CHAPTER XXII.
AN ORGY OF SINCERITY.
After a moment's silence, Madame de la Rochaigue, with a penetrating glance at M. de Maillefort, said:
"Marquis, I understand you."
"Bah!"
"Understand you perfectly."
"You do everything to perfection, so this does not surprise me. But let me hear the proofs of these surprising powers of penetration on your part."
"For fear of harrowing my feelings too much, I will not count the number of years during which you never set foot in my house, and now you suddenly return with a truly flattering eagerness. So, being a sensible woman, and not a mere bundle of conceit, I say to myself--"
"Come, baroness, what is it you say to yourself?"
"I say to myself simply this: 'After M. de Maillefort's long desertion of me, to what am I now indebted for the novel pleasure of seeing him so often? It must be because I am Mlle. de Beaumesnil's guardian, and because this most estimable marquis has some special reason for again favouring me with his visits.'"
"You are about right, baroness, upon my word."
"What! you admit it?"
"I am compelled to."
"You almost make me doubt my powers of penetration by your prompt confession, marquis."
"Are we not striving to outdo each other in frankness?"
"True; I forgot that."
"And now I, in my turn, will explain why I so suddenly ceased to visit your house. You see, madame, I am something of a stoic, and when anything gives me very great pleasure I suddenly renounce it, so I may not allow myself to become enervated by too much pleasure. That is why I suddenly ceased to visit you."
"I would like to believe it, but--"
"You can at least try. As to the resumption of my visits--"
"Ah, that is the most curious part--"
"You have guessed the reason--pretty nearly."
"Pretty nearly, marquis?"
"Yes, for though I have no special plans in relation to the subject of your ward's marriage, I can't help saying to myself that this great heiress is sure to draw a crowd of unscrupulous fortune-hunters around her, and Madame de la Rochaigue's house will soon be the scene of all sorts of amusing intrigues. A person who desires to see all the amusing acts of this comedy can view them from the reserved seats, so to speak, in Madame de la Rochaigue's house. At my age, and made as I am, I have no other amusement in the world except what observation affords me; so I intend to frequent Madame de la Rochaigue's house for that purpose. She will receive me, because she received me years ago, and because, after all, I am not any more stupid, nor any more of a bore than other people.
So, from my quiet corner, I will watch the fierce struggle between the rival suitors. This is the truth, and now, baroness, you surely will not be so hard-hearted as to refuse me a place in your drawing-room where I can watch this contest, of which your ward is to be the prize."
"But, marquis, you are not one of those persons who can watch people fight, without taking a hand in it yourself," said Madame de la Rochaigue, shaking her head.
"Well, I can't say that I am."
"So you will not remain neutral."
"I don't know about that," answered the marquis.
Then, emphasising the words strongly, he added:
"As I am experienced in the ways of the world, as I have a horror of cowardice and conceit, and as I have always maintained my habit of plain speaking, I admit that if I should see a brave warrior, whose courage and worth have interested me, perfidiously attacked, I should be very likely to come to that person's assistance with all the means at my disposal."
"But this, permit me to say, monsieur," responded the baroness, concealing her anger under a forced laugh, "is nothing more nor less than a sort of inquisition, of which you will be the inquisitor-general, and which will be located in my house."
"Yes, in your house, or elsewhere; for you know, baroness, that if the whim should seize you,--every pretty woman, you know, must have her whims, and you are certainly entitled to a good many of them,--I repeat that, if the whim should seize you, you could easily tell your servants that in future you will never be at home to me."
"Why, marquis, can you suppose--?"
"I was only jesting," replied M. de Maillefort, dryly. "The baron is too sensible a man to allow your doors to be closed against me without a cause, and he will spare me, I am sure, any explanation on the subject.
I have the honour to tell you, my dear baroness, that having resolved to watch these very amusing doings, to see, in fact, how the richest heiress in France is married off, I can establish my point of observation almost anywhere, for, in spite of my diminutive stature, I can manage to see from almost any position, high or low."
"Then, my dear marquis, you must confess that it is an offensive and defensive alliance you are proposing to me," said Madame de la Rochaigue, with the same forced smile.
"Not the least bit in the world. I shall neither be for you nor against you. I shall merely watch what goes on, with a keen eye, and perhaps try to aid this suitor, or to circumvent the other suitor, according to my best judgment and my feeble resources, if the desire seizes me, or rather if justice and truth demand it, for you know I am very peculiar in my notions."
"But why not content yourself with the role of a looker-on? Why can you not remain neutral?"
"Because, as you yourself remarked just now, my dear baroness, I am not one of those persons who can watch others fight without taking a hand in the fight myself."
"But," said Madame de la Rochaigue, quite at her wits' end, "suppose,--and it is merely a supposition, for we have decided not to think of Ernestine's marriage for a long time yet,--suppose, I say, that we did have some one in view for her, what would you do?"
"I haven't the slightest idea, upon my word!"
"Come, come, M. le marquis, you are not acting fairly with me. You have some scheme of your own."
"Nothing of the kind. I do not know Mlle. de Beaumesnil; I have no suitor to suggest for her. I am, consequently, an entirely disinterested looker-on, and, this being the case, my dear baroness, I do not exactly understand why you should have any objection to my watching the amusing proceedings."
"That is true," said Madame de la Rochaigue, recovering her composure, "for, after all, in marrying Ernestine, what can we have in view, except her happiness?"
"Nothing, of course."
"Consequently, we have nothing to fear from your observation, as you call it, my dear marquis."
"Nothing, absolutely nothing."
"For, in case we should make a mistake--"
"Which may happen to any one, even one who has the best intentions in the world."