第313章

THE ADVICE.

Adrienne de Cardoville had been still more strictly confined in Dr.

Baleinier's house, since the double nocturnal attempt of Agricola and Dagobert, in which the soldier, though severely wounded, had succeeded, thanks to the intrepid devotion of his son, seconded by the heroic Spoil-

sport, in gaining the little garden gate of the convent, and escaping by way of the boulevard, along with the young smith.Four o'clock had just struck.Adrienne, since the previous day, had been removed to a chamber on the second story of the asylum.The grated window, with closed shutters, only admitted a faint light to this apartment.The young lady, since her interview with Mother Bunch, expected to be delivered any day by the intervention of her friends.But she felt painful uneasiness on the subject of Agricola and Dagobert, being absolutely ignorant of the issue of the struggle in which her intended liberators had been engaged with the people of the asylum and convent.She had in vain questioned her keepers on the subject; they had remained perfectly mute.These new incidents had augmented the bitter resentment of Adrienne against the Princess de Saint Dizier, Father d'Aigrigny, and their creatures.The slight paleness of Mdlle.de Cardoville's charming face, and her fine eyes a little drooping, betrayed her recent sufferings; seated before a little table, with her forehead resting upon one of her hands, half veiled by the long curls of her golden hair, she was turning over the leaves of a book.Suddenly, the door opened, and M.Baleinier entered.

The doctor, a Jesuit, in lay attire, a docile and passive instrument of the will of his Order, was only half in the confidence of Father d'Aigrigny and the Princess de Saint-Dizier.He was ignorant of the object of the imprisonment of Mdlle.de Cardoville; he was ignorant also of the sudden change which had taken place in the relative position of Father d'Aigrigny and Rodin, after the reading of the testament of Marius de Rennepont.The doctor had, only the day before, received orders from Father d'Aigrigny (now acting under the directions of Rodin) to confine Mdlle.de Cardoville still more strictly, to act towards her with redoubled severity, and to endeavor to force her, it will be seen by what expedients, to renounce the judicial proceedings, which she promised herself to take hereafter against her persecutors.At sight of the doctor, Mdlle.de Cardoville could not hide the aversion and disdain with which this man inspired her.M.Baleinier, on the contrary, always smiling, always courteous, approached Adrienne with perfect ease and confidence, stopped a few steps from her, as if to study her features more attentively, and then added like a man who is satisfied with the observations he had made: "Come! the unfortunate events of the night before last have had a less injurious influence than I feared.There is some improvement; the complexion is less flushed, the look calmer, the eyes still somewhat too bright, but no longer shining with such unnatural fire.You are getting on so well! Now the cure must be prolonged--for this unfortunate night affair threw you into a state of excitement, that was only the more dangerous from your not being conscious of it.

Happily, with care, your recovery will not, I hope, be very much delayed." Accustomed though she was to the audacity of this tool of the Congregation, Mdlle.de Cardoville could not forbear saying to him, with a smile of bitter disdain: "What impudence, sir, there is in your probity! What effrontery in your zeal to earn your hire! Never for a moment do you lay aside your mask; craft and falsehood are ever on your lips.Really, if this shameful comedy causes you as much fatigue as it does me disgust and contempt, they can never pay you enough."

"Alas!" said the doctor, in a sorrowful tone; "always this unfortunate delusion, that you are not in want of our care!--that I am playing a part, when I talk to you of the sad state in which you were when we were obliged to bring you hither by stratagem.Still, with the exception of this little sign of rebellious insanity, your condition has marvellously improved.You are on the high-road to a complete cure.By-and-by, your excellent heart will render me the justice that is due to me; and, one day, I shall be judged as I deserve."

"I, believe it, sir; the day approaches, in which you will be judged as you deserve," said Adrienne, laying great stress upon the two words.

"Always that other fixed idea," said the doctor with a sort of commiseration."Come, be reasonable.Do not think of this childishness."

"What! renounce my intention to demand at the hands of justice reparation for myself, and disgrace for you and your accomplices? Never, sir--

never!"

"Well!" said the doctor, shrugging his shoulders; "once at liberty, thank heaven, you will have many other things to think of, my fair enemy."

"You forget piously the evil that you do; but I, sir, have a better memory."

"Let us talk seriously.Have you really the intention of applying to the courts?" inquired Dr.Baleinier, in a grave tone.

"Yes, sir, and you know that what I intend, I firmly carry out."

"Well! I can only conjure you not to follow out this idea," replied the doctor, in a still more solemn tone; "I ask it as a favor, in the name of your own interest."

"I think, sir, that you are a little too ready to confound your interest with mine."

"Now come," said Dr.Baleinier, with a feigned impatience, as if quite certain of convincing Mdlle.de Cardoville on the instant; "would you have the melancholy courage to plunge into despair two persons full of goodness and generosity?"

"Only two? The jest would be complete, if you were to reckon three: you, sir, and my aunt, and Abbe d'Aigrigny; for these are no doubt the generous persons in whose name you implore my pity."

"No, madame; I speak neither of myself, nor of your aunt, nor of Abbe d'Aigrigny."

"Of whom, then, sir?" asked Mdlle.de Cardoville with surprise.