"Yes."
"And you are an adept at it, I am told."
"Yes."
"Well, when your pointer or your setter have made a sure stand, they have done their duty, have they not? The rest depends upon the accuracy of your aim and the quickness of your fire."
"If you mean by that, monsieur, that, when you have once told me there is a rich heiress in the market, your one and a half per cent. is earned, I--"
"Pardon me, M. le duc, I am too good a business man to come to you with any such proposition as that. In short, I stand ready to place you in a position which is not only admirable in every respect, but entirely inaccessible to any other person. Your own personal attractions and your illustrious name will easily do the rest."
"And this position?"
"You must know, M. le duc, that I am not green enough to tell you my secret before you have given me your word as a gentleman that--"
"M. de Ravil," said Gerald, interrupting the scoundrel whom he was strongly tempted to kick out of the house, "this jesting has lasted quite long enough."
"What jesting, M. le duc?"
"You must understand that I cannot consider such a proposition seriously. Wed under your auspices,--that would be a little too ridiculous."
"You refuse, then!"
"I have that honour."
"Reflect, M. le duc. Remember that saying of Talleyrand--"
"You quote Talleyrand very often."
"He is my teacher, M. le duc."
"And you do him honour. But to what saying of the great diplomatist do you refer?"
"This, M. le duc: 'One should always distrust one's first impulse, because it is usually a good one.' The saying is a wise one. Profit by it."
"Ah, monsieur, you little know how much truth there is in what you say, and how extremely apropos it is, so far as you are concerned."
"Indeed?"
"I accepted your counsel in advance, for if I had yielded to the first impulse which your proposition inspired, I--I should have--"
"Should have done what, M. le duc?"
"You are too shrewd not to suspect what it was, my dear baron, and I am too polite--to tell you--in my own house."
"Pardon me, M. le duc, but I have no time to waste in guessing riddles.
So you refuse my offer?"
"Yes."
"One word more, M. le duc. I feel it my duty to warn you that to-night it will be too late,--in case you should change your mind,--for I have somebody else to put in your place. I will even admit that I thought of this other person first, but, upon reflection, I decided that you would have a much better chance of success than the other man. To make the match and get my one and a half per cent. is what I am after, so if you decline my offer, I shall return to my first combination."
"You are certainly a very cautious man, my dear baron, and it is a relief to know I shall not have the chagrin of seeing you lose, by reason of my refusal--for I still refuse--the honest gains you are endeavouring to secure by such honourable means. But are you not afraid that I may be so indiscreet as to noise your new industry abroad?"
"I should be only too delighted, M. le duc. Such a revelation would be a splendid advertisement for me, and bring me hosts of clients. _Au revoir_, then, M. le duc. I shall be none the less at your service another time."
With a low bow to Gerald, the baron left the room as cool and unconcerned as he had entered it, and wended his way towards the Rue de la Madeleine, where his friend, Mornand, lived.
"This dukeling, doubtless, suspected that Mlle. de Beaumesnil is the lady in question, and means to rob me of my profits by winning the prize without my assistance," the cynic said to himself as he walked along. "It is contemptible in him, but he hasn't got her yet, and he won't get her without a pretty hard fight, that is certain. But it is a great pity! The fellow is a duke, and handsome and clever, too. I was sure of success with him, and now I've got to fall back on that ass, Mornand. I was wise not to say anything about my intentions in relation to the Duc de Senneterre, to that old sneak, Rochaigue. There was plenty of time to do that, if this handsome gosling responded to my call, as well as to take back all I had said in Mornand's favour, and give the necessary instructions to that old female rake of a Laine, the governess. Whatever I want done, she will do, and she can be of incalculable assistance to me--self-interest will ensure her devotion and prudence. Fortunately, too, I have managed to get on the right side of Rochaigue, so now I have nothing to do but state the case to Mornand, who must be waiting very impatiently to hear the result of my interview with the baron."
Pursuing this train of thought, M. de Ravil had reached the corner of the Rue Champs elysees, where he had first met Herminie when the latter was on her way to the house of Madame de Beaumesnil.
"It was here I met that young girl on the day of Mornand's duel with the hunchback," Ravil said to himself. "She spent the night at the Hotel de Beaumesnil, and the next day I ascertained from the servants that she was a singing teacher, and lived on the Rue de Monceau in the Batignolles. I've haunted that locality, but have never been able to catch a glimpse of her. Why the devil that pretty blonde took such a hold on me I can't imagine! If I had my percentage of the little Beaumesnil's dowry I would certainly gratify my fancy for that pretty musician, who carries herself like a duchess, in spite of her shabby attire. I am quite sure she wouldn't decline my offer of a neat little establishment, for she must be nearly starving on her music lessons. Now I must set to work to stir up Mornand. He is stupid, but perseveres when you once get him started. Rochaigue is all right, so our chances are good."
And Ravil entered the abode of his intimate friend.
CHAPTER XIX.
IN M. DE MORNAND'S STUDY.
"Well!" exclaimed M. de Mornand, as soon as he saw Ravil enter his modest study filled with huge piles of printed reports and all sorts of communications from members of the Chamber of Deputies; "well, have you seen M. de Rochaigue?"
"Yes, I have seen him, and everything looks very promising."
"You may rest assured that I shall never forget your kindness in the matter. It is evident that it is quite as much a matter of friendship as of money with you, and I am all the more grateful from the fact that your heart is not supposed to be particularly vulnerable."
"It is vulnerable enough to you, and that is all that is necessary in the present instance."
"And the governess, have you spoken to her?"
"Not yet."
"Why not?"
"Because several little matters must be settled between us. I'll explain what they are presently; besides, there is no hurry. Madame Laine, the governess, will do whatever I wish, and whenever I wish it done."
"Whatever did Rochaigue say? Is he satisfied with the information he has secured in regard to me. Have my colleagues and political supporters spoken a good word for me? Do you think--?"
"You give me no chance to answer any of your questions."
"But you see ever since the possibility of this marriage first occurred to me--and I have good reason to remember the date, for that ridiculous duel with that miserable hunchback will always remind me of it," added M. de Mornand, with a bitter smile--"ever since the possibility first occurred to me, as I said before, this marriage has been a fixed idea with me. Situated as I am, it means more than wealth to me,--power--the highest diplomatic positions--will all be within my reach."
"Have you finished?"