The country round Poissy, mellow with ripening grapes, sunned itself in
broad luxuriance, and the river threaded it lazily, its silver length
curving snake-like between green edges. Nathalie and her little son
were by its side, she bareheaded, with only a white umbrella between her
and the sun, which now and then caught the rich red-brown of hair and
brightened it. Raoul, with his little closely-cropped head and dark
dancing eyes, was engaged in plying a primitive fishing-line, formed of
whip-cord fastened at one end to a long stick, and adorned at the other
with a crooked pin and a small piece of meat. Every now and then a bit
of weed caught the bait, and gave all the excitement of a bite, and this
and the joy of getting his feet wet kept him perfectly content and
happy. Occasionally a peasant passed them, always with the same remark,
"Fine weather, madame, for the grapes;" but otherwise the sleepy silence
of the place was undisturbed, and Nathalie liked it better than she had
ever liked it before.
She was happier, for one thing, though she blamed herself for the
selfishness of her happiness, since evidently a cloud of uneasiness
rested on Poissy. Mme. de Beaudrillart did not confide in her
daughter-in-law; but a change had come over her since their departure
for Paris; age seemed to have suddenly laid a grasping hand upon her;
she was silent, grave, rigid. Leon's moods varied from gloom to gaiety.
Claire indulged in taunts as to the delights of Paris. Only Felicie's
small interests kept her busily occupied. Her own father's advice had
amazed Nathalie. From him she expected fighting counsels, whereas he
wrote with a hesitation new to him, and talked temporisingly, with
suggestions of possible arrangements. Moreover, they had been at home
three days, and he had not come out, as she had expected, to see Leon on
the matter, while she disliked leaving her husband for as many hours as
would be required for driving into Tours.
Yet she was happy. The bare shadow of doubt had not once fluttered
across her mind. She could conceive that there were difficulties in the
case, and that certain unfortunate circumstances might be difficult to
get over; she had realised that M. Rodoin was not so sanguine at the
end of his interview as at the beginning, and that Maitre Barraud was
taciturn; but her own conviction stood like a rock, and wanted no
support, was troubled by no inconsistencies. And it was bliss to feel
herself no longer shut out. Before, when Leon was in perplexity or
trouble, he turned to his mother; now he turned to her. Perhaps he felt
the influence of her implicit faith, a sun in which he might still plume
himself. Presently he joined her.
"I saw your white flag from the bank. Many fish caught!" Raoul was too
much absorbed to answer, and his father watched him with amusement.
"Upon my word, the monkey has such a good idea of throwing his line that
I must get him a proper rod. I have just been talking to Jacques, and
he tells me they begin the vintage to-morrow."
"And the weather so superb! It will be a good year for us all," said
Nathalie.
"Oh, excellent! If only I had not this confounded business hanging over
my head!"
"Let us hope it will soon be ended." She slipped her hand into his. "I
think Monsieur Rodoin quite understood that there should be no delay,
but perhaps you will have to go up again soon and hurry them."
"Not without you," he said, quickly. Her heart bounded, and she sent
him a smile for an answer. "The nuisance is, having to give evidence
one's self."
"Oh, you will be glad to do that," she said, comfortingly. "No one can
explain it all so well."
"That's very fine!"--he spoke with irritation. "Who can explain, when
those fellows are at one all round with their questions!"
"What can they bring out but the truth!" said Nathalie. "And the more
of that the better."
"It might go against me," he hazarded.
"You mean you may not establish the libel! I don't see how it is
possible; because they don't deny having made the claim, and as they
can't support it, it must surely upset them."
"I wish you'd find out what your father thinks about it. Drive in
to-morrow."
One of his fits of uneasiness was on him, as she perceived, and, to
soothe him, she made the promise.
"And get the boy a rod. Here, Raoul, tell your mother to go to Tours
and buy you a proper fishing-rod."