The Two Friends.
At the very time M.de Baisemeaux was showing Aramis the prisoners in the Bastile, a carriage drew up at Madame de Belliere's door, and, at that still early hour, a young woman alighted, her head muffled in a silk hood.When the servants announced Madame Vanel to Madame de Belliere, the latter was engaged, or rather was absorbed, in reading, a letter, which she hurriedly concealed.She had hardly finished her morning toilette, her maid being still in the next room.At the name ---at the footsteps of Marguerite Vanel -- Madame de Belliere ran to meet her.She fancied she could detect in her friend's eyes a brightness which was neither that of health nor of pleasure.Marguerite embraced her, pressed her hands, and hardly allowed her time to speak."Dearest," she said, "have you forgotten me? Have you quite given yourself up to the pleasures of the court?""I have not even seen the marriage fetes.""What are you doing with yourself, then?""I am getting ready to leave for Belliere.""For Belliere?"
"Yes."
"You are becoming rustic in your tastes, then; I delight to see you so disposed.But you are pale.""No, I am perfectly well."
"So much the better; I was becoming uneasy about you.You do not know what I have been told.""People say so many things."
"Yes, but this is very singular."
"How well you know how to excite curiosity, Marguerite.""Well, I was afraid of vexing you."
"Never; you have yourself always admired me for my evenness of temper.""Well, then, it is said that -- no, I shall never be able to tell you.""Do not let us talk about it, then," said Madame de Belliere, who detected the ill-nature that was concealed by all these prefaces, yet felt the most anxious curiosity on the subject.
"Well, then, my dear marquise, it is said that, for some time past, you no longer continue to regret Monsieur de Belliere as you used to.""It is an ill-natured report, Marguerite.I do regret and shall always regret, my husband; but it is now two years since he died.I am only twenty-eight years old, and my grief at his loss ought not always to control every action and thought of my life.You, Marguerite, who are the model of a wife, would not believe me if I were to say so.""Why not? Your heart is so soft and yielding." she said, spitefully.
"Yours is so too, Marguerite, and yet I did not perceive that you allowed yourself to be overcome by grief when your heart was wounded." These words were in direct allusion to Marguerite's rupture with the superintendent, and were also a veiled but direct reproach made against her friend's heart.
As if she only awaited this signal to discharge her shaft, Marguerite exclaimed, "Well, Elise, it is said you are in love." And she looked fixedly at Madame de Belliere, who blushed against her will.
"Women never escape slander," replied the marquise, after a moment's pause.
"No one slanders you, Elise."
"What! -- people say that I am in love, and yet they do not slander me!""In the first place, if it be true, it is no slander, but simply a scandal-loving report.In the next place -- for you did not allow me to finish what I was saying -- the public does not assert that you have abandoned yourself to this passion.It represents you, on the contrary, as a virtuous but loving woman, defending yourself with claws and teeth, shutting yourself up in your own house as in a fortress; in other respects, as impenetrable as that of Danae, notwithstanding Danae's tower was made of brass.""You are witty, Marguerite," said Madame de Belliere, angrily.
"You always flatter me, Elise.In short, however you are reported to be incorruptible and unapproachable.You cannot decide whether the world is calumniating you or not; but what is it you are musing about while I am speaking to you?""I?"
"Yes; you are blushing and do not answer me.""I was trying," said the marquise, raising her beautiful eyes brightened with an indication of growing temper, "I was trying to discover to what you could possibly have alluded, you who are so learned in mythological subjects in comparing me to Danae.""You were trying to guess that?" said Marguerite, laughing.
"Yes; do you not remember that at the convent, when we were solving our problems in arithmetic -- ah! what I have to tell you is learned also, but it is my turn -- do you not remember, that if one of the terms were given, we were to find out the other? Therefore do you guess now?""I cannot conjecture what you mean."
"And yet nothing is more simple.You pretend that I am in love, do you not?""So it is said."
"Very well, it is not said, I suppose, that I am in love with an abstraction.There must surely be a name mentioned in this report.""Certainly, a name is mentioned."
"Very well; it is not surprising, then, that I should try to guess this name, since you do not tell it.""My dear marquise, when I saw you blush, I did not think you would have to spend much time in conjectures.""It was the word Danae which you used that surprised me.
Danae means a shower of gold, does it not?""That is to say that the Jupiter of Danae changed himself into a shower of gold for her.""My lover, then, he whom you assign me ---- ""I beg your pardon; I am your friend, and assign you no one.""That may be; but those who are ill disposed towards me.""Do you wish to hear the name?"
"I have been waiting this half hour for it.""Well, then, you shall hear it.Do not be shocked; he is a man high in power.""Good," said the marquise, as she clenched her hands like a patient at the approach of the knife.
"He is a very wealthy man," continued Marguerite; "the wealthiest, it may be.In a word, it is ---- "The marquise closed her eyes for a moment.
