Nanon realized that to hesitate for a second would be her destruction.
Moreover, she had had time enough to develop in her brain the scheme
suggested by the anonymous letter.
"Yes," said she, gazing fixedly at the duke, "I have a secret with that
gentleman."
"You confess it?" cried Monsieur d'Épernon.
"I must; for one can conceal nothing from you."
"Oh!" shouted the duke.
"Yes, I was expecting Monsieur de Canolles," continued Nanon, calmly.
"You were expecting him?"
"I was expecting him."
"You dare admit it?"
"Freely. Tell me, now, do you know who Monsieur de Canolles is?"
"He is a jackanapes, whom I will punish cruelly for his impudence."
"He is a noble and gallant gentleman, to whom you will continue your
benefactions."
"Oh! I swear by the Almighty that I will not!"
"No oaths, Monsieur le Duc; at all events, not until I have said what I
have to say," rejoined Nanon, smiling sweetly.
"Say on, then, but waste no time."
"Haven't you, who are so skilful in probing the human heart to its
lowest depths," said Nanon, "haven't you remarked my partiality for
Monsieur de Canolles, my repeated solicitations in his interest?--the
captain's commission I procured for him, the grant of money for a
trip to Bretagne with Monsieur de Meilleraie, his recent leave of
absence,--in a word, my constant efforts to gratify him?"
"Madame, madame!" said the duke, "you exceed all bounds!"
"For God's sake, Monsieur le Duc, wait until you hear the end!"
"Why should I wait any longer? What more is there for you to tell me?"
"That I have a most affectionate interest in Monsieur de Canolles."
"_Pardieu!_ I know it well."
"That I am devoted to him, body and soul."
"Madame, you abuse--"
"That I will do my utmost to oblige him while I live, and all because--"
"Because he's your lover; that's not difficult to guess."
"Because," continued Nanon, seizing the wrathful duke's arm with a
dramatic gesture, "because he is my brother!"
Monsieur d'Épernon's arm fell to his side.
"Your brother?" he said.
Nanon nodded affirmatively with a triumphant smile.
"This calls for an explanation," the duke cried, after a moment's
reflection.
"Which I will give you," said Nanon. "When did my father die?"
"Why, about eight months since," replied the duke, after a short mental
calculation.
"When did you sign the captain's commission for Canolles?"
"Eh? at about the same time."
"A fortnight later," said Nanon.
"A fortnight later; it's very possible."
"It is a sad thing for me to disclose another woman's shame, to
divulge a secret which belongs to us alone, you understand. But your
extraordinary jealousy drives me to it, your cruelty leaves me no
alternative. I am like you, Monsieur le Duc, I lack generosity."
"Go on, go on!" cried the duke, beginning to yield to the fair
Gasconne's imaginative flights.
"Very good; my father was an attorney of some note. Twenty-eight years
ago he was still young, and he was always fine-looking. Before his
marriage he was in love with Monsieur de Canolles' mother, whose hand
was denied him because she was of noble blood, and he a plebeian.
Love undertook the task of remedying the mistakes of nature, as it
often does; and during Monsieur de Canolles, the elder's, absence from
home--Now do you understand?"
"Yes; but how does it happen that this affection for Monsieur de
Canolles took possession of you so recently?"
"Because I never knew of the bond between us until my father's death;
because the secret was made known to me in a letter handed me by the
baron himself, who then addressed me as his sister."
"Where is that letter?" queried the duke.
"Have you forgotten the fire which consumed everything I owned,--all my
most valuable jewels and papers?"
"True," said the duke.
"Twenty times I have been on the point of telling you the story,
feeling sure that you would do everything for him whom I call my
brother under my breath; but he has always prevented me, always begged
me to spare his mother's reputation, for she is still living. I have
respected his scruples because I appreciated them."
"Ah! indeed!" said the duke, almost melted; "poor Canolles!"
"And yet," continued Nanon, "when he refused to let me speak, he threw
away his own fortune."
"He's a high-minded youth," said the duke, "and his scruples do him
honor."
"I did more than respect his scruples,--I swore that the mystery should
never be revealed to any one on earth; but your suspicions caused the
cup to overflow. Woe is me! I have forgotten my oath! Woe is me! I have
betrayed my brother's secret!"
And Nanon burst into tears.
The duke fell upon his knees and kissed her pretty hands, which hung
dejectedly at her side, while her eyes were raised toward heaven, as if
imploring God's forgiveness for her perjury.
"You say, 'Woe is me!'" cried the duke; "say rather, 'Good luck for
all!' I propose that poor Canolles shall make up for lost time. I don't
know him, but I desire to know him. You shall present him to me, and I
will love him like a son!"
"Say like a brother," rejoined Nanon, with a smile.
"Villanous informers!" she suddenly cried, passing to another train of
thought, and crumpling the letter in her hand as if she proposed to
throw it in the fire, but carefully placing it in her pocket, with a
view of confronting its author with it later.
"Now that I think of it," said the duke, "why shouldn't the rascal come
here? Why should I wait any longer before seeing him? I'll send at
once to the Golden Calf to bid him come."
"Oh, of course," said Nanon, "so that he may know that I can conceal
nothing from you, and that I have told you everything in utter
disregard of my oath."
"I will be careful."
"Ah! Monsieur le Duc, do you wish me to quarrel with you?" retorted
Nanon, with one of those smiles which demons borrow from angels.
"How so, my dear love?"
"Because you used to be more anxious for a _tête-à-tête_ than now.
Let us sup together, and to-morrow it will be time enough to send for
Canolles. Between now and to-morrow," said Nanon to herself, "I shall
have time to warn him."
"So be it," said the duke; "let us sup."