M.LECOQ.
The Marquis de Croisenois lived in a fine new house on the Boulevard Malesherbes near the church of St.Augustine, and in a suite of rooms the rental of which was four thousand francs per annum.He had collected together sufficient relics of his former splendor to dazzle the eyes of the superficial observer.The apartment and the furniture stood in the name of his body-servant, while his horse and brougham were by the same fiction supposed to be the property of his coachman, for even in the midst of his ruin the Marquis de Croisenois could not go on foot like common people.
The Marquis had two servants only in his modest establishment--a coachman, who did a certain amount of indoor work, and a valet, who knew enough of cookery to prepare a bachelor breakfast.This valet Mascarin had seen once, and the man had then produced so unpleasant an impression on the astute proprietor of the Servants' Registry Office that he had set every means at work to discover who he was and from whence he came.Croisenois said that he had taken him into his service on the recommendation of an English baronet of his acquaintance, a certain Sir Richard Wakefield.The man was a Frenchman, but he had resided for some time in England, for he spoke that language with tolerable fluency.Andre knew nothing of these details, but he had heard of the existence of the valet from M.de Breulh, when he had asked where the Marquis lived.
At eight o'clock on the morning after he had surreptitiously left his home in the manner described, Andre took up his position in a small wine-shop not far from the abode of the Marquis de Croisenois.He had done this designedly, for he knew enough of the manner and customs of Parisian society to know that this was the hour usually selected by domestics in fashionable quarters to come out for a gossip while their masters were still in bed.Andre had more confidence in himself than heretofore, for he had succeeded in saving Gaston; and these were the means he had employed.After much trouble, and even by the use of threats, he had persuaded the boy to return to his father's house.He had gone with him; and though it was two in the morning, he had not hesitated to arouse M.Gandelu, senior, and tell him how his son had been led on to commit the forgery, and how he threatened to commit suicide.
The poor old man was much moved.
"Tell him to come to me at once," said he, "and let him know that we two will save him."Andre had not far to go, for Gaston was waiting in the next room in an agony of suspense.
As soon as he came into the old man's presence he fell upon his knees, with many promises of amendment for the future.
"I do not believe," remarked old Gandelu, "that these miscreants will venture to carry their threats into execution and place the matter in the hands of the police; but for all that, my son must not remain in a state of suspense.I will file a complaint against the Mutual Loan Society before twelve to-day, and we will see how an association will be dealt with that lends money to minors and urges them to forge signatures as security.It will, however, be as well for my son to leave for Belgium by the first train this morning; but, as you will see, he will not remain very many days."Andre remained for the rest of the hours of darkness at the kind old man's house, and it was in Gaston's room that he renewed his "make-up"before leaving.The future looked very bright to him as he walked gayly up the Boulevard Malesherbes.The wine-shop in which he had taken up his position was admirably adapted for keeping watch on De Croisenois, for he could not avoid seeing all who came in and went out of the house; and as there was no other wine-shop in the neighborhood, Andre felt sure that all the servants in the vicinity, and those of the Marquis, of course, among the number, would come there in the course of the morning; so that here he could get into conversation with them, offer them a glass of wine, and, perhaps, get some information from them.The room was large and airy, and was full of customers, most of whom were servants.Andre was racking his brain for a means of getting into conversation with the proprietor, when two new-comers entered the room.These men were in full livery, while all the other servants had on morning jackets.As soon as they entered, an old man, with a calm expression of face, who was struggling perseveringly with a tough beefsteak at the same table as that by which Andre was seated, observed,--"Ah! here comes the De Croisenois' lot."
"If they would only sit here," thought Andre, "by the side of this fellow, who evidently knows them, I could hear all they said."By good luck they did so, begging that they might be served at once, as they were in a tremendous hurry.
"What is the haste this morning?" asked the old man who had recognized them.
"I have to drive the master to his office, for he has one now.He is chairman of a Copper Mining Company, and a fine thing it is, too.If you have any money laid by, M.Benoit, this is a grand chance for you."Benoit shook his head gravely.
"All is not gold that glitters," said he sententiously; "nor, on the other hand, are things as bad as they are painted."Benoit was evidently a prudent man, and was not likely to commit himself.
"But if your master is going out, you, M.Mouret, will be free, and we can have a game at cards together.""No, sir," answered the valet.
"What! are you engaged too?"
"Yes; I have to carry a bouquet of flowers to the young lady my master is engaged to.I have seen the young lady; she seems to be rather haughty."The man, who wore an enormously high and stiff collar, was absolutely speaking of Sabine, and Andre could have twisted his neck with pleasure.
