“How did it happen?”
“Very naturally. The gates had not been closed behind your carriage,
sir, when the young lady rang the bell. They went up to see what she
wanted, and she ordered the landau to be brought round. She was told
very respectfully, that all three coachmen were out, and that there was
no one there to drive her. ‘If that be so,’ she answered, ‘I want you to
run and get me a hired carriage.’ And, when the servant to whom she gave
the order hesitated, she added, ‘If you do not go instantly, I shall go
myself.’”
The count trembled with rage.
“And then?” he asked, seeing that the man was hesitating.
“Then the servant was frightened, and did what she wanted.”
“He is dismissed, the fool!” exclaimed Count Ville-Handry.
“But allow me to _say_,” commenced Ernest.
“No! Let his wages be paid. And you go on.”
Without showing any embarrassment, the valet shrugged his shoulders, and
continued in a lazy tone,--
“Then the hack came into the court-yard; and we saw the young lady
come down in a splendid toilet, such as we have never seen her wear
before,--not pretty exactly, but so conspicuous, that it must have
attracted everybody’s attention. She settled herself coolly on the
cushions, while we looked at her, utterly amazed; and, when she was
ready, she said, ‘Ernest, you will tell my father that I shall not
be back for breakfast. I have a good many visits to make; and, as
the weather is fine, I shall afterwards go to the Bois de Boulogne.’
Thereupon the gates were opened, and off they went. It was then that I
took the liberty to send you word, sir.”
In all his life Count Ville-Handry had not been so furious. The veins
in his neck began to swell; and his eyes became bloodshot, as if he had
been threatened with a fit of apoplexy.
“You ought to have kept her from going out,” he said hoarsely. “Why did
you not prevent her? You ought to have made her go back to her room, use
force if necessary, lock her up, bind her.”
“You had given no orders, sir.”
“You ought to have required no orders to do your duty. To let a mad
woman run about! an impudent girl whom I caught the other day in the
garden with a man!”
He cried out so loud, that his voice was heard in the adjoining room,
where the invited guests were beginning to assemble. The unhappy man! He
disgraced his own child. The young countess at once came up to him and
said,--
“I beseech you, my dear friend, be calm!”
“No, this must end; and I mean to punish the wicked girl.”
“I beseech you, my dear count, do not destroy the happiness of the first
day of our married life. Henrietta is only a child; she did not know
what she was doing.”