Everything that I can do for her, I will do."
"Ah, I can breath freely now, I no longer feel any anxiety in regard to Ernestine. I know what such a promise means from you, M. de Maillefort,"
exclaimed the countess, her face beaming with hope and serenity.
But almost immediately a consciousness of increasing weakness, together with other unfavourable symptoms, convinced Madame de Beaumesnil that her end was fast approaching. Her countenance, which had beamed for a moment with the hope and serenity M. de Maillefort's promise had inspired, became troubled again, and in a hurried, almost entreating voice, she continued:
"But this is not all, M. de Maillefort, I have a still greater favour to ask of you. Aided by your counsels, my daughter Ernestine will be as happy as she is rich. Her future is as bright and as well assured as any person's can be, but it is very different concerning the future of a poor but noble-hearted creature, whom--I--I wish that you--"
Madame de Beaumesnil paused. Say more she dared not--could not.
Though she had resolved to tell M. de Maillefort the secret of Herminie's birth, in the hope of ensuring her child the protection of this generous man, she shrank from the shame of such a confession,--a confession which would also have been a violation of the solemn oath she had taken years before, and faithfully kept.
The marquis, seeing her hesitate, said, gently:
"What is it, madame? Will you not be kind enough to tell me what other service I can render you? Do you not know that you can depend upon me as one of the most devoted of your friends?"
"I know that! I know that!" gasped Madame de Beaumesnil, "but I dare not--I am afraid--"
The marquis, deeply touched by her distress, endeavoured to make it easier for her to prefer her request by saying:
"When you checked yourself just now, madame, you were speaking, I think, of the uncertain future of a poor but noble-hearted creature. Who is she? And in what way can I be of service to her?"
Overcome with grief and increasing weakness, Madame de Beaumesnil buried her face in her hands, and burst into tears; then, after a brief silence, riveting her weeping eyes on the marquis, and endeavouring to appear more calm, she said, brokenly:
"Yes, you might be of the greatest possible service to a poor girl--worthy in every respect--of your interest, for she, too, is an orphan--a most unfortunate orphan,--for she is both friendless and penniless, but, oh, so brave, and so proud! In short, she is an angel,"
cried the countess, with a vehemence at which M. de Maillefort marvelled greatly. "Yes," continued Madame de Beaumesnil, sobbing violently, "Yes, she is an angel of courage and of virtue, and it is for this angel that I ask the same fatherly interest I asked for my daughter Ernestine. Oh, M. de Maillefort, do not refuse my request, I beseech you!"
The excitement and embarrassment Madame de Beaumesnil manifested in speaking of this orphan, together with the almost frenzied appeal in her behalf, excited the Marquis de Maillefort's profound astonishment.
For a moment he was too amazed to speak; then, all of a sudden, he started violently, for a terrible suspicion darted through his mind. He recollected some of the scandalous (up to this time he had always styled them infamous) reports, which had been rife in former years, concerning Madame de Beaumesnil, and which he had avenged by challenging M. de Mornand that very day.
Could it be that there had really been a foundation for these rumours?
Was this orphan, in whom Madame de Beaumesnil seemed to take such a profound interest, bound to the countess by a secret tie? Was she, indeed, the child of her shame?
But almost immediately the marquis, full of confidence in Madame de Beaumesnil's virtue, drove away these odious suspicions, and bitterly reproached himself for having entertained them even for a moment.
The countess, terrified by the hunchback's silence, said to him, in trembling tones:
"Forgive me, M. de Maillefort. I see that I have presumed too much upon your generous kindness. Not content with having secured your fatherly protection for my daughter, Ernestine, I must needs seek to interest you in an unfortunate stranger. Pardon me, I beseech you."
The tone in which Madame de Beaumesnil uttered these words was so heart-broken and full of despair that M. de Maillefort's suspicions revived. One of his dearest illusions was being ruthlessly destroyed.
Madame de Beaumesnil was no longer the ideal woman he had so long adored.
But taking pity on this unhappy mother, and understanding how terribly she must suffer, M. de Maillefort felt his eyes fill with tears, and it was in an agitated voice that he replied:
"You need have no fears, madame, I shall keep my promise, and the orphan girl you commend to my care will be as dear to me as Mlle. de Beaumesnil. I shall have two daughters instead of one."
And he pressed the hand of Madame de Beaumesnil affectionately, as if to seal his promise.
"Now I can die in peace!" exclaimed the countess. And before the marquis could prevent it, she had pressed her cold lips upon the hand he had offered her; and, from this manifestation of ineffable gratitude, M. de Maillefort was convinced that the person in question was indeed Madame de Beaumesnil's illegitimate child.
All at once, either because so much violent emotion had exhausted the invalid's strength, or because her malady--concealed for a time by an apparent improvement in the sufferer's condition--had attained its height, Madame de Beaumesnil made a sudden movement, at the same time uttering a cry of agony.
"Good God, madame, what is it?" cried the marquis, terrified at the sudden alteration in Madame de Beaumesnil's features.
"It is nothing," she answered, heroically, "a slight pain, that is all.
But here, take this key,--quick, I beg of you," she added, drawing out a key from under her pillow and handing it to him.
"Open--that--secretary," she gasped.
The marquis obeyed.
"There is a purse in the middle drawer. Do you see it?"
"Yes, here it is."
"Keep it, I beg of you. It contains a sum of money which I have a perfect right to dispose of. It will at least save the young girl I commended to your care from want. Only promise me," continued the poor mother, her voice becoming more and more feeble each moment,--"promise me that you will never mention my name to--to this orphan--nor tell her who it was that asked you to place this money in her hands. But tell her, oh, tell this unfortunate child that she was tenderly loved until the last, and that--that it was absolutely necessary--"
The countess was so weak now that the conclusion of the sentence was inaudible.
"But this purse--to whom am I to give it, madame? Where shall I find this young girl, and what is her name?" exclaimed M. de Maillefort, alarmed by the sudden change in Madame de Beaumesnil's condition, and by her laboured breathing.
But instead of answering M. de Maillefort's question Madame de Beaumesnil sank back on her pillows with a despairing moan, and clasped her hands upon her breast.
"Speak to me, madame," cried the marquis, bending over the countess in the utmost terror and alarm. "This young girl, tell me where I can find her, and who she is."
"I am dying--dying--" murmured Madame de Beaumesnil, lifting her eyes heavenward.
Then with a last supreme effort, she faltered:
"Don't forget--your promise--my child--the orphan!"
In another moment the countess was no more; and M. de Maillefort, overcome with grief and chagrin, could no longer doubt that this orphan, whose name and place of abode were alike unknown to him, was Madame de Beaumesnil's illegitimate child.
The funeral rites of Madame de Beaumesnil were conducted with great splendour.
The Baron de la Rochaigue acted as chief mourner. M. de Maillefort, invited by letter to take part in the ceremonial, joined the funeral cortege.
In an obscure corner of the church, kneeling as if crushed by the weight of her despair, a young girl prayed and sobbed, unheeded by any one.
It was Herminie.
CHAPTER XII.