Jericourt did not utter a word, but he had become very pale. Roncherolle
continued his narrative, with his eyes still fastened upon him.
"Behold then our flower girl in the young man's room, which she had
entered without suspicion, for a woman had opened the door. But soon he
who has been persecuting her with his addresses appears; he is alone
with her, he no longer conceals his purpose to triumph over her
resistance; the girl sees her danger, summons all her courage, and
resists so effectively that the enterprising gentleman receives upon his
face the marks of that stout defence--indeed, they have not altogether
disappeared yet; he is obliged to let a woman who defends herself so
well go her way. You will assume that that was the end of it all; and
indeed, it should have been; but no, because that girl was virtuous,
because she did not choose to cease to be virtuous, because she had
given her heart to another, the gentleman in question deemed it becoming
to proclaim everywhere that the pretty flower girl had been his
mistress, that she had come to his room of her own free will,--in short,
that she was an abandoned girl; he dishonored her in the eyes of all
those who loved her. I say that that is dastardly, infamous! and do not
you think that so much lying and slander deserve to be punished?"
Zizi said nothing because she had guessed the truth; Jericourt bit his
lips and also held his peace; but Frefred exclaimed:
"This is strange--your story--one would say--where does your pretty
flower girl stand?"
"Near here, on Boulevard du Chateau d'Eau; you know her perfectly well."
"What! is it Violette?"
"It is Violette."
"Why, in that case, the young man who pretends to have had her
favors--is----"
"Just so; it is monsieur."
Thereupon Jericourt felt called upon to draw himself up and assume an
impertinent tone.
"Monsieur," said he to Roncherolle, "I do not understand all the absurd
stories and fairy-tales which you have been telling us, and which have
neither head nor tail; but what seems even more inconceivable is that a
man of your age should pose as the knight of flower girls!"
"A man of my age, monsieur, knows the world well enough to distinguish
the false from the true; and when one can avenge a woman who has been
shamelessly defamed by a conceited coxcomb, age makes no difference,
monsieur, as I hope to prove to your satisfaction."
"Really, I am very condescending to answer you!" retorted Jericourt,
throwing himself back and swinging his legs. "Be off with you, monsieur;
leave me in peace."
"I will be off, monsieur, but with you, I hope."
"Oh! that would be amusing! Faith, my dear monsieur, lose your temper if
you choose, but I will not fight for a flower girl."
"Well! will you fight for this, monsieur?"
As he spoke, Roncherolle, who had left his seat and walked toward
Jericourt, struck him across the face with his glove.
The young man leaped from his chair, his face became livid, and he
seemed to contemplate rushing upon Roncherolle; but the latter
maintained such a calm and impassive attitude, while holding the prongs
of a fork toward his adversary to keep him at a respectful distance,
that Jericourt contented himself with saying in a voice choked with
wrath:
"That insult will cost you dear, monsieur!"
"I shall be enchanted to find out whether that is so, monsieur; and I
propose that we finish this matter not later than to-morrow morning."
"Yes, monsieur; to-morrow, at nine o'clock in the morning, I will be in
the woods, near Porte Saint-Mande."
"I will be there at that time."
"Saint-Arthur, you witnessed the insult, you must be my second."
"I, your second; why, I don't know if----"
"Be kind enough to have two seconds," said Roncherolle, "for I shall
bring two."
"Until to-morrow, monsieur; Saint-Arthur, be at my rooms before eight
o'clock."
Jericourt seized his hat and rushed from the room like a madman, without
saluting anybody.
The young actress did not think of laughing, she was deeply impressed by
all that had happened. As for Alfred, he turned white, red and yellow by
turns, and seemed to be inclined to weep.
"My dear friends," said Roncherolle, resuming his seat at the table, "I
am truly sorry to have disturbed the end of your dinner thus. But what
would you have? I have been waiting for a long time for an opportunity
to settle affairs with this fellow Jericourt."
"Then you are certain that the pretty flower girl has been slandered?"
said Zizi.
"Perfectly sure. However, this duel will be the judgment of God. Let us
drink to the triumph of the truth."
"I am not thirsty any more," faltered Saint-Arthur. "Here I am forced to
be a second in a duel! I don't like that at all, for--are your seconds
quick-tempered?"
"Not the least in the world; I shall bring two mere boys; you have
nothing to fear; your part will be absolutely passive; you will be there
only to look on, for there is no possible adjustment of the affair with
my adversary."
"Ah! if it's only a matter of looking on, that's different; rely on me."
"Oh! how I wish it were to-morrow noon," said Zizi. "But now good-night,
let us separate; I am no longer in the mood for talking nonsense. I am
only a good-for-nothing, Monsieur de Roncherolle, but all the same I
will pray to God for you; and who knows? perhaps He will listen to me."
On leaving the restaurant, Roncherolle walked back and forth in front of
the theatres on Boulevard du Temple; he knew that Chicotin was
particularly devoted to that place, where he often succeeded in
obtaining an admission ticket, which he did not sell, but with which he
went into the theatre. And in fact Roncherolle had not been walking
there ten minutes when he spied the person for whom he was looking.
"Hello! is that you, bourgeois?" cried the young messenger. "Have you
been to the play? If you are not going back, make me a present of your
check."
"No, my boy, I haven't been to the play; but listen carefully to what I
am going to say to you, for it is very serious, very important; I need
you to-morrow, you must be at my room at eight o'clock at the latest."
"That is easy enough, I will be there. Is that all?"
"No, I also want your friend Georget, Violette's young sweetheart, to
come with you; I need him too."
"Is that so? What for, bourgeois?"
"I will tell you both to-morrow, not before; meanwhile, let your friend
understand that his future happiness and Violette's are concerned."
"Oh! in that case, never fear; he won't fail to come!"
"But don't mention this to anybody, not even to Violette; it is a
secret."
"We won't say a word."
"Are you sure of seeing Georget this evening?"
"Pardi! when he doesn't go to walk with Violette, he is at home; at any
rate, he must go home, and I will wait for him."
"Very well, is he still with Monsieur Malberg?"
"Yes, but he sleeps in his own lodgings."
"Don't let him say a word of this to--to Monsieur Malberg."
"Never you fear; indeed, he probably won't see him until after he sees
you."
"Until to-morrow then, and both of you."
"We will be there, monsieur."
"By the way, bring a cab with you; don't forget."
"A cab, all right, monsieur."
The next morning at half-past seven, Roncherolle was up and dressed and
was cleaning a pair of pistols, which, despite his destitution, he had
always kept. At a few minutes before eight, the door was opened softly
and Chicotin appeared, accompanied by Georget. The latter, instead of a
blouse, wore a short coat buttoned to his chin, and on his head a blue
cloth cap of stylish shape; he held himself very erect, and his new
costume heightened the attractiveness of his face and the grace of his
figure.
Roncherolle could not help admiring the fine appearance of the young
man, and he offered him his hand, which Georget took with an air of
respect.
"Here we are, bourgeois," said Chicotin; "I hope we haven't kept you
waiting; I bring Georget, as you see, and the cab is downstairs."
"That is very good, my boy. Monsieur Georget, I thank you for coming
here at my invitation; when you know what is on foot, I am sure that you
will not be sorry."
"I am very happy, monsieur, if I can be of use to you in any way; I know
you already through Violette, whom you were kind enough to visit when
she was sick; and Chicotin told me----"
"I told him that this morning's business had something to do with her;
but monsieur will explain the whole thing to us, and tell us why----"
"You are in a great hurry; the most important thing now is to start; and
especially to avoid meeting my little neighbor on the stairs, for she
would ask questions which we could not very well answer at this moment."
"Oh! it's only eight o'clock; it's cold too, and Violette doesn't go out
so early in such weather."
"Very well, let us start, young men."
Roncherolle took his box of pistols, which seemed to puzzle Chicotin
greatly. Georget went out first, walked to the stairs cautiously, then
motioned to them that they might go down. All three were soon at the
door, which was kept by Mirontaine only; he barked when anybody came in,
but never when they went out.
Monsieur de Roncherolle entered the cab, told Georget and Chicotin to
enter with him, although the latter declared that he would be quite as
comfortable behind, and bade the coachman take them to the Porte
Saint-Mande, by the Vincennes road.
"Oho! we are going to the country," cried Chicotin; "we shan't find much
shade there!"
"I can tell you now, messieurs, why I have brought you with me," said
Roncherolle. "It is for the purpose of being my seconds; for I have a
duel on hand, I am going to fight a duel with pistols this morning."
"You are going to fight?" cried Georget, deeply moved.
"Yes, my friend; if I had told you that beforehand, would you have
refused to come with me?"
"Oh, no! on the contrary, I would have begged you to take me."
"I was sure of it beforehand, young man."
"And I too, bourgeois; I like fights! they just suit me! But what are we
two going to fight with? We haven't any weapons; are we to fight with
fists? I like that too."
"No, not with fists or anything else; you are my seconds, and you will
not be called upon to fight at all."
"So much the worse! of what use shall we be then?"
"To affirm the innocence of a young girl whom I hope to avenge. I am
going to fight with Monsieur Jericourt."
"With Monsieur Jericourt?" cried Georget; "with that man who laid the
trap for Violette and then slandered her so abominably?"
"Just so; do you consider that I am doing wrong?"
"Oh, monsieur! what good fortune! that Jericourt! I have been looking
for him everywhere, and haven't found him. But you are not the one who's
going to fight with him, monsieur; I am; for I am the man whom he
insulted most cruelly; I am the man whom he injured most; I am to be the
husband of the woman whom he tried to dishonor. You must see, monsieur,
that I am the one who must fight with him."
"My dear Georget, I was very sure that you would say all that; I
expected it; but be calm and listen to me. I was in this gentleman's
company yesterday; I have long been looking for an opportunity. I told
him what I thought of his conduct toward Violette. I demanded
satisfaction for his slanders, but he refused; then I struck him in the
face. The duel was instantly arranged for this morning. Now, this
gentleman has the right to demand satisfaction for the outrage
inflicted upon his face; if I did not fight, if I allowed you to fight
in my place, I should act like a coward; and as I have never had that
reputation, you will permit me not to earn it now. All that I can do, my
dear Monsieur Georget, is, if I fall, to allow you to take my place and
to renew the combat with this gentleman. Now it is all understood and
arranged. Not a word more on that subject, for it would be useless.--But
we have arrived."
The carriage stopped on the outskirts of the wood; Roncherolle alighted
with the two young men, Chicotin carrying the box of pistols. They
looked about in all directions but saw nobody.
"Is it possible that he will not come?" murmured Georget, stamping the
ground impatiently.
"Is he going to squeal?" said Chicotin.
"There is no time wasted yet, messieurs, and his seconds may have kept
him waiting.--But look, I see a carriage in the distance.--I'll wager
that they're the people we expect."
The carriage reached the wood and they saw Jericourt, Saint-Arthur and
little Astianax at once alight from it.
"_Saperlotte!_ the seconds are not big fellows," cried Chicotin; "I know
'em; both of 'em together wouldn't make one decent man. I could eat half
a dozen of them without difficulty!"
Roncherolle imposed silence upon Chicotin with a glance. Jericourt came
forward with his two friends; Saint-Arthur acted as if he had a pain in
his stomach, and little Astianax looked in both directions at once.
"What does this mean?" cried Jericourt, as he scrutinized Chicotin,
while Georget glared at him with flaming eyes; "what! Monsieur de
Roncherolle chooses a messenger for his second? Really, I should have
supposed that he could find some one better than that.--You see,
messieurs, the honor that he does you, and with whom you are brought
into relations!"
"What's that? what's that?" cried Chicotin, turning up his sleeves; "do
I hear anybody sneering at me? Ah! as I live! I'll smash the principal
and his seconds in a second."
"Be quiet," said Roncherolle sternly. Then, walking toward his
adversary's two seconds, he said to them:
"I have brought this young man, messieurs, Monsieur Georget, because he
is the fiance, the future husband of the young girl whom monsieur
attempted to ruin. No one has a better right to be here than he, for the
honor of the woman whom he is to marry is the motive of this duel. As
for my other second, this honest fellow here, he is only a messenger, it
is true, but it was he who saved the young flower girl when, driven to
desperation by contemptuous treatment and humiliation, and by the
thought of passing for what she was not, she was on the point of jumping
into the canal and seeking an end to her suffering there. Do you not
think, messieurs, that this honest fellow who brought back hope to
Violette's heart, also has a right to be present at a battle which is
to rehabilitate her honor? Come, messieurs, which of you will undertake
to maintain the contrary, and will blush to have to deal with such
seconds? Neither of you, I am sure!"
Saint-Arthur and Astianax contented themselves with bowing low to
Roncherolle, who continued:
"Very good, everything is arranged; now, my adversary has the choice of
weapons."
"He chooses pistols," said Astianax.
"Pistols it is; I have brought some."
"So have we."
"We will take yours, if you choose; it makes no difference to me. My
adversary has the right to fire first also, I recognize that; you see
that we shall have no difficulty. Let us go a little way into the woods,
and have done with it."
The whole party walked into the woods and stopped in a solitary place,
where there was a clearing suitable for the duel. Astianax, having
spoken to Jericourt, returned to Roncherolle and said:
"Is fifteen paces satisfactory to you, monsieur?"
"Ordinarily, the seconds would decide such matters among themselves; but
no matter, that is satisfactory to me; mark off the distance and I will
take my place."
Astianax counted the paces, while Saint-Arthur leaned against a tree at
a distance; as for Georget and Chicotin, Roncherolle was obliged to hold
them back by his glance.
Young Astianax, having finished measuring the distance, handed to each
combatant a pistol, which he took from the box he had brought; then he
stood aside, saying:
"They are loaded; I believe there is nothing more for me to do now."
"It is for you to begin, monsieur," said Roncherolle, bowing to
Jericourt.
Jericourt took a long aim, then fired; the ball from his pistol grazed
his adversary's right side and made him turn slightly; Georget started
to run to him, but Roncherolle motioned to him not to stir and speedily
resumed his position, saying:
"That was not bad, but it was not quite the thing."
He fired almost instantly, and Jericourt, wounded in the breast, fell to
the ground.
The four seconds rushed at once to the assistance of the wounded man,
who was already discharging blood through his mouth; and when he saw
Georget, he said to him in a faint voice:
"I lied--she is innocent--tell her that I confess, that----"
The unhappy wretch closed his eyes and could say no more; Chicotin took
him in his arms and carried him to the carriage which had brought him,
which Astianax also entered. As for Saint-Arthur, he had disappeared and
they were unable to find him.
Georget ran back to Roncherolle, crying:
"He confessed, monsieur; he confessed; he admitted that he had slandered
Violette! all those gentlemen heard him as well as I!"
"That is well, my young friend; that is what I wanted. Now you must give
me your arm to help me to walk back to the carriage."
"Oh! are you wounded too, monsieur?"
"A scratch, a mere scratch, but it troubles me when walking. I will lean
on you."
"Oh! as hard as you please, monsieur. What a debt of gratitude I owe
you! And Violette, when she knows it----"
"I knew perfectly well that she deserved to be defended; but I am very
glad to have spared you that trouble; and then, you see, I have done a
lot of foolish things in my life, and I am not sorry to do some good now
and then."
Chicotin reached the carriage just as Monsieur de Roncherolle and
Georget entered it. The young messenger's face was all awry, and he
faltered:
"All the same, it gives a man a shock--a young man, who was so well a
minute ago----"
"Well? Monsieur Jericourt, how is he?" asked Roncherolle.
"He is stone dead!"
XLIV
THE EMBROIDERED HANDKERCHIEF
While the duel which concerned the pretty flower girl was in progress,
the girl herself was greatly surprised to see Pongo appear at her door
about nine o'clock.
"Master," he said, "he want mamzelle to come and see him after her dress
herself all fine; yes, dress herself all fine, and bring a big bouquet."
Violette hastened to answer that she would obey Monsieur Malberg's
orders; but as she donned her best dress and her prettiest cap, she said
to herself:
"Probably Monsieur Malberg wants to send me somewhere, for he would not
tell me to dress in my best just to go to his house. Besides, the
bouquet that he wants--no doubt I shall have to go to Madame de
Grangeville's.--So much the better! I like that lady very much, and it's
a long time since I carried her a bouquet."
When he saw Violette enter his room, so fresh and pretty and graceful,
and wearing a dress, which, although appropriate to her rank in life,
gave an added charm to her person, none the less, the count could not
help sighing, as he said to himself:
"I should have been very happy if I could have called her my daughter."
"Here I am, monsieur, I have obeyed your orders," said Violette; "I have
done what your servant told me to do; do I look well, monsieur?"
"Yes, my child, yes, very well; and I have no doubt that Madame de
Grangeville will find you charming thus."
"Am I going to that lady's house? I suspected it, monsieur."
"So much the better!--Listen to me, Violette; I must tell you now that
this lady to whom I am sending you knew your mother and the secret of
your birth; if your mother is still alive, if she is disposed to
recognize you as her daughter, this lady will tell you so."
"Is it possible, monsieur?"
"Yes, and for that purpose, you are going to-day to tell her all that
you know about your birth, giving her to understand that you have known
it only a short time; and then you will finish your story by showing her
this handkerchief, which I give back to you to-day, so that it may help
you to find your parents."
"Ah! I am all of a tremble, monsieur; the thought that perhaps I am
going to find my mother--why haven't you let me say all this to that
lady before?"
"Because, my child, before confiding such an important matter to her, I
wanted her to have time to appreciate you, so that you might not be a
stranger to her."
"And suppose this lady, after listening to me, after seeing this
handkerchief, should not mention my mother to me?"
"In that case, my poor girl, it would mean that you no longer have a
mother, that all hope of finding her is vanished. But such a supposition
does not seem possible to me; no, she cannot spurn you again; and those
who brought you into this world will be only too happy to lavish their
caresses upon you."
"Shall I tell this lady it's you who send me this time?"
"Not by any means; let her still think that it is Monsieur de
Merval.--Go, Violette; and if it is possible, come back here and tell me
the result of your visit to--to Madame de Grangeville."
"If it is possible! who could prevent me from coming back to you,
monsieur?--I will go at once, and you will see me again soon."
The young girl took her bouquet and started for the abode of the lady
who, as she had been told, might restore her mother to her; a thousand
confused thoughts, a thousand hopes surged through Violette's mind, and
she reached the house intensely excited and trembling from head to foot,
and asked Mademoiselle Lizida if she could see her mistress.
"I think so," said the lady's maid; "madame was at a ball last night,
but she did not return very late; it is twelve o'clock, and she has just
risen; I will announce you and your bouquet."
After a few moments, Violette was ushered into the presence of Madame de
Grangeville, who was seated before her mirror, completing her morning
toilet, and who smiled at the young girl, saying to her:
"Ah! here is my pretty little flower girl. It is a long while since you
came last, little one; I am neglected nowadays; Monsieur de Merval is
less attentive to me."
"I don't know, madame----"
"Let me see your bouquet; it is very pretty, but I saw finer ones at the
ball last night. Sit down, my girl, and let us talk a bit. Why! how you
are dressed up to-day! where are you going this morning, pray?"
"I am going nowhere but here, madame."
"Oho! then it was for me that you made this toilet. You look very well;
and I--this cap--do you think that it is becoming to me? I look a little
tired, do I not? They absolutely insisted upon making me dance last
night.--But what ails you, my child? One would say that you were not
listening to me; you seem distraught."
"Ah! madame, it is because----"
"Because what? finish your sentence."
"Since I had the honor to see you last, I have learned something
about----"
"About what?"
"About my birth, about my family."
"Your family; you told me that you were an abandoned child."
"True, madame; but someone who knew my nurse has told me several things
which may help me, they say, to find my parents."
"Really--I think I will put on a blue ribbon instead of a pink one, it
will look better.--Were you not left at the Foundling Hospital in
Paris?"
"No, madame, I was born in Paris, but I was given in charge of a nurse,
who came from Picardie, and who went back to her province at once."
Madame de Grangeville ceased to toy with her cap and said to
Mademoiselle Lizida, who was putting the room in order:
"Leave us, go.--You were saying that your nurse lived in Picardie?"
"Yes, madame."
"What was her name?"
"Marguerite Thomasseau."
"Marguerite--are you sure that her name was Marguerite?"
"Yes, madame."
"And--and you--what name did your parents give you?"
"The gentleman who placed me in my nurse's hands--she did not know
whether he was my father, but she presumed that he was--told her that my
name was Evelina de Paulausky."
Madame de Grangeville moved suddenly on her chair; but instead of
approaching Violette, she drew away from her; one would have thought
that she was afraid of the girl. The latter waited anxiously to hear
what the lady was going to say to her; but several moments, which seemed
very long, passed, and not a word fell from the lips of Madame de
Grangeville, whose head had fallen on her breast, and who seemed to be
absorbed in her reflections.
Violette decided to continue.
"That is not all, madame," she said; "it seems that when he placed me in
charge of my nurse, instead of giving her a _layette_, he gave her some
men's clothes, among which there was a handkerchief belonging to my
mother.
"Aha! did he say that?"
"Yes, the gentleman said so when he gave it to my nurse; and she always
kept it, hoping that it might enable me some day to make myself known to
her who brought me into the world."