proved, not put in words. But, mon Dieu! how sweet your room smells!
There's an odor of--of rose; yes, it's surely rose;--is it not,
mademoiselle?"
"Yes, madame," said Rosette; "that smell has been here ever since
monsieur le docteur came in.--Do you bathe in essence of rose,
monsieur?"
Balloquet, who was walking about the room playing the dandy, passed his
hand through his hair as he replied:
"Not exactly, mademoiselle; but, in truth, I am very fond of the odor of
rose; I sometimes perfume my linen with an essence that I get from
Constantinople."
"Well, frankly, monsieur, you use too much of it; you smell too strong!
I wouldn't like to eat a truffled turkey with you."
"Why not, mademoiselle?"
"Because I should smell nothing but rose, instead of the odor of
truffles; and a truffled turkey _à la rose_ wouldn't be good, I know."
"I think that I have had the pleasure of meeting madame before," said
Balloquet, saluting Frédérique.
"Yes, monsieur; on a certain day, or rather night, when my presence was
useful to both of you gentlemen."
"Ah, yes! the two wedding parties, wasn't it, madame?"
"Yes, monsieur; I only looked in at yours, but it seemed to be very
lively."
"It was, indeed, madame; that was the Bocal wedding; it was very hot
there!"
"The Bocal wedding!" cried Rosette. "Why, I know Bocal; he's a distiller
on Rue Montmartre, and his daughter married Monsieur Pamphile Girie,
dealer in sponges."
"That's the man; do you know him?"
"Oh, yes! that is to say, I know Freluchon; it's through him that I know
all that."
"Freluchon!" said I; "it seems to me that I've heard that name."
"Freluchon was Monsieur Bocal's head clerk, and he was courting
Mademoiselle Pétronille; and when she married that ass of a Pamphile
Girie, she worked so well with her feet and hands, that Freluchon left
Monsieur Bocal and went into the sponge trade; he became first clerk to
Pétronille--you can guess the sequel! But it seems that Monsieur
Pamphile has a mother who _sees everything_ and _knows everything_, just
like the late _Solitaire;_ so Mamma Girie put a flea in her son's ear on
the subject of Freluchon. Monsieur Pamphile wanted to discharge the
clerk, but Madame Pétronille said he shouldn't. The husband and wife had
a row; Monsieur Bocal tried to step in and take his daughter's part;
Mère Girie pummelled Monsieur Bocal; they sent for the magistrate, the
police, the neighbors, and the concierge; there was such a row that the
omnibuses couldn't get through the street. As a result of that row,
Pétronille left her husband and went back to her father; Pamphile
neglected his shop to go on sprees; and Freluchon finally bought out his
sponge business, and would like now to set me up in it with him; for I
must tell you that my gentleman has forgotten his Pétronille and fallen
in love with me, and buries me in billets-doux and sponges; on my
birthday, he sent me one as big as a pumpkin. 'Monsieur,' says I, 'what
use do you expect me to make of this immense marine plant?'--'Mademoiselle,
I would like to cover you with it.'--And there you are! With the seven
suitors favored by my aunts, that makes eight humming-birds who aspire
to enter into wedlock with me."
XXXIX
A PARTY OF FOUR
Rosette rattled all this off almost without drawing a breath. We laughed
at her story, and she was well pleased with her successful performance.
"But, by the way, Monsieur Charles, all that don't make me forget that
you're going to take me into the country to dinner. And while we're on
that subject--I've got an idea, and I'll tell you what it is; I tell all
my ideas. Suppose we all four go and dine together, as we're in a mood
for laughing; we'll have some sport and talk nonsense--what do you say?"
Rosette's proposition seemed to me so extraordinary that I had not as
yet thought of any fitting reply, when, to my amazement, Frédérique
exclaimed:
"For my part, I agree. I am at liberty, and, on my word, I shall not be
sorry to have a little sport, especially as I got out of the way of it
long ago."
"Ah! you're fine, you are! I love you with all my heart, now!" said
Rosette, slapping Frédérique on the back. "And you, Monsieur Larose, why
don't you say something?"
"I?" said Balloquet; "if you mean what you say, I'm game; nothing would
suit me better."
"Do I mean it! I hope you don't think we're going to dine on air, do
you? Well, my dear friend, don't you think my plan's a good one? you
don't seem enchanted with it!"
"I? I beg your pardon; I will do whatever you wish."
"But," said Frédérique, "Rochebrune would have preferred to dine alone
with you, mademoiselle."
"_Ouiche!_" cried Rosette; "as if we hadn't time enough to see each
other! Come, is it settled?"
"It is settled, agreed, decided."
"Let's start, then; it's after two o'clock already."
"Go and call a cab, Pomponne, and we'll keep it the rest of the day."
"Ah! what _chic!_ There's only one thing that annoys me now; and that
will spoil my enjoyment at dinner."
"What's that?"
"If monsieur le docteur might smell less strong of rose! I should prefer
I don't know what to that smell. Try going out in the street and walking
in--no matter what!"
"There is a way of satisfying you, Mademoiselle Rosette," I said,
walking up to Balloquet.--"Come, Balloquet, we are all friends here;
don't be stiff about it, but allow me to offer you another pair of
gloves, and take off those you are wearing. I venture to prefer this
petition in the name of these ladies' nerves, and in the name of our
appetites, which would vanish before this odor of rose."
Balloquet had a noble impulse: he took his gloves off and threw them out
of the window. Rosette laughed till she cried.
"Ah! it was the gloves," she cried, "cleansed gloves, of course, of
course! But your dealer cheated you; they clean them now so that they
don't smell of anything."
Pomponne announced that the cab was waiting. While Mademoiselle Rosette
stood before my mirror, busily engaged in putting on her bonnet, I went
to Frédérique, and found an opportunity to say in her ear:
"You are not joking--you are really willing to dine with a grisette?"
"Why not? you are going to, yourself."
"But I am a man."
"Well! I am one of your male friends. Don't men sometimes take their
friends with them on a pleasure party? But if it will annoy you too
much, I will not go."
"Oh! do not think that, madame! But I was afraid--I thought----"
I had no time to say any more; Rosette came toward us, saying:
"The cab's waiting; shall we go?"
"Let us go," Frédérique replied.
I was embarrassed for a moment; I intended to offer my arm to Madame
Dauberny, but she had already accepted Balloquet's, and Rosette took
possession of mine.
"Come on, monsieur! What on earth's the matter with you to-day? Since
you've seen my aunts, you're very absent-minded!"
We entered the cab. Rosette insisted that I should sit opposite her. I
obeyed. It seemed strange not to desire that arrangement, but I should
have preferred to be facing Frédérique.
The cabman asked us where we were going. We looked at each other and
said:
"Ah! that's so; where are we going?"
"Let the ladies decide."
"It makes absolutely no difference to me," said Frédérique.
"In that case," said Rosette, "I propose Saint-Mandé; if we want to go
as far as Saint-Maur, I know a delicious little walk; you only have to
go up a little way and then down."
"Saint-Mandé it is!"
We started. Rosette was in insanely high spirits. According to her
habit, she said whatever came into her head, and sometimes her
reflections were very comical. Frédérique also seemed to be in an
amiable humor. Balloquet rivalled Rosette in gayety; I thought that I
could detect a purpose on his part to play the gallant with Madame
Dauberny. I cannot say why I considered that very idiotic of him. Surely
she was an exceedingly attractive woman! And why should not he, a
devoted admirer of the sex, try to please her? But Madame Dauberny would
never listen to Balloquet. While I said that to myself, I was conscious
of a feeling of irritation. Had I any right to take it amiss that
Balloquet should make love to Frédérique, to whom I was nothing more
than a friend?
It followed that I was the only one of the party who was not hilarious.
Rosette, noticing it, said to me from time to time:
"I say, my dear man, what's the matter with you, anyway? We are all
talking and laughing--you're the only one who don't say anything. Can it
be that you are really cracked over one of my aunts?--You must excuse
him, madame, for he met my seven aunts yesterday, and that's quite
enough to destroy his peace of mind."
I excused myself as best I could; I tried to laugh, but I made rather a
failure of it; and the thing that vexed me most of all was that the more
serious I became, the more Madame Dauberny laughed and jested. She held
her own with Rosette in nonsense and droll remarks. Balloquet seemed
enchanted; he became more and more attentive to his vis-à-vis, whose
witty sallies completed the fascination begun by her beauty. For my
part, I did not enjoy myself at all.
At last we arrived at Saint-Mandé, and left the cab at the gate leading
into the wood. We went at once to Grue's, to order our dinner and engage
a private room; then we strolled away in the direction of Saint-Maur.
Balloquet took possession once more of Frédérique's arm, which she
laughingly accorded to him. It seemed to me that she laughed very freely
with him. Rosette took my arm.
"Is it the habit to walk arm in arm in the country?" I asked, in an
indifferent tone. "I thought that everyone walked--or ran, on his own
account."
"For my part, I am very happy to be madame's escort," said Balloquet,
with a smile.
"Do you mean that it's a bore to you to give me your arm?" asked
Rosette, pinching me till I was black and blue.
"O mademoiselle! the idea!"
"What's that--_mademoiselle?_ Call me _mademoiselle_ again, and see what
happens!"
"Mon Dieu! Rosette, you get angry about nothing!"
"About nothing! I want you to _thou_ me! Let's not walk so fast."
"But the others are away ahead."
"Well! we shall overtake them in time. Don't be afraid of losing your
way with me, you ugly monster!"
"When people go out together, it's for the purpose of being together."
"Oh! how mad you make me! I suppose we ought all to tie ourselves
together, for fear of losing each other, eh? Besides, how do you know
that they are not just as well pleased not to have us on their heels?"
"Why so?"
"_Why so_ is delicious! If you can't see that your friend's making soft
eyes at that lady, you must be near-sighted."
"Do you think so? He won't get ahead very fast."
"What do you know about it? Oh! these men! such conceit! Because she
wouldn't have you, perhaps, you think she won't have anybody!--Let's not
walk so fast!"
"That lady is very willing to laugh and jest; but with her it isn't safe
to----"
"Ta! ta! ta! Bless my soul! she's a goddess, perhaps, and we must offer
sacrifices to her!--Come, kiss me!"
"O Rosette! can you think of such a thing?"
"Yes, I do think of such a thing; kiss me at once!"
"Suppose the others should turn and see us--what should we look like?"
"We should look like two people kissing. What harm is there in that?
Don't they know that you're my lover and I'm your mistress?"
"That's no reason. There is such a thing as propriety."
"Oh! I have no patience with you! Kiss me quick, or I'll shriek!"
I kissed her. Luckily, the others did not turn. I dropped my companion's
arm on the pretext of looking for violets, and overtook our friends.
"What makes you walk so fast?" I asked Balloquet; "if you prefer not to
stay with us, that's a different matter; but it isn't very sociable."
Frédérique burst out laughing, and Balloquet made signs to me which I
considered foolish.
"See how the kindest intentions are sometimes misinterpreted," said
Frédérique; "we thought that we were doing you a favor, by arranging a
tête-à-tête for you with your pretty brunette."
"Oh! madame, you carry your kindness too far."
"So far as I am concerned," said Balloquet, "you needn't thank me; in
remaining with madame, I acted entirely in my own interest."
Then he came close to me and whispered:
"My friend, she is adorable! Wit to the tips of her finger-nails; fine
figure, lovely eyes, distinguished face, original disposition! I can't
understand why you've never been in love with her. For my part, I'm
caught; I'm in for it!"
"You are making a mistake; you'll waste your time."
"Why so? nobody knows! She laughs heartily at what I say."
"Well! what about that bunch of violets?" asked Rosette, as she joined
us.
"I didn't find anything but dandelions and coltsfoot."
"Thanks! then you can keep your bouquet; I don't want it."
"Suppose we stroll back in the direction of our dinner?" said
Frédérique.
"Yes, madame is right," said Rosette; "especially as walking's very
monotonous. I have a lover who's in such low spirits to-day! Imagine,
madame, that he's never suggested rolling on the grass with me!"
Frédérique cast a mocking glance in my direction.
"If my companion had made such a proposition to me," murmured Balloquet,
puffing himself up, "I should have accepted with thanks; I would have
rolled like an ass."
"Oh! but you're a gallant _à la rose_, you are! Why, I almost had to
force monsieur to kiss me!"
"Oh! what things you say, Rosette!"
"What's that? Don't lovers always kiss? Do you suppose madame thinks
that we pass our time whispering in each other's ears?"
Madame Dauberny turned her face away to laugh. I wished that I were
heaven knows where. I should certainly remember that excursion to the
country.
We returned to the restaurant. There I tried to recover my good humor.
In the first place, as the table was round, I was naturally seated
between Frédérique and Rosette--no more with one than with the other.
They served us a delicious dinner, with choice wines.
"Good!" said Rosette; "this was well ordered! These gentlemen have
distinguished themselves! I give this pomard my esteem."
"Never fear," said Balloquet; "we shall have some ladies' wines too."
"What do you mean by ladies' wines? sweet ones, I suppose?"
"Exactly."
"I warn you that I can't endure your sweet wines, except champagne; and
unless madame cares for them----"
"Not at all," said Frédérique.
"Strike off your sweet wines, then. Bah! they make me sick; I can't
drink 'em! But these--just ask Charles how I punish 'em!"
"I should say that it isn't necessary to ask me," I said; "it's
self-evident."
"Does that make you cross, my dear boy? Don't you like to have your
Rosette hold her own with you to-day? Are you going to be in the sulks
at table too? Ah! madame, my aunts have spoiled him, and no mistake; he
was much nicer before he went the rounds of them."
Madame Dauberny nudged my knee and whispered:
"Be more agreeable, or she will make a scene with you."
I strove to put myself in harmony with the general merriment. Rosette
chattered incessantly; Balloquet sang, with his eyes fixed on
Frédérique; she laughed at my grisette's sallies, and from time to time
told us some very amusing anecdotes.
"Ah! if I could tell stories like madame," cried Rosette, "I know what
I'd do!"
"What would you do?" asked Balloquet.
"I wouldn't do anything else. I'd tell stories all day, and make them up
all night.--Kiss me, Charles!"
"Sapristi! Rosette, are we going to begin that again?"
"Do you hear him, madame? He refuses to kiss me, the villain!"
"Mademoiselle," I said, in a serious tone, "I am sorry to be obliged to
inform you that there are occasions when such liberties are permissible,
and others when we must abstain from them; you should understand that."
Rosette pushed her chair away from the table, muttering:
"It wasn't worth while to bring me with you, just to say such things as
that to me."
With that, she put her hand over her eyes and began to weep. The devil!
That was the climax! I was in torment.
Frédérique tried to console Rosette, and said to me:
"Come, come, monsieur, don't make mademoiselle unhappy; she is right;
you choose a very inopportune time to lecture her. Kiss her at once, and
make peace with her."
I obeyed; whereupon Balloquet exclaimed:
"Mon Dieu! I would not wait to be asked twice, if someone would allow me
to kiss her."
It was extraordinary what an ass the fellow seemed to me to make of
himself!
Luckily, with Rosette laughter always followed tears. She speedily
forgot her grievance, and thought of nothing but doing honor to the
champagne, which made its appearance just then. Frédérique held her own
with her, but did not lose her head. Balloquet, who was deeply impressed
by the way in which those two bore themselves at table, tried to surpass
them, got very tipsy, and nearly strangled himself pouring down
champagne.
"Well done!" said Rosette; "that'll teach you to try to pour down wine
like that; it seems to me such a stupid way! What's the use of drinking
anything good, if you don't taste it, if you don't get the flavor of it?
You throw it down your neck, as if it was a medicine you were afraid of
smelling! How sensible that is! You might as well drink cheap claret; it
would have the same effect as champagne."
Balloquet succeeded in ceasing to cough, and a moment later, when we
were a little quieter than usual, he said to me:
"By the way, Charles, have you had any news of the man of the ring?"
"No, no, I haven't--found him yet. Why don't you drink, Balloquet?"
I was afraid that the young doctor would be guilty of some indiscretion,
and I tried to change the subject. But Rosette chimed in:
"What's that? He said something about a ring. There must be a woman in
that story, and I want to hear it."
"Yes, mademoiselle, yes; it is a story about a woman."
"But a very sad one," said I, interrupting Balloquet; "this is not at
all a fitting time to tell it."
"Why not? I like sad things too; I like plays that make you cry. Oh!
Monsieur Larose, do tell us the story."
"With pleasure, mademoiselle!"
I trembled lest Balloquet should disclose what I had concealed from
Frédérique. He did not know that the man of the ring was Monsieur
Dauberny; but if he should mention the name Bouqueton, Frédérique would
know at once that the man was her husband. I tried to make signs to
Balloquet to hold his peace; but he did not look at me, and began his
tale.
Frédérique said nothing; but she watched us closely and did not lose a
word of what the young doctor said. Stammering and hesitating a little,
he told poor Annette's story; but he did not mention the assassin's
name.
"What a ghastly story!" exclaimed Frédérique, with a shudder.
"It's horrible!" cried Rosette. "Oh! what an abominable man! But didn't
the poor girl tell you his name?"
"Yes, yes," replied Balloquet, "she told us. The devil take the name!
Would you believe that I can't remember it?--But you know it,
Rochebrune, as you know the man."
"You know that villain, Charles? Oh! but you must have had him arrested,
then?"
"No, I could not; we have no evidence."
"But what about that ring that he gave the poor girl?"
"That ring I have at home. I am keeping it carefully; some day, I hope
that it will help me--to avenge the poor girl."
"And you won't tell us the man's name?"
"What good would it do? The whole thing is too shocking. The criminal's
name had better remain a secret until the victim is avenged."
Frédérique did not say a word, but she kept her eyes fastened upon me
all the while. The time for returning to Paris arrived, and I was not
sorry. The story of Annette had saddened Rosette and made Frédérique
very thoughtful. We returned to our cab. Balloquet continued to do the
amiable with Madame Dauberny; I verily believe that he asked her
permission to call to pay his respects. What a self-sufficient puppy! I
did not hear her reply. Rosette pinched me, probably because I was not
listening to what she said.
I wanted to take Frédérique home; Balloquet insisted, on the contrary,
that Rosette and I should be set down first. We were on the point of
quarrelling. Rosette said nothing, and I thought that she had fallen
asleep. Madame Dauberny put an end to our discussion by calling to the
cabman to stop on the boulevard. She hastily alighted, bade us adieu,
and hurried away. But Balloquet instantly opened the door, crying:
"I won't allow that lady to go away alone; the idea! I am going to
escort her!"
I tried to hold him back by seizing his coat tails. I told him that
Madame Dauberny did not want his escort, that she preferred to go alone.
He would not listen to me. He leaped out of the cab, tearing off one
whole skirt of his coat, and disappeared.
"What's the matter with you to-night, my friend?" said Rosette; "you
interfere with everybody; you find fault with whatever we do, and tear
people's coats!"
"That doesn't concern you."
"How polite my lover is to-day!"
"To which aunt shall I take you this evening, mademoiselle?"
"Faubourg Saint-Denis, as usual."
"By the way, you haven't told me yet where you were perching yesterday,
when I had the kindness--I might well say, the folly--to look for you at
all your aunts' lodgings."
"Do you want to make me unhappy?"
"Answer me!"
"I told you that I was with a friend."
"Oh, yes! at the sponge dealer's, perhaps?"
"What an outrage! Instead of saying such things, you would do well to
kiss me. It seems that we don't get beyond compliments to-day!"
In truth, she was right; I had rebuked her enough all day; the least I
could do was to compensate her at that moment.
XL
A SICK CHILD
I passed a wretched night. I was eager to know if Madame Dauberny had
allowed Balloquet to escort her, and if he had made any progress in my
friend's good graces. Why was I so eager to know that? I myself could
not understand. As I was not that lady's lover, as I had never thought
of mentioning the subject of love to her, ought I to take it amiss that
others should mention it? I began to believe that one could be jealous
in friendship as well as in love. If Frédérique should have a lover,
that would lessen the attachment that she seemed to entertain for me;
doubtless that was the reason why it pained me to think that she should
allow anyone to make love to her. That was selfishness, I admit; but
what was I to do?
I arose early. I was strongly inclined to call on Balloquet, but I had
forgotten his address. I had an idea that it was Cité Vindé; but what
should I ask him. Should I not cut a very absurd figure, going there to
question him? No, I would not go. Still, I would have liked to know
whether he walked home with Frédérique.
While I was hesitating, uncertain as to what I should do, Pomponne
opened my door and announced with emphasis:
"Madame Potrelle, concierge or portress!"
The good woman came in, bowing and apologizing for disturbing me. I
asked her what brought her there.
"Mon Dieu! monsieur, I have come again about that poor woman--Madame
Landernoy. I wanted to know if monsieur's intentions were still the
same."
"What do you mean? what intentions?"
"About the work--about her taking care of monsieur's linen."
"What difference does it make whether my intentions are the same, as
that young woman is convinced that I have none but evil ones? as she
believes that I am laying a trap for her, in concert with those
scoundrels who deceived her? Faith! Madame Potrelle, one gets tired of
being constantly suspected. If it is pleasant to do good, it is painful
to come in contact with ingrates. In fact, I confess that your tenant
had gone wholly out of my mind, and I assure you that you would not have
heard from me again."
"Oh! mon Dieu! monsieur, I can understand that. But still, if you knew
how miserable that young woman is at this minute! For near a month her
child has been sick--suffering all the time; the little creature needs
the fresh air; so the mother takes her child out to walk, and meanwhile
she don't do any work; but her little Marie's health before everything!
She was a sweet little thing. She's fourteen months old already--how
time flies! Madame Landernoy goes without everything herself on the
child's account; and now she hasn't got any work--or what little she
does get is such poor stuff--eight sous a day! Think of taking care of a
child with that! So I happened to think of you, monsieur, because you
were always so kind to that young woman; and I've always judged you
right, I have! And I says to Mignonne: 'I'm going to see Monsieur
Rochebrune and ask him for some work.'--And this time she says: 'Yes,
go! go!' For she looked at her little girl, who seemed to be in pain;
and what wouldn't she do to get the means of helping her!"
"And she will go so far as to accept work from me?"