登陆注册
5216200000098

第98章

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.

同类推荐
  • 百花野史

    百花野史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 题李处士幽居

    题李处士幽居

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 仁王般若念诵法

    仁王般若念诵法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 雍正朱批奏折选辑

    雍正朱批奏折选辑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大丈夫论

    大丈夫论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 卒国

    卒国

    江湖远,庙堂高,何人起得天下潮。行路难,征途漫,儿郎束甲几时还!
  • 用心工作

    用心工作

    本书以独特的视角,结合大量生动翔实的材料和案例,紧紧围绕“用心”二字,详细讲述了用心工作的理念,并提供了一套行之有效的方法。本书可读性、启发性和操作性都非常强,适合员工个人阅读,也可以作为企事业单位员工培训教材,相信本书的出版对企事业单位员工的个人阅读和培训大有裨益。本书由郑一群著。
  • 神偷驾到:盛宠极品五王妃

    神偷驾到:盛宠极品五王妃

    她,秦央,是江湖上无人不知的神偷。什么东西名贵,什么玩意稀奇,她都要偷上一偷,且还从未失过手!是以,她十九年来活得很潇洒很傲气。听闻宁国五王爷宁宸的那柄玄青剑制作上乘,曾随他出入战场,出生入死,战无不胜。这剑对于宁宸来说,十分珍贵。想他活到二十几都不曾纳娶王妃,人说,五王爷是娶了他那柄玄青剑。秦央为了盗得此宝剑,在他王府上扮作丫环潜伏半年之久,终于到手!所以说,当一个神偷必要的素养是要有耐心,要演技好,还要会易容。秦央将神偷当得很神秘。但是被盗了心爱之剑的五王爷怒不可遏!你想想若有人抢了你夫人,你不发怒?!他说:“抓了这小偷,剑留下,人必须死。”
  • 洪荒之红云大道

    洪荒之红云大道

    新书【洪荒之罗睺问道】发布。“吾乃红云,就想问一句,老好人就该被欺负,就该陨落吗?”一个老好人转变腹黑男吞噬洪荒的历程.............普通群,无需粉丝值:554278756VIP(蓬莱仙岛)需要5000粉丝值:698533230
  • 正一出官章仪

    正一出官章仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 花落无常锦中拾

    花落无常锦中拾

    她,是锦云国的公主,身上封印着莲花血脉,自小就魂魄不全……她母亲临终前希望她能活得悠然自在,不会受到世俗的约束,所以取名落悠然……他,是浔冀国的三皇子萧翊轩,身上封印着女娲一族的血脉,因不小心将女娲封印的魔魇放出,害得负责镇压魔魇的七彩琼莲神魂分裂,被罚下凡间轮回,直到七彩琼莲的神魂重新融回一体,方可回归……剪不断,理还乱,或许命中早已注定他们会纠缠不清……直到多年以后,有一仙君终日守在一池莲花湖旁,而长在周围的莲花都是盛开的,他对过往这里的仙人也是不闻不问,而他们也是见怪不怪的!曾有人好奇地问过他:“你守在这里,为的什么?”半晌,只见他缓缓地开口:“我守在这里,只为等一朵花开,等一人归来!”
  • 桶中藏尸

    桶中藏尸

    八月的天气极热。10号清晨,海潮渐渐退去,海风裹着成腥的气味。沙滩前方一百米的高地上,有一面孤立的水泥墙,墙面上的涂鸦五彩缤纷,乍一看像极了先锋演唱会的风格。七八个工人打着哈欠搬运着堆积如小山的铁桶。这些桶堆起了七八层,足有五十多个。两名工人把铁桶按顺序放入集装箱内,抹了把脸上的汗准备继续干活。这时,正在墙边继续搬运铁桶的一个工人大喊着:“来帮帮忙,这个桶里有东西。” “有东西?不是说这里面都是空的吗?”一个工人搭话,“该不是什么器材没拿走吧?”“打开看看不就知道了。”他们打开了桶盖上的四个抓扣,但盖子却纹丝不动。
  • 苍雷九天

    苍雷九天

    你会炼丹制药,我会锻造装备,你有两属性,我比你多一种。你别不服气,我最后一种属性还不是普通人能有的。你有各种功法,可为你提升等级作为助力,我只要一种功法就可天下无敌。《苍雷决》,乃上古创世雷神之遗物,雷系天级功法,共为九等,每三等为一重,每修炼一等,都可大幅度提升身修炼者等级。炼至一重,元神得以凝聚,化为地灵,步入圣者之途,领悟招式苍雷地动。炼至二重,元神得以重生,化为天灵,步入仙者之途,领悟招式苍雷天动,炼至三重,元神得以永恒,化为玄灵,步入神者之途,领悟招式苍雷九天
  • 网游之血染天下

    网游之血染天下

    古武学,华夏五千年历史的瑰宝;虚拟网游,现代科学璀璨的结晶。当古武学与幻想网游结合在一起,会催生出怎样一个世界?南宫忘,当世古武学为数不多的传承者。身怀绝世武学,却在现代社会无用武之地,最终沦为一个普普通通的文字编辑。因为情侣的离去与朋友的背叛,机缘巧合之下进入《幻想世界》。一身本领的他在游戏的世界终于找到了自己的归宿,面对曾经的情侣与害他一无所有的人,他选择拿起手中利剑,劈开一条崭新的道路。
  • 足球卡牌系统

    足球卡牌系统

    穿越回2008年的高波成为赛季刚开始就被扣掉三十分的卢顿镇主教练。赛季初就被扣三十分,几乎是被认为铁定降级的球队,高波利用自己比别人多了十年的足球知识,以及足球卡牌系统,在所有人都觉得不可能的情况下,奇迹般的升级成功,开始了他成为世界最佳教练的传奇之旅。作品交流群群号:792440482