"I beg your pardon, dear marquis," said Emanuel, taking Lectoure's arm, and whispering in his ear, "this is one of our country neighbors, whom we could not do otherwise than invite on so solemn an occasion."

"It requires no apology, my dear friend," said Lectoure, using the same precaution not to be heard by the party in question: "you would have been decidedly wrong had you deprived me of so amusing a companion. He is an appendage to the dower of my future wife, and I should have been greatly chagrined not to have made his acquaintance."

"Monsieur de la Jarry," said a servant, opening the door.

"A sporting companion?" said Lectoure.

"No," replied M. de Nozay; "he is a traveller."

"Ah! ah!" exclaimed Lectoure, with an accent which announced that the newly arrived personage was to be the subject of a new attack. He had hardly made the e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n, when the person announced entered the room, m.u.f.fled up in a Polish dress, lined with fur.

"Ah! my dear La Jarry," cried Emanuel, advancing to meet him, and holding out his hand to him, "but how you are be-furred! Upon my honor, you look like the Czar Peter."

"It is," replied La Jarry, shivering, although the weather was by no means cold, "because, when one arrives from Naples--perrrrrou!"

"Ah! the gentleman has arrived from Naples," said Lectoure, joining in the conversation.

"Direct, sir."

"Did you ascend Vesuvius, sir?"

"No. I was satisfied with looking at it from my window. And then,"

continued the traveller, with a tone of contempt, most humiliating to the volcano, "Vesuvius is not the most curious thing that is to be seen at Naples. A mountain that smokes? my chimney does as much, when the wind is in the wrong quarter,--and besides Madame La Jarry was dreadfully alarmed at the idea of an eruption."

"But of course you visited the _Grotto del Cane?_" continued Lectoure.

"To what purpose?" rejoined La Jarry; "to see an animal that has vapors--give a pill to the first poodle that pa.s.ses, and he will do as much. And then, Madame La Jarry has quite a pa.s.sion for dogs, and it would have given her pain to witness so cruel an exhibition."

"I hope, however, that a man of science, like yourself," said Emanuel, bowing, "did not neglect the Solfatara."

"Who, I--I would not set my foot there. I can very easily imagine what three or four acres of sulphur looks like, the sole produce of which is a few millions of matches. Moreover, Madame La Jarry cannot support the odour of sulphur."

"What do you think of our new friend?" said Emanuel, leading Lectoure into the room in which the contract was to be signed.

"I know not whether it is because I saw the other first, but I decidedly prefer Nozay."

The door again opened, and the servant loudly announced, "Monsieur Paul."

"Eh!" exclaimed Emanuel, turning round.

"Who is this?" inquired Lectoure, listlessly, "another country neighbour?"

"No; this is quite another sort of person," replied Emanuel, with agitation. "How does this man dare to present himself here?"

"Ah! ah! a plebeian--eh? a common fellow, is he not? but rich, I suppose. No--a poet? musician? painter? well, I can a.s.sure you, Emanuel, that they are beginning to receive this sort of people--that accursed philosophy has confounded every thing. It cannot be helped, my dear fellow, we must courageously make up our minds to it--we have come to that. An artist sits down by a great n.o.ble, elbows him, touches the corner of his hat to him, remains seated when the other rises--they converse together on court matters--they jest, they joke, they squabble, it is _bon ton_ though decidedly bad taste."

"You are mistaken, Lectoure," replied Emanuel; "he is neither poet, painter, or musician: he is a man to whom I must speak alone. Just lead off Nozay, while I do the same with La Jarry."

Upon this, the two young gentlemen took each of the country neighbours by the arm, and drew them away into another room, talking of shooting and travelling. The side door through which they went out, had scarcely closed upon them, when Paul appeared at the princ.i.p.al one. He went into the room he already knew, each corner of which concealed a door--the one led to a library, the other to the room in which he had been shut up on his first visit, awaiting the result of the conference between Marguerite and Emanuel, and then approaching the table, he remained there for a moment, looking attentively at the two doors, as though he had expected to see one of them opened. His hope was not fallacious. In a few moments, that of the library was opened, and he perceived a white form standing within it; he rushed towards it.

"Is it you, Marguerite?" said he.

"Yes," replied a trembling voice.

"Well?"

"I told him all?"

"And--"

"And in ten minutes the contract is to be signed."

"I suspected as much--he is a miserable wretch."

"What's to be done?" cried the young girl.

"Take courage, Marguerite."

"Courage--oh! it now fails me entirely."

"There is that which will restore it," said Paul, handing her a letter.

"What does this letter contain?"

"The name of the village in which you will find your son, and the name of the woman in whose house he has been concealed."

"My son! oh! you are my guardian angel," cried Marguerite, endeavoring to kiss the hand which held the paper to her.

"Silence! someone is coming--whatever may happen, you will find one at Achards."

Marguerite suddenly closed the door without replying to him, for she had heard: the sound of her brother's footsteps. Paul turned round, and went to meet him, which he did, near the table.

"I expected you at another time, sir, and in less numerous company,"

said Emanuel, who was the first to speak.

"It appears to me that we are alone at this moment," said Paul, glancing around the room.

"Yes, but it is here that the contract is to be signed, and in an instant this room will be full."

"But many things may be said in an instant, count."

"You are right, sir, but you must meet a man who does not require more than an instant to comprehend them."

"I am listening," said Paul.

"You spoke to me of letters," rejoined Emanuel, drawing nearer to him, and lowering his voice.

"It is true," said Paul, with the same calmness.