you could have made Adrienne de
Cardoville walk into a fiery furnace. Disengaging her arm from her aunt's
grasp, with a gesture full of nobleness and pride, she threw down the hat
upon the chair, and returning to the table, said imperiously to the
princess: "There is something even stronger than the disgust with which
all this inspires me--the fear of being accused of cowardice. Go on,
madame! I am listening!"
With her head raised, her color somewhat heightened, her glance half
veiled by a tear of indignation, her arms folded over her bosom, which
heaved in spite of herself with deep emotion, and her little foot beating
convulsively on the carpet, Adrienne looked steadily at her aunt. The
princess wished to infuse drop by drop, the poison with which she was
swelling, and make her victim suffer as long as possible, feeling certain
that she could not escape. "Gentlemen," said Madame de Saint-Dizier, in a
forced voice, "this has occurred: I was told that the commissary of
police wished to speak with me: I went to receive this magistrate; he
excused himself, with a troubled air, for the nature of the duty he had
to perform. A man, against whom a warrant was out, had been seen to enter
the garden-house."
Adrienne started, there could be no doubt that Agricola was meant. But
she recovered her tranquillity, when she thought of the security of the
hiding-place she had given him.
"The magistrate," continued the princess, "asked my consent to search the
hotel and extension, to discover this man. It was his right. I begged him
to commence with the garden-house, and accompanied him. Notwithstanding
the improper conduct of Mademoiselle, it never, I confess, entered my
head for a moment, that she was in any way mixed up with this police
business. I was deceived."
"What do you mean, madame?" cried Adrienne.
"You shall know all, madame," said the princess, with a triumphant air,
"in good time. You were in rather too great a hurry just now, to show
yourself so proud and satirical. Well! I accompanied the commissary in
his search; we came to the summer-house; I leave you to imagine the
stupor and astonishment of the magistrate, on seeing three creatures
dressed up like actresses. At my request, the fact was noted in the
official report; for it is well to reveal such extravagances to all whom
it may concern."
"The princess acted very wisely," said Tripeaud, bowing; "it is well that
the authorities should be informed of such matters."
Adrienne, too much interested in the fate of the workman to think of
answering Tripeaud or the princess, listened in silence, and strove to
conceal her uneasiness.
"The magistrate," resumed Madame de Saint-Dizier, "began by a severe
examination of these young girls; to learn if any man had, with their
knowledge, been introduced into the house; with incredible effrontery,
they answered that they had seen nobody enter."
"The true-hearted, honest girls!" thought Mademoiselle de Cardoville,
full of joy; "the poor workman is safe! the protection of Dr. Baleinier
will do the rest."
"Fortunately," continued the princess, "one of my women, Mrs. Grivois,
had accompanied me. This excellent person, remembering to have seen
Mademoiselle return home at eight o'clock in the morning, remarked with
much simplicity to the magistrate, that the man, whom they sought, might
probably have entered by the little garden gate, left open, accidentally,
by Mademoiselle."
"It would have been well, madame," said Tripeaud, "to have caused to be
noted also in the report, that Mademoiselle had returned home at eight
o'clock in the morning."
"I do not see the necessity for this," said the doctor, faithful to his
part: "it would have been quite foreign to the search carried on by the
commissary."
"But, doctor," said Tripeaud.
"But, baron," resumed M. Baleinier, in a firm voice, "that is my
opinion."
"It was not mine, doctor," said the princess; "like M. Tripeaud, I
considered it important to establish the fact by an entry in the report,
and I saw, by the confused and troubled countenance of the magistrate,
how painful it was to register the scandalous conduct of a young person
placed in so high a position in society."
"Certainly, madame," said Adrienne, losing patience, "I believe your
modesty to be about equal to that of this candid commissary of police;
but it seems to me, that your mutual innocence was alarmed a little too
soon. You might, and ought to have reflected, that there was nothing
extraordinary in my coming home at eight o'clock, if I had gone out at
six."
"The excuse, though somewhat tardy, is at least cunning," said the
princess, spitefully.
"I do not excuse myself, madame," said Adrienne; "but as M. Baleinier has
been kind enough to speak a word in my favor, I give the possible
interpretation of a fact, which it would not become me to explain in your
presence."
"The fact will stand, however, in the report," said Tripeaud, "until the
explanation is given."
Abbe d'Aigrigny, his forehead resting on his hand, remained as if a
stranger to this scene; he was too much occupied with his fears at the
consequences of the approaching interview between Mdlle. de Cardoville
and Marshal Simon's daughters--for there seemed no possibility of using
force to prevent Adrienne from going out that evening.
Madame de Saint-Dizier went on: "The fact which so greatly scandalized
the commissary is nothing compared to what I yet have to tell you,
gentlemen. We had searched all parts of the pavilion without finding any
one, and were just about to quit the bed-chamber, for we had taken this
room the last, when Mrs. Grivois pointed out to us that one of the golden
mouldings of a panel did not appear to come quite home to the wall. We
drew the attention of the magistrate to this circumstance; his men
examined, touched, felt--the panel flew open!--and then--can you guess
what we discovered? But, no! it is too odious, too revolting; I dare not
even--"
"Then I dare, madame," said Adrienne, resolutely, though she saw with the
utmost grief the retreat of Agricola was discovered; "I will spare your
highness's candor the recital of this new scandal, and yet what I am
about to say is in nowise intended as a justification."
"It requires one, however," said Madame de Saint-Dizier, with a
disdainful smile; "a man concealed by you in your own bedroom."
"A man concealed in her bedroom!" cried the Marquis d'Aigrigny, raising
his head with apparent indignation, which only covered a cruel joy.
"A man! in the bedroom of Mademoiselle!" added Baron Tripeaud. "I hope
this also was inserted in the report."
"Yes, yes, baron," said the princess with a triumphant air.
"But this man," said the doctor, in a hypocritical tone, "must have been
a robber? Any other supposition would be in the highest degree
improbable. This explains itself."
"Your indulgence deceives you, M. Baleinier," answered the princess,
dryly.
"We knew the sort of thieves," said Tripeaud; "they are generally young
men, handsome, and very rich."
"You are wrong, sir," resumed Madame de Saint-Dizier. "Mademoiselle does
not raise her views so high. She proves that a dereliction from duty may
be ignoble as well as criminal. I am no longer astonished at the sympathy
which was just now professed for the lower orders. It is the more
touching and affecting, as the man concealed by her was dressed in a
blouse."
"A blouse!" cried the baron, with an air of extreme disgust; "then he is
one of the common people? It really makes one's hair stand on end."
"The man is a working smith--he confessed it," said the princess; "but
not to be unjust--he is really a good-looking fellow. It was doubtless
that singular worship which Mademoiselle pays to the beautiful--"
"Enough, madame, enough!" said Adrienne suddenly, for, hitherto
disdaining to answer, she had listened to her aunt with growing and
painful indignation; "I was just now on the point of defending myself
against one of your odious insinuations--but I will not a second time
descend to any such weakness. One word only, madame; has this honest and
worthy artisan been arrested?"
"To be sure, he has been arrested and taken to prison, under a strong
escort. Does not that pierce your heart?" sneered the princess, with a
triumphant air. "Your tender pity for this interesting smith must indeed
be very great, since it deprives you of your sarcastic assurance."
"Yes, madame; for I have something better to do than to satirize that
which is utterly odious and ridiculous," replied Adrienne, whose eyes
grew dim with tears at the thought of the cruel hurt to Agricola's
family. Then, putting her hat on, and tying the strings, she said to the
doctor: "M. Baleinier, I asked you just now for your interest with the
minister."
"Yes, madame; and it will give me great pleasure to act on your behalf."
"Is your carriage below?"
"Yes, madame," said the doctor, much surprised.
"You will be good enough to accompany me immediately to the minister's.
Introduced by you, he will not refuse me the favor, or rather the act of
justice, that I have to solicit."
"What, mademoiselle," said the princess; "do you dare take such a course,
without my orders, after what has just passed? It is really quite
unheard-of."
"It confounds one," added Tripeaud; "but we must not be surprised at
anything."
The moment Adrienne asked the doctor if his carriage was below,
D'Aigrigny started. A look of intense satisfaction flashed across his
countenance, and he could hardly repress the violence of his delight,
when, darting, a rapid and significant glance at the doctor, he saw the
latter respond to it by trace closing his eyelids in token of
comprehension and assent.
When therefore the princess resumed, in an angry tone, addressing herself
to Adrienne: "Madame, I forbid you leaving the house!"--D'Aigrigny said
to the speaker, with a peculiar inflection of the voice: "I think, your
highness, we may trust the lady to the doctor's care."
The marquis pronounced these words in so significant a manner, that the
princess, having looked by turns at the physician and D'Aigrigny,
understood it all, and her countenance grew radiant with joy.
Not only did this pass with extreme rapidity, but the night was already
almost come, so that Adrienne, absorbed in painful thoughts with regard
to Agricola, did not perceive the different signals exchanged between the
princess, the doctor, and the abbe. Even had she done so, they would have
been incomprehensible to her.
Not wishing to have the appearance of yielding too readily, to the
suggestion of the marquis, Madame de Saint-Dizier resumed: "Though the
doctor seems to me to be far too indulgent to mademoiselle, I might not
see any great objection to trusting her with him; but that I do not wish
to establish such a precedent, for hence forward she must have no will
but mine."
"Madame," said the physician gravely, feigning to be somewhat shocked by
the words of the Princess de Saint-Dizier, "I do not think I have been
too indulgent to mademoiselle--but only just. I am at her orders, to take
her to the minister if she wishes it. I do not know what she intends to
solicit, but I believe her incapable of abusing the confidence I repose
in her, or making me support a recommendation undeserved."
Adrienne, much moved, extended her hand cordially to the doctor, and said
to him: "Rest assured, my excellent friend, that you will thank me for
the step I am taking, for you will assist in a noble action."
Tripeaud, who was not in the secret of the new plans of the doctor and
the abbe in a low voice faltered to the latter, with a stupefied air,
"What! will you let her go?"
"Yes, yes," answered D'Aigrigny abruptly, making a sign that he should
listen to the princess, who was about to speak. Advancing towards her
niece, she said to her in a slow and measured tone, laying a peculiar
emphasis on every word: "One moment more, mademoiselle--one last word in
presence of these gentlemen. Answer me! Notwithstanding the heavy charges
impending over you, are you still determined to resist my formal
commands?"
"Yes, madame."
"Notwithstanding the scandalous exposure which has just taken place, you
still persist in withdrawing yourself from my authority?"
"Yes, madame."
"You refuse positively to submit to the regular and decent mode of life
which I would impose upon you?"
"I have already told you, madame, that I am about to quit this dwelling
in order to live alone and after my own fashion."
"Is that your final decision?"
"It is my last word."
"Reflect! the matter is serious. Beware!"
"I have given your highness my last word, and I never speak it twice."
"Gentlemen, you hear all this?" resumed the princess; "I have tried in
vain all that was possible to conciliate. Mademoiselle will have only
herself to thank for the measures to which this audacious revolt will
oblige me to have recourse."
"Be it so, madame," replied Adrienne. Then, addressing M. Baleinier, she
said quickly to him: "Come, my dear doctor; I am dying with impatience.
Let us set out immediately. Every minute lost may occasion bitter tears
to an honest family."
So saying, Adrienne left the room precipitately with the physician. One
of the servants called for M. Baleinier's carriage. Assisted by the
doctor, Adrienne mounted the step, without perceiving that he said
something in a low whisper to the footman that opened the coach-door.
When, however, he was seated by the side of Mdlle. de Cardoville, and the
door was closed upon them, he waited for about a second, and then called
out in a loud voice to the coachman: "To the house of the minister, by
the private entrance!" The horses started at a gallop.