A PURELY BUSINESS TRANSACTION.
Gerald greeted M. de Ravil with a cold politeness which did not
disconcert his guest in the least, however.
"To what am I to attribute the honour of your visit?" asked Gerald,
dryly, without sitting down himself or requesting his visitor to be
seated.
The baron, apparently entirely indifferent to this cool reception,
replied:
"M. le duc, I came to call your attention to a very promising business
matter."
"I am not in business."
"Would you like to marry, M. le duc?"
"Monsieur," said Gerald, haughtily, "this question--"
"Excuse me, M. le duc, I called here in your interest, and necessarily,
also, in my own. Will you consequently have the kindness to listen to
me? What do you risk by doing so? I ask only ten minutes."
"I am listening, monsieur," replied Gerald, whose curiosity had been
aroused by the baron's question.
"I ask once more, then, M. le duc: 'Would you like to marry?' I must
have a reply before continuing the conversation."
"But monsieur, I--"
"Pardon me, I did not make my question explicit enough. Would you like
to make a fabulously rich marriage, M. le duc?"
"Has M. de Ravil any particular person in view?"
"Possibly."
"But you are a bachelor and a society man. Why do you not marry the lady
yourself?"
"I have no fortune, monsieur; my name is comparatively insignificant; my
appearance by no means prepossessing. In short, there isn't the
slightest chance of my making such a marriage, so I thought of you, M.
le duc."
"I am greatly obliged to you for your generosity, monsieur, but before
we go any further, permit me to ask you a rather delicate question. I
would not like to wound your feelings, you know, but--"
"I'm not at all sensitive."
"I thought as much. Ah, well, what remuneration do you expect for your
generous interest?"
"I ask one and a half per cent. of the dowry," answered the cynic,
boldly.
And perceiving the disgust and contempt which his words had excited, the
baron said, coolly:
"I thought I gave you clearly to understand that it was a purely
business transaction."
"That is true, monsieur."
"Then what is the use of mincing matters?"
"None at all," replied Gerald, controlling himself; "so I will say very
plainly that this charge of one and a half per cent. of the dowry seems
to me quite reasonable."
"Yes, isn't it?"
"Certainly, but I must know to whom you think of marrying me, and how
you will manage to bring the match about."
"You are very fond of hunting, I believe, M. le duc."
"Yes."
"And you are an adept at it, I am told."
"Yes."
"Well, when your pointer or your setter have made a sure stand, they
have done their duty, have they not? The rest depends upon the accuracy
of your aim and the quickness of your fire."
"If you mean by that, monsieur, that, when you have once told me there
is a rich heiress in the market, your one and a half per cent. is
earned, I--"
"Pardon me, M. le duc, I am too good a business man to come to you with
any such proposition as that. In short, I stand ready to place you in a
position which is not only admirable in every respect, but entirely
inaccessible to any other person. Your own personal attractions and your
illustrious name will easily do the rest."
"And this position?"
"You must know, M. le duc, that I am not green enough to tell you my
secret before you have given me your word as a gentleman that--"
"M. de Ravil," said Gerald, interrupting the scoundrel whom he was
strongly tempted to kick out of the house, "this jesting has lasted
quite long enough."
"What jesting, M. le duc?"
"You must understand that I cannot consider such a proposition
seriously. Wed under your auspices,--that would be a little too
ridiculous."
"You refuse, then!"
"I have that honour."
"Reflect, M. le duc. Remember that saying of Talleyrand--"
"You quote Talleyrand very often."
"He is my teacher, M. le duc."
"And you do him honour. But to what saying of the great diplomatist do
you refer?"
"This, M. le duc: 'One should always distrust one's first impulse,
because it is usually a good one.' The saying is a wise one. Profit by
it."
"Ah, monsieur, you little know how much truth there is in what you say,
and how extremely apropos it is, so far as you are concerned."
"Indeed?"
"I accepted your counsel in advance, for if I had yielded to the first
impulse which your proposition inspired, I--I should have--"
"Should have done what, M. le duc?"
"You are too shrewd not to suspect what it was, my dear baron, and I am
too polite--to tell you--in my own house."
"Pardon me, M. le duc, but I have no time to waste in guessing riddles.
So you refuse my offer?"
"Yes."
"One word more, M. le duc. I feel it my duty to warn you that to-night
it will be too late,--in case you should change your mind,--for I have
somebody else to put in your place. I will even admit that I thought of
this other person first, but, upon reflection, I decided that you would
have a much better chance of success than the other man. To make the
match and get my one and a half per cent. is what I am after, so if you
decline my offer, I shall return to my first combination."
"You are certainly a very cautious man, my dear baron, and it is a
relief to know I shall not have the chagrin of seeing you lose, by
reason of my refusal--for I still refuse--the honest gains you are
endeavouring to secure by such honourable means. But are you not afraid
that I may be so indiscreet as to noise your new industry abroad?"
"I should be only too delighted, M. le duc. Such a revelation would be a
splendid advertisement for me, and bring me hosts of clients. _Au
revoir_, then, M. le duc. I shall be none the less at your service
another time."
With a low bow to Gerald, the baron left the room as cool and
unconcerned as he had entered it, and wended his way towards the Rue de
la Madeleine, where his friend, Mornand, lived.
"This dukeling, doubtless, suspected that Mlle. de Beaumesnil is the
lady in question, and means to rob me of my profits by winning the
prize without my assistance," the cynic said to himself as he walked
along. "It is contemptible in him, but he hasn't got her yet, and he
won't get her without a pretty hard fight, that is certain. But it is a
great pity! The fellow is a duke, and handsome and clever, too. I was
sure of success with him, and now I've got to fall back on that ass,
Mornand. I was wise not to say anything about my intentions in relation
to the Duc de Senneterre, to that old sneak, Rochaigue. There was plenty
of time to do that, if this handsome gosling responded to my call, as
well as to take back all I had said in Mornand's favour, and give the
necessary instructions to that old female rake of a Laine, the
governess. Whatever I want done, she will do, and she can be of
incalculable assistance to me--self-interest will ensure her devotion
and prudence. Fortunately, too, I have managed to get on the right side
of Rochaigue, so now I have nothing to do but state the case to Mornand,
who must be waiting very impatiently to hear the result of my interview
with the baron."
Pursuing this train of thought, M. de Ravil had reached the corner of
the Rue Champs Elysees, where he had first met Herminie when the latter
was on her way to the house of Madame de Beaumesnil.
"It was here I met that young girl on the day of Mornand's duel with the
hunchback," Ravil said to himself. "She spent the night at the Hotel de
Beaumesnil, and the next day I ascertained from the servants that she
was a singing teacher, and lived on the Rue de Monceau in the
Batignolles. I've haunted that locality, but have never been able to
catch a glimpse of her. Why the devil that pretty blonde took such a
hold on me I can't imagine! If I had my percentage of the little
Beaumesnil's dowry I would certainly gratify my fancy for that pretty
musician, who carries herself like a duchess, in spite of her shabby
attire. I am quite sure she wouldn't decline my offer of a neat little
establishment, for she must be nearly starving on her music lessons. Now
I must set to work to stir up Mornand. He is stupid, but perseveres when
you once get him started. Rochaigue is all right, so our chances are
good."
And Ravil entered the abode of his intimate friend.