Leaving Madame de Senneterre, who had seated herself beside her daughter, and near Herminie, the hunchback rejoined the notary, and said a few words, to which that official replied with a smile of assent; after which, the marquis said aloud:
"We should now give our attention to the reading of the contracts, I think."
"Undoubtedly," replied Madame de Senneterre.
The different actors in the scene were grouped as follows:
Herminie and Ernestine were seated side by side. On Herminie's right sat Madame and Mlle. de Senneterre, while to the left of Ernestine sat Madame Laine, who was playing her modest role in a very satisfactory fashion.
Standing behind Herminie and Ernestine were Gerald, Olivier, Commander Bernard, and Baron de la Rochaigue, whose presence astonished Olivier very much, and caused him no little vague uneasiness, though he was still far from suspecting that Ernestine, the little embroideress, and Mlle. de Beaumesnil were one and the same person.
M. de Maillefort had remained at the other end of the room, seated beside the notary, who, taking up one of the documents, said to the hunchback:
"We will begin, if agreeable to you, M. le marquis, with M. le Duc de Senneterre's contract."
"Certainly," replied the hunchback, smiling. "Mlle. Herminie is older than Mlle. Ernestine, so she is entitled to this honour."
Whereupon the notary, bowing slightly to his auditors, was about to begin the reading of Herminie's marriage contract, when M. de le Rochaigue, assuming one of his most imposing parliamentary attitudes, said, impressively:
"I ask this honourable assembly's permission to make a few remarks prior to the reading of these contracts."
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE BARON HAS HIS REVENGE.
Olivier Raymond, who had marvelled greatly at the baron's presence before, became decidedly uneasy on hearing this request.
"M. le Baron de la Rochaigue has the floor," responded M. de Maillefort, smiling.
"In heaven's name, what business has that man here?" Olivier whispered to his friend.
"I haven't the slightest idea, upon my word," replied the young duke, with the most innocent air imaginable, "but if we listen we shall soon find out, I suppose."
The baron cleared his throat, slipped his left hand in the bosom of his coat, and said, in his most impressive tones:
"In behalf of certain interests that have been entrusted to me, I beg M.
Olivier Raymond to be good enough to answer a few questions I should like to put to him."
"I am at your orders, monsieur," replied Olivier, more and more astonished.
"In that case, I have the honour to ask M. Olivier Raymond if I did not recently offer him,--being empowered, authorised, and commissioned to do so in the capacity of Mlle. de Beaumesnil's guardian,--if I did not offer him, I repeat, the hand of my ward, Mlle. de Beaumesnil?"
"Monsieur," replied Olivier, who was evidently quite as much incensed as embarrassed by this question put to him in the presence of several entire strangers,--"monsieur, I fail to see either the necessity or the propriety of the question you just addressed to me."
"I am, nevertheless, obliged to appeal to the well-known honesty, frankness, and sincerity of the honourable witness," said the marquis, solemnly, "and adjure him to answer this question: Did I, or did I not, offer him the hand of my ward, Mlle. de Beaumesnil?"
"Well, yes, monsieur," answered Olivier, impatiently, "you did."
"And did not M. Olivier Raymond clearly, positively, and categorically decline this offer?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"Did not the honourable witness state, as the reason for this refusal, the fact that his heart and honour were alike bound by an engagement that would assure his happiness for life? Were these not, in substance, this honourable gentleman's own words?"
"It is true, monsieur, and, thanks be to God! what was then my dearest hope becomes a reality to-day," added the young man with an eloquent look at Ernestine.
"Such disinterestedness is positively inconceivable," said the Duchesse de Senneterre to her daughter, _sotto voce_. "It was associating with such people that spoiled our poor Gerald so."
Mlle. de Senneterre cast down her eyes and dared not answer her mother, who continued:
"But I fail to understand the situation. If this heroic gentleman declined Mlle. de Beaumesnil, what are she and that idiotic guardian of hers doing here? It is too much of a puzzle for me. Let us wait and see."
In spite of the pride and delight that this public exposition of Olivier's noble conduct excited in Ernestine's heart, she was by no means entirely reassured in regard to the scruples he might feel when he discovered that his little embroideress was Mlle. de Beaumesnil.
"I have now only to thank M. Olivier Raymond for the very honest, explicit, and straightforward manner in which he has answered the questions that have been addressed to him," said the baron, reseating himself, "and to request this honourable assemblage to kindly take full cognisance of my young friend's noble words."
"Why the devil does that long-toothed, pompous creature have to put in his oar?" whispered Commander Bernard to Olivier, who was standing beside him.
"I haven't the slightest idea, uncle. I am quite as much surprised to find the man here as you are, and why he should desire to refer to the offer he made me now, I cannot imagine."
"Oh, well, it can have no other ill effect than to make your dear Ernestine still more fond of you on learning that you sacrificed a colossal fortune on account of your love for her."
"It is just this sort of publicity given to a very natural act that so annoys me," replied Olivier.
"You are right, my boy," chimed in the old officer. "One does such things as that for one's own approval, not for the approval of others."
Then, turning to the Duc de Senneterre, he added:
"Say, M. Gerald, that little hunchback seated beside the notary is the marquis you were telling us about, is it not?"
"Yes, commander."
"It is very odd. Sometimes he looks as cunning as a fox, and sometimes as kind and gentle as a child. See how tenderly he is gazing at Mlle.
Herminie now."
"M. de Maillefort has as noble a heart as yours, commander. That means everything."
"Hush, Gerald," whispered Olivier, "the notary is rising. He is about to read your contract."
"It is a mere form," said Gerald. "The contract is of very little consequence; the real conditions Herminie and I long since settled between ourselves."
The excitement created by M. de la Rochaigue's interruption having subsided, the notary began to read Herminie's and Gerald's marriage contract; but when, after the customary preliminaries, the notary came to the names and occupations of the parties, M. de Maillefort remarked to him, smiling:
"Skip all that, monsieur, if you please; we know the names. Let us get to the important point, the settlement of pecuniary interests between the parties."