The Chevalier De Maison Rouge (39 page)

The word " us " struck Maurice.

" You ? " said he.

"Yes, I, and the little lady, who is waiting for you."

" The little lady ! " repeated Maurice, feeling the moment ill-chosen to remind him of his former loves.

" You were right to tell me. I shall sleep at Louis'."

" That is impossible ; she was at the window, and saw

you alight, and cried out, ' There he is I "

" What can it matter anything she knows to me ? I

have no heart for love. Go up-stairs, and tell this woman

she is deceived."

The official made a movement as if to obey him, then

stopped.

"Ah, citizen," said he, "you are wrong. The little lady is already very sad ; your message will drive her to

despair."

" But," said Maurice, " who is this woman ? "

" Citizen, I have not seen her face ; it is concealed by her mantle, and weeps, that is all I know."

" She weeps ? " said Maurice.

" Yes, but very softly, stifling her sobs."

" She weeps ? " again repeated Maurice ; " there is, then, some one in the world who loves me sufficiently to

feel anxious in my absence ! " and he ascended slowly

behind the official.

" Here he is, citoyenne, here he is !" cried he, rushing into the chamber.

Maurice entered behind him.

He beheld, then, in the corner of the room, the trembling

form (its face hid in the cushions) of a woman, whom

he would have thought dead but for the convulsive groan-

ing, which made him start, lie signed to his official to

260 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

leave the room, who went out, closing the door behind him.

Then Maurice ran to the young woman, who raised her

head :

" Genevieve ! " cried the young man, " Genevi^ve here 1

Mon Dieu ! am I, then, mad ? "

" Xo ; you are in possession of your senses, mon ami**

replied the young woman. " I had promised to be with

you if you would save the Chevalier de Maison Rouge.

You have saved him, and I am here ; I await you."

Maurice mistook the meaning of these words ; he re-

coiled a step, and looked sadly at the young woman.

" Genevieve," said he, "you do not love me/'

Genevieve regarded him with tearful eyes ; then, turn-

ing from him, leaned her head on the pillow of the sofa

and gave free utterance to her sobs and tears.

"Alas!" said Maurice, "it is evident that you no longer love me, and not only that you love me no more,

Genevieve, but that you must entertain a feeling of hatred

toward me to experience this despair."

Maurice had spoken so nobly, yet with so much feeling,

that Genevieve, anxious to correct him, took his hand,

and attempted some explanation.

" Mon Dieu!" she said, "those we think the best will always bo egotists."

"Egotists, Genevieve ! What do you mean to say ?"

" Can you not, then, imagine what I suffer ? My hus-

band a fugitive, my brother proscribed, our house in

flumes, and all this in one night ; and then that dreadful

scene between you and the chevalier was added to the

rest."

Maurice listened with delight, for it was impossible

even for the most foolish passion not to admit that this

accumulation of trouble was more than sufficient excuse

for Genevieve's deep and violent grief.

" And nov you arc come, I shall keep you ; you will

not leave mo more ? "

Genevieve started.

"Where should I go?" replied she, with bitterness.

" Have I an asylum, a shelter, a protector, save he who THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 261

has put a price upon his protection ? Oh ! rash and foolish that I am. I stepped over the Pont Neuf, Maurice, and

in passing I stopped to gaze at the dark water dashing

angrily against the angles of the arches ; it attracted and fascinated me. Then, said I to myself, 'There, poor

woman, is a shelter for you there a grave, rest, and ob-

liviousness."'

"Genevieve! Genevieve ! " said Maurice, "you said that ? Then you do not love me ?"

" I promised," replied Genevieve, " I promised to come, and I am here."

Maurice drew a deep breath, and cast his eyes upon the

floor.

" Genevieve," murmured he, "weep no more. Genevieve, console yourself for all your grief, since you love

me. Tell me, Genevieve, for the sake of Heaven, that it

was not the violence of my menaces that brought you

hither. Assure me that even had you not seen me this

evening, on finding yourself alone, isolated and without

an asylum, you would have come and received my oath,

to return to you that which I had compelled you to take."

Genevieve regarded the young man with a look of in-

tense gratitude.

"Generous!" said she. "Oh, mon Dieu ! I thank Thee ; he is generous."

" Listen, Genevieve," said Maurice. " God, whom they have here driven from their temples, they cannot expel,

from our hearts, where He has implanted love. This

evening, apparently so dark and gloomy, conceals behind

its somber curtain a silvery cloud. God has conducted

you to me, Genevieve, and speaks to you through me.

God is at length willing to compensate us for all the

sufferings we have endured, for the virtues we have dis-

played in combating this love, as if this sentiment so long entertained, and so profound, could be a crime. Weep

no more, Genevieve, weep no more ; give me your hand.

Do you wish to live in the house of your brother ? do you

wish he should kiss the hem of your robe, and pass over

the threshold of hia door without turning his head ? Well,

262 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

say but one word, make but one sign, and I am gone, and

you are free. But, on the other side, my adored Genevive,

will you call to mind how ardently I have loved you, and

have only existed in this love, which it remains with you

to render so fatal or so fortunate to me ? I have been a

traitor to my friends, and am become vile and contempti-

ble in my own eyes; will you now remember that in all

this I regarded your happiness for the present and the

future ? Ah ! Genevie"ve, what will you reply ? Ah !

Geuevidve, you who are an angel of mercy, will you render

a man so happy that he no longer regrets life, and ceases

to desire eternal felicity ? Then, instead of repelling me, smile, my Genevieve ; let me place your hand upon my

heart, and incline toward one who worships you from the

inmost recesses of his soul. Genevieve, my love, my life,

do not take back your vow ! "

The heart of the young woman swelled at these words.

The fatigue of her late suffering had worn out her strength, and though her tears no longer flowed, occasional sobs

relieved her overcharged bosom.

" You still weep, my Genevieve," continued Maurice, with profound melancholy; "you still weep. Oh! reassure yourself. I will never impose my love on scornful

grief, and never soil my lips with a kiss impoisoned by a

single tear of regret."

He averted his face, and coldly turned away.

"Ah! Maurice," murmured Genevieve, "do not

abandon me, Maurice ; I have no one left me in the world

but you."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE MORROW.

A BEAUTIFUL sun beamed across the green window-

blinds, gilding the leaves of three largo roses placed in a flower-stand before the window of Maurice. These flowers,

more precious as the season was on the decline, perfumed

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 263

with a delicious fragrance the little salle-a-manger of spotless neatness, where at a table served with every elegancy, but without profusion, sat Maurice and Genevieve. The

door was closed, for as the table contained all that was

requisite, it was understood they waited on themselves.

They heard the official stirring in the adjoining room.

The warmth and life of the last few lovely days entered

through the half-open jalousie, making glitter like emer-

alds and rubies the rose leaves caressed by the rays of the sun. Genevive let fall upon her plate the golden fruit

she held in her hand. She appeared to be in deep thought,

and smiling only with her lips, while her eyes languished

with a melancholy expression. She remained thus silent,

abstracted, and happy in the sun of her love, as the beau-

tiful flowers in the sun of heaven. Soon her eyes sought

those of Maurice, and encountered his gazing upon her.

She placed her soft white arm upon the young man's

shoulder, and leaned against his breast with that faith and confidence far exceeding love. Genevieve looked at him

without speaking, and blushed as she regarded him.

Maurice slightly inclined his head to imprint a kiss upon

the half-open lips of Genevieve. He bent his head, while

she turned pale, and closed her eyes, as the delicate flower conceals its calyx from the rays of light. They remained

dreaming thus, when a sharp ring at the door-bell sud-

denly startled them.

The official entered mysteriously, and closed the door.

" Here is the Citizen Louis," said he.

"All, dear Louis ! " said Maurice, ''! will go and dismiss him. Pardon, Genevieve."

Genovieve stopped him.

" Dismiss your friend, Maurice ? '' said she, "and such a friend ; one who has consoled, assisted, and sustained

you ? Xo ; I would no more drive such a friend from

your house than from your heart. Let him come in,

Maurice, let him come in."

" With your permission," said Maurice.

" I wish it," said Genevieve.

" Ah I you will find that to love you is not enough,"

264: THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

cried Maurice, delighted with her delicacy ; "it is necessary to adore yon."

Genevieve held her blushing face to the young man*

He opened the door, and Louis entered, smart as usual

in his costume of derni-Muscaciin. On perceiving Gene-

vieve he manifested great surprise, which was succeeded

by a respectful salute.

" Come here, Louis, come here, and look at ma-

dame ; you are dethroned, Louis. I have now some one

I prefer. I would have given my life for you ; for her

I tell you nothing new, Louis for her I have sacrificed

my honor."

"Madame," replied Louis, in accents of deep emotion,

"I shall endeavor to love Maurice the more that he has not altogether ceased to love me."

"Sit down, monsieur," said Genevieve, smiling.

" Yes, sit down," said Maurice, who, having pressed in his right hand that of his friend, and in his left that

of his mistress, presented the appearance of a man ar-

rived at the height of human felicity.

" Then you do not wish to die now ? do not wish any

longer to kill yourself ? "

" What was that ? " said Genevieve.

"Ah! motiDieu!" said Louis, "man is a most ver-satile animal, and philosophers have good cause to de-

spise his levity. Here is one, would you believe it, ma-

dame, who no later than yesterday evening wished to fling

himself into the fire, throw himself into the water ; who

declared there was no more happiness for him in this

world, and behold him this morning, gay, joyous, with a

smile upon his lips, his countenance resplendent with hap-

piness, life in his heart, seated at a well-furnished table ; it is true, he has not eaten much, but that does not prove

he is unhappy."

"Did he wish to do all this ?" said Genevieve.

" All this, and much more still. I will tell you all

some day, but at this moment I am very hungry ; it is

Ell Maurice's fault, for making me, yesterday evening,

run all over the quarter ISt. Jacquus. Permit me, then,

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 265

to make an attack upon the breakfast, which I perceive

you have neither of you yet touched."

"That is right," said Maurice, with childish joy ; "I have not breakfasted, neither have you, Genevieve."

He watched Louis' eyes as he uttered her name, but

he evinced no surprise.

" Ah ! " said Maurice, " you have already surmised who it was, Louis."

" Parbleu !" said Louis, cutting himself a large slice of white end rosy ham.

" I also am hungry," said Genevieve, holding her

plate.

" Louis," said Maurice, " I was ill yesterday."

" You were worse than ill ; you were mad."

" Well, I think it is you who are suffering at this

moment."

" Why ? "

" You have not yet given us any verses."

" I will sing you one this moment," said Louis.

" Phoebus, in the midst of the Graces,

The lyre in his hand still retained,

Till following of Venus the traces,

'Twas lost, and could not be regained."

" Always ready with a quatrain," said Maurice, laughing.

" I am glad that you are contented, as it is now necessary to turn our attention to more serious affairs."

"Has anything new occurred, then?" said Maurice,

anxiously.

"I am ordered on guard at the conciergerie."

' At the conciergerie?" said Genevieve, ''near the

queen ? "

"' Xear the queen. I believe so, madame."

Genevieve turned pale. Maurice frowned, and made

a sign to Louis, who cut himself another slice of ham

double the size of the first. The queen had indeed been

removed to the conciergerie, where we will follow.

L__DUJIAS VOL. XI.

266 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.