"My dear Madame D'Albret,--
"This letter will be presented to you by a Mr Lionel Dempster, a young
Englishman of fortune, and a great friend of mine. He is going to
reside at Paris to improve himself, until he comes of age; and I give
him this introduction to you for two reasons; the first, because I want
to prove to you that, although my feelings would not permit me to accept
your last kind offer, I have long forgotten and forgiven any little
injustice you did me: and the second, because I feel convinced that in
your society, and that which you keep, he will gain more advantage than
perhaps in any other in Paris.--Yours with esteem,--
"Valerie de Chatenoeuf."
"There, Lionel, this may be of use to you; if not, write and let me
know. You will of course let me hear from you occasionally?"
"May Heaven preserve you, Miss Valerie!" replied Lionel. "I only hope
the time may arrive when I may be able to prove my gratitude."
Lionel kissed my hand, and the tears rolled down his cheeks as he
quitted the room.
"He is a charming young man," said Madame Gironac, as soon as the door
was shut.
"He is a very superior young man in my opinion," replied I; "and I am
most anxious that he should do well. I did not think it possible that I
ever could have written again to Madame d'Albret, but my good-will
towards him induced me. There is Monsieur Gironac's knock, so now for a
quarrel, or a reconciliation, which is it to be?"
"Oh, we must reconcile first, and then have a quarrel afterwards: that
is the established rule."
Monsieur Gironac soon joined us. We passed a very lively evening, and
it was arranged that I should in three days take up my quarters at their
house.
The next day Mr Selwyn called at the time appointed, and I made over to
him the box and papers. He told me that he had seen Mrs Green, and had
had her full confession of what took place, in corroboration of all that
was stated by Lady R--and old Roberts, and that he had written to Mr
Armiger Dempster, who had succeeded to the property of Lionel's father.
I then told him that I wished to go with him to the bank, to lodge the
money I then had, and to obtain Lady R--'s jewel-case which was
deposited there.
"Nothing like the time present," said Mr Selwyn; "my carriage is at the
door. I will have the pleasure of taking you there and then returning
with you. But I have another appointment, and must be so impolite as to
request that you will hurry your toilet as much as possible."
This was done, and in an hour I had lodged my money and obtained the
jewel-case.
Mr Selwyn took me back again, and, having put the tin box into the
carriage, wished me farewell.
I told him that I was about to take up my residence with the Gironacs,
gave him their address, and then we parted.
That evening I opened the jewel-case and found it well stocked. The
value of its contents I could not possibly be acquainted with, but that
so many diamonds and other stones were of value I knew well. I placed
the other caskets of Lady R--in the case, and then proceeded to make up
my packages ready for transportation to Madame Gironac's, for there were
a great many trunks full. I occupied myself with this for the remainder
of the time that I was in Baker Street, and when Monsieur Gironac and
his wife called, according to promise, to take me to their home, it
required two coaches, and well loaded, to take all the luggage; a third
conveyed Monsieur and Madame Gironac, myself, and the jewel-case. I
found a very cheerful room prepared for me, and I had the pleasant
feeling, as we sat down to our small dinner, that I had a home.
Madame Gironac was indefatigable in her exertions, and soon disposed of
all the laces and wardrobe that I had decided upon parting with, and I
paid the sum that they realised, viz., 310 pounds, into the banker's.
The disposal of the jewels was a more difficult affair, but they were
valued by a friend of Monsieur Gironac's, who had once been in the
trade, at 630 pounds. After many attempts to dispose of them more
favourably, I succeeded in obtaining for them the sum of 570 pounds.
Mr Selwyn had called upon me once or twice, and I had received my
legacy with interest; deducting the legacy duty of 50 pounds, it came to
458 pounds. I had, therefore, the following sums in all: 230 pounds of
my savings; 310 pounds for the wardrobe and laces, 570 pounds for the
jewels, and 458 pounds for the legacy, amounting in all to 1568 pounds.
Who would have imagined three months before, that I should ever have
possessed such a sum? I did not, certainly.
Mr Selwyn, as soon as he knew what sum I had to dispose of, viz., 1500
pounds, for I had retained the 68 pounds for my expenses, procured me a
mortgage at five per cent, on excellent landed security; and thus did
the poor forlorn Valerie possess an income of 75 pounds per annum.
As soon as this was all arranged, I felt a tranquillity I had not known
before. I was now independent. I could work, it is true, if I felt
inclined, and had an opportunity. I could, however, do without work.
The Gironacs, finding that I insisted upon paying for my board, and
knowing that I could now afford it, agreed to receive forty pounds per
annum--more they would not listen to. Oh! what a balm to the feelings
is the consciousness of independence, especially to one who had been
treated as I had been. There were two situations to which I had taken a
violent abhorrence--that of a governess, and now that of a milliner; and
I thanked Heaven that I was no longer under any fear of being driven
into either of those unfortunate employments. For the first month that
I remained with the Gironacs, I absolutely did nothing but enjoy my
emancipation; after that, I began to talk over matters with Monsieur
Gironac, who pointed out to me, that now that I could live upon my own
means, I should endeavour to increase them, so as to be still more at my
ease.
"What do you propose that I should do, then, monsieur," replied I.
"I should propose that you establish yourself as a music-mistress, and
give lessons on the pianoforte and singing. By degrees, you will get a
connection, and you will still be your own mistress."
"And when you have nothing else to do, mademoiselle, you must make
flowers in wax," said Madame Gironac. "You make them so well, that I
can always sell yours when I cannot my own."
"I must not interfere with you, Elise," said I; "that would be very
ungrateful on my part."
"Pooh--nonsense--there are customers enough for us both."
I thought this advice to be very good, and made up my mind to follow it.
I had not money sufficient to purchase a piano just then, as it would
be five months before the half-year's interest of the mortgage would be
due; so I hired one from a dealer with whom Monsieur Gironac was
intimate, and practised several hours every day. Fortune appeared
inclined to favour me, for I obtained employment from four different
channels.
The first and most important was this: I went every Sunday to the
Catholic Chapel with Madame Gironac, and of course I joined in the
singing. On the third Sunday as I was going out, I was touched on the
arm by one of the priests, who requested to speak with me in the vestry.
Madame Gironac and I followed him, and he requested us to sit down.
"Who have I the pleasure of addressing?" said he to me.
"Mademoiselle de Chatenoeuf, sir," replied I.
"I am not aware of your circumstances, mademoiselle," said he, "but the
name is one well known in France. Still those who hold our best names
are very often not in affluent circumstances in this country. I trust,
let it be as it may, that you will not be offended, but the fact is,
your singing has been much admired, and we would wish for your service,
gratuitous, if you are in good circumstances, but well paid for, if you
are not, in the choir."
"Mademoiselle Chatenoeuf is not, I am sorry to say, in good
circumstances, monsieur," replied Madame Gironac.
"Then I will promise that she shall be well rewarded for her exertions,
if she will consent to sing in the chapel--but do you consent?"
"I have no objection, sir," replied I.
"Allow me, then, to call the gentleman who presides over the choir,"
said the priest, going out.
"Accept by all means, Mademoiselle Valerie. It will be an introduction
for you as a music-mistress, and very advantageous."
"I agree with you," replied I, "and I like singing sacred music."
The priest returned with a gentleman, who told me that he had listened
with great pleasure to my singing, and begged, as a favour, that I would
sing him a solo, which he had brought with him.
As I could sing at sight, I did so. He was satisfied, and it was agreed
that I should come on Saturday, at twelve, to practice with the rest of
the choir. The following Sunday I sang with them, and also sang the
solos. After the service was over, I received three guineas for my
performance, and was informed that a similar sum would be given to me
every Sunday on which I sang. My voice was much admired; and, when it
was known that I gave lessons, I very soon had engagements from many
Catholic families. My charges to them were moderate, five shillings a
lesson of one hour.
The next channel was through Monsieur and Madame Gironac. He
recommended me to a gentleman whom he taught, as a music-mistress for
his sisters and daughters, and she to all her various customers and
employers. I soon obtained several pupils by her exertions. The third
was from an intimacy I had formed with an acquaintance of Madame
Gironac, with a Mademoiselle Adele Chabot, who was of a good French
family, but earning her livelihood as a French teacher in one of the
most fashionable schools in Kensington.
Through her recommendation, I obtained the teaching of the young ladies
at the school, but of her more hereafter. The fourth channel was
through the kindness of Mr Selwyn, the lawyer, to whom I shall now
again revert. I had several visits from Mr Selwyn after I had left
Baker Street, and on one of these he informed me, that upon the proofs
of Lionel Dempster's identity being examined by the legal advisers of
Mr Dempster, of Yorkshire, they were considered so positive that the
aforenamed gentleman immediately came to terms, agreeing to give up the
property to Lionel, provided, in consequence of the great improvements
he had made, he was not come upon for arrears of income arising from it.
That Mr Selwyn advised this offer to be accepted, as it would prevent
any exposure of Lady R--, and the circumstances under which Lionel had
been brought up, from being made public. Lionel had written to say that
he was anxious that any sacrifice should be made rather than the affair
should be exposed; and the terms were consented to, and Lionel came into
possession of further property, to the amount of 900 pounds per annum.
As we became more intimate, Mr Selwyn asked me many particulars
relative to myself, and, by his habit of cross-examining, soon gained
the best portion of my history; only one point I did not mention to
him,--that my family supposed that I was dead.