A month had passed since these different presentations, and since the first interview between Gerald and Herminie, an interview whose consequences will become apparent later on.
The clock had just struck eleven, and Mlle. de Beaumesnil was sitting alone in her chamber, deeply absorbed in thought. Her girlish face had lost none of its sweetness and candour, though a rather sarcastic, and sometimes almost mournful, smile occasionally flitted across her lips, and one sometimes noticed a resolute expression, which contrasted strangely with the almost childish ingenuousness of her features.
Suddenly Mlle. de Beaumesnil rose, walked to the mantel, and placed her hand on the bell rope; then she paused a moment as if undecided in relation to some important matter.
At last, as if her mind was fully made up, she rang, and almost immediately Madame Laine, her governess, entered, with an eager, almost obsequious, air.
"Does mademoiselle desire anything?" she asked.
"Sit down, my dear Laine."
"Mademoiselle is too kind."
"Sit down, I beg. There is something I wish to say to you."
"Only to obey mademoiselle," said the governess, much surprised at this familiarity on the part of her young mistress, who had always treated her heretofore with marked reserve.
"My dear Laine," said Mlle. de Beaumesnil, in an almost affectionate tone, "you have often told me that I could count upon your attachment."
"Oh, yes, mademoiselle."
"And upon your devotion as well?"
"In life and in death, mademoiselle."
"And also upon your discretion?"
"I only ask that mademoiselle will put me to the test, then she can judge," replied the governess, more and more delighted with this truly promising beginning.
"Very well, I am about to put you to the test."
"How rejoiced I am at such a mark of confidence on mademoiselle's part!"
"Yes, a mark of great confidence, of which I hope you will be found deserving."
"I swear to mademoiselle that--"
"Oh, I believe you," said Ernestine, interrupting these protestations on the part of her governess; "but tell me, nearly a week ago you asked me to give you to-morrow evening, in order that you might attend a small reunion which takes place every Sunday night at the house of one of your friends named--What is the name? I have forgotten it."
"Her name is Madame Herbaut, mademoiselle. This friend of mine has two daughters, and every Sunday she invites a few people of their age to her house. I think I said as much to mademoiselle when I asked her permission to attend the entertainment."
"And who are these young people?"
"The young girls who visit Madame Herbaut are mostly shop-girls, or young women who give music and drawing lessons. There are also several bookkeepers among them. As for the men, they are, for the most part, shop-keepers, or musicians, or lawyer's clerks,--all very respectable young men, I assure you, for Madame Herbaut is very particular about the people she invites, and very naturally, as she has daughters to marry off, and between you and me, mademoiselle, it is to establish them in life that she gives these little reunions."
"My dear Laine," said Ernestine, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "I want to attend one of these reunions at Madame Herbaut's."
"Mademoiselle!" exclaimed the governess, thinking her ears must have deceived her, "what did mademoiselle say?"
"I said I wished to attend one of Madame Herbaut's entertainments,--to-morrow evening, for instance."
"Good heavens! Is mademoiselle really in earnest?"
"Decidedly so."
"What, you, mademoiselle, go to the house of such a very humble person!
Impossible! Mademoiselle cannot even be thinking of such a thing?"
"Impossible, and why, my good Laine?"
"Why, the baron and baroness would never give their consent."
"So I do not intend to ask it."
"But mademoiselle would not go to Madame Herbaut's without consulting the baron!" cried the governess.
"Certainly."
"But how could you, mademoiselle?"
"My dear Laine, you told me a minute ago that I could count upon you."
"And I repeat it, mademoiselle."
"Very well, then, you must take me to Madame Herbaut's to-morrow evening."
"I, mademoiselle? Really, I don't know whether I am awake or only dreaming."
"You are not dreaming, so to-morrow evening you will introduce me to Madame Herbaut as one of your relatives, an orphan."
"One of my relatives! Great Heavens! I should never dare!"
"Let me finish, please. You will introduce me, I say, as one of your relatives, recently arrived from the country, who earns her living as--as an embroiderer, for example. But, remember this, if you are guilty of the slightest indiscretion or blunder, and so cause any one to suspect that I am not what I wish to appear, that is to say, an orphan who supports herself by her own exertions, you will not remain another minute in my service, while if you follow my instructions carefully you may expect anything from me."
"Really, mademoiselle, you surprised me so I cannot seem to get over it.
But why does mademoiselle wish me to introduce her to Madame Herbaut as a relative of mine and an orphan?"
"Don't ask me any more questions, Laine. Can I depend upon you, yes or no?"
"Yes, mademoiselle, in life and in death. But--"
"No 'buts,' if you please, and now one word more, and the last. You know, of course," added the young girl, with a strangely bitter smile, "that I am the richest heiress in France."
"Certainly, mademoiselle, everybody knows that, and says that there is no other fortune in the country nearly as large as mademoiselle's."
"Ah, well, if you will do what I ask, and, above all, if you will be discreet, thoroughly discreet, understand,--I insist upon that, for it is absolutely necessary that Madame Herbaut should believe me what I mean to appear, a poor orphan supporting herself by her own exertions,--in short, if, thanks to your cleverness and discretion, everything passes off as I wish, you shall see how the richest heiress in France pays a debt of gratitude."
"What you say pains me deeply, mademoiselle," exclaimed the governess, with a gesture of superb disinterestedness. "Can mademoiselle suppose that I wish to set a price on my devotion?"