"You fixed a price upon those letters?"

"That is also true."

"Well, then! if you are a man of honor, for that price, for the sum enclosed in this pocket-book, you ought now to be prepared to give them up."

"Yes, sir, yes," replied Paul, "the case stood thus, as long as I believed your sister, forgetful of the vows she had made, the fault she had committed, and even the child to which she had given birth, was seconding your ambition by her perjury. Then, I thought it would be a sufficiently bitter fate for the poor child to enter upon life without a name and without a family, not to allow him to enter it without a fortune also, and I then demanded of you, it is true, that sum in exchange for the letters in my possession. But now the state of things is altered, sir. I saw your sister throw herself upon her knees before you, I heard her entreat you not to force her into this infamous marriage, and neither prayers, nor tears, nor supplications could make any impression on your heart. It is now for me, for me who hold your honor, and the honor of your family within my hands, it is for me to save the mother from despair, as I would have saved the child from penury and misery. Those letters, sir, shall be delivered to you, when you shall, upon this table, instead of signing the marriage contract of your sister with the Baron de Lectoure, sign that of Mademoiselle Marguerite d'Auray with Anatole de Lusignan."

"Never, sir, never!"

"You shall not have them, excepting on that condition, count."

"Oh! I shall, perhaps, find some mode of compiling you to return them."

"I know not any," coldly replied Paul.

"Will you, sir, deliver those letters to me!"

"Count," replied Paul, with an expression of countenance, which, under the circ.u.mstances, was perfectly inexplicable to Emanuel, "count, listen to me?"

"Will you return me those letters, sir?"

"Count--"

"Yes, or no!"

"No!" said Paul, calmly.

"Well then, sir, you wear a sword, as I do; we are both gentlemen, or rather I would believe you to be such; let us leave the house together, and one of us shall return alone, and he, being unfettered and powerful from the death of the other, shall then do as he best pleases."

"I regret I cannot accept the offer, count."

"How? you wear that uniform, that cross upon your breast, by your side that sword, and you refuse a duel."

"Yes, Emanuel, I do refuse it, because I cannot raise my sword against you, count--believe me, I entreat you."

"You cannot fight with me!"

"I cannot, upon my honor."

"You cannot fight with me, you say?"

"At this moment a person who had entered the room without being perceived, burst into a loud laugh, close behind the two young men. Paul and Emanuel turned hastily round. Lectoure was standing close to them.

"But," said Paul, pointing to Lectoure, "I can fight with him, for he is a miserable and infamous wretch."

A burning blush pa.s.sed over Lectoure's features, like the reflection of a flame. He made a step towards Paul, and then stopped.

"It is well, sir," said he; "send your second to Emanuel and they can arrange this matter."

"You will understand that between us the affair is merely deferred,"

said Emanuel, to Paul.

"Silence!" replied Paul, "they are announcing your mother."

"Yes, silence, and to-morrow we meet again. Lectoure," added Emanuel, "let us go to receive my mother."

Paul looked silently at the young men as they retired, and then he entered the small room in which he had before been concealed.

CHAPTER XIII.--THE CONTRACT.

Listen to me and heed me!

If this contract Thou holdst me to, abide thou the result!

Answer to heaven for what I suffer! act!

Prepare thyself for such calamity To fall on me, and those whose evil Have linked them with me, as no past mishap, However rare and marvellously Sad, Can parallel.

Knowles--The Hunchback.

At the moment that Paul went into the study, the marchioness appeared at the door of the drawing-room, followed by the notary, and the several persons who had been invited to be present at the signing of the contract. Notwithstanding the nature of the meeting, the marchioness had not considered it proper to lay aside, even for one evening, her mourning garments, and dressed in complete black, as she had been always during twenty years, she came into the room a few moments before the marquis. None of the persons present, not even his son, had seen the marquis for many years. Such attention was in those days paid to ancient forms, that the marchioness would not allow the marriage contract of her daughter to be signed, without the head of the family, although deprived of reason, being present; at the ceremony. However little accustomed Lectoure was to feel intimidated, the marchioness produced upon him the effect which she did on every one that approached her, and on seeing her enter the room with so grave and dignified an aspect, he bowed to her with a feeling of profound respect.

"I am grateful to you, gentlemen," said the marchioness, bowing to the persons who accompanied her, "for the honor you have been pleased to confer upon me, by being present at the betrothal of Mademoiselle Marguerite d'Auray, with the Baron de Lectoure. I, in consequence, was desirous that the marquis, although suffering from illness, should also be present at this meeting, to thank you at least by his presence, if he cannot do so verbally. You are all aware of his unfortunate malady, and you will, therefore, not be astonished, should some disjointed words--"

"Yes, madam," said Lectoure, interrupting her, "we know the misfortune which has befallen him, and we admire the devoted wife, who for twenty years has borne half the weight of this sad visitation."

"You see, madam," said Emanuel, addressing in his turn, and kissing the hand of his mother, "all the world bows down in admiration of your conjugal piety."

"Where is Marguerite?" murmured the marchioness, in a hair whisper.

"She was here not a moment ago," said Emanuel. "Let her know that we are all a.s.sembled," rejoined the marchioness, in the same tone.

A servant then announced "the Marquis d'Auray." All present drew to one side, so as to leave free pa.s.sage from the door, and all eyes were directed to the spot at which this new personage was to appear. It was not long before their curiosity was satisfied; the marquis came in almost immediately, supported by two servants.

He was an old man, whose countenance, notwithstanding that the traces of suffering had deeply furrowed it, still retained that n.o.ble and dignified appearance which had rendered him one of the most distinguished men of the court of Louis XV. His large, hollow, and feverish eyes, glanced around the a.s.sembly with a strange expression of astonishment. He was dressed in his costume of Steward of the Household, wore the order of the Holy Ghost suspended from his neck, and that of St. Louis, at his b.u.t.ton hole. He advanced slowly, and without uttering a word. The two servants led him forward amid the most profound silence, to an arm-chair, in which he seated himself, and the servants left the room. The marchioness then placed herself at his right hand. The notary opened the portfolio, drew from it the marriage contract and read it aloud. The marquis and the marchioness made over the sum of five hundred thousand francs to Lectoure, and gave a like sum to Marguerite, as her dowry.

During the whole of the time occupied by the reading of the contract, the marchioness, notwithstanding her great self command, had betrayed some symptoms of uneasiness. But just at the moment when the notary had placed the contract open on the table, Emanuel returned and approached his mother.

"And Marguerite?" said the marchioness.

"She will be here instantly."

"Madam," murmured Marguerite, half opening the door, and clasping her hands.

The marchioness pretended not to hear her, and pointed with her finger at the pen.

"Baron, it is you who are first to sign."