A GENTLEMAN IN BED

About noon the next day, Cherami was walking in front of Madame Monleard's house.

"I don't know where he perches--this Comte de la Beriniere, whom Gustave told me about yesterday; but by doing sentry duty in front of this house, I can't fail to find out; this count will undoubtedly come to pay his respects to the little woman he's going to marry; he's rich, he will come in his carriage, and I am an awkward fellow if I can't learn the master's address from a servant."

Everything happened as Cherami had antic.i.p.ated: about one o'clock, a stylish coupe drew up in front of f.a.n.n.y's door, and a gentleman, who was no longer young, alighted from it; despite his years, he was dressed in the latest fashion and exhaled a powerful odor of perfumery.

"That's my man!" said Cherami to himself; and, having watched the count enter the house, he accosted the footman, who was yawning against a post.

"Wasn't that Monsieur le Comte de la Beriniere whom I just saw get out of this carriage?"

"Yes, monsieur; it was he."

"Ah! I said to myself: 'Why, there's an old acquaintance of mine!' yet I was afraid of making a mistake, so I didn't dare to speak to him; but I will go and renew my acquaintance with him to-morrow morning. Where does the dear count live now?"

"Rue de la Ville-l'eveque, just at the beginning, near the Madeleine."

"Very good; I can see it from here. How late can I find the count at home in the morning?"

"Monsieur gets up late. He seldom goes out before noon."

"Infinitely obliged. I am sure that the dear count will be delighted to see me to-morrow morning."

"If monsieur would tell me his name, I would tell my master."

"No; bless my soul, no! I want to surprise him; don't say anything to him about it."

Cherami returned to his Hotel du Bel-Air, saying to himself:

"Gustave doesn't choose to fight with his rival, but I'll wager that it's from some lingering feeling of delicacy, of kindness for that little sinner of a f.a.n.n.y! He says to himself: 'Let her be a countess, if that will make her happy.'--Infernal nonsense, I call it. And as I have no reason for being agreeable to that lady, I trust that I shall be able to prevent her putting this new affront on my young friend."

The next day, having dressed himself with care, Cherami took the Paris omnibus and exchanged into one for the Madeleine; at half-past ten, he arrived at the Comte de la Beriniere's door, recognized the footman of the preceding day, and said to him:

"Here I am; take me in to your master."

"Monsieur le comte is still in bed."

"Very well! wake him."

"He's awake, for he has already had his chocolate."

"As he's awake, there's no need of his getting up to receive me; I can talk with him perfectly well in bed. Go and tell him that an old friend of his wishes to see him."

"Your name, monsieur?"

"I have already told you that I wanted to surprise him; consequently, I don't choose to send in my name."

The servant went to his master and delivered the message. Monsieur de la Beriniere had not begun to think of rising; he had taken the young widow to the Opera the night before, and had played the attentive gallant all the evening, and he was at an age when such service is very tiresome. So he was reposing in bed from the fatigues of the night.

"That young widow is an adorable creature," he mused. "Marriage will make me settle down; I shall lead a virtuous life, and it will do me good."

He was somewhat annoyed, therefore, when his servant announced an old friend who wished to speak with him.

"Neither old friends nor new ones ought to come so early," he exclaimed.

"What the devil! they ought to let people sleep in peace. What's the name of this old friend who's such an early bird?"

"He refused to send in his name, in order to surprise monsieur."

"He deserves to be turned away without seeing me."

"He was in the street last night when monsieur went into Madame Monleard's. He recognized monsieur when he stepped out of the carriage."

"Well! let us see this man of surprises."

The servant ushered Cherami into his master's bedroom, and withdrew.

Monsieur de la Beriniere, with his rumpled silk nightcap on his head, and his eyes still half-closed, was curled up in bed, covered to his nose by the bedclothes; and in that position he was entirely dest.i.tute of charms. So that Cherami, after eying him for a few seconds, said to himself:

"What! it was this old baked apple who was given the preference over my good-looking young friend Gustave! d.a.m.nation! women care even more for money than we men do! for our reason for wanting it is to get wives with it, while they take it to throw us over."

While Cherami indulged in this reflection, the count scrutinized his visitor with interest, and said to him at last in a slightly nasal voice:

"My dear monsieur, it's of no use for me to examine you from head to foot, or to search my memory: I do not recall any friend of mine who resembles you in the least."

Cherami bowed with an affable smile, and replied:

"Don't try, monsieur le comte, don't take that trouble; it would be a waste of time; for the fact is that this is the first time I have had the pleasure of being in your company."

"What's that? deuce take me! what does this mean? In that case, you are not the old friend that you held yourself out to be?"

"That is to say, monsieur, I ventured to tell that little falsehood in order to be more certain of obtaining an interview with you this morning."

Monsieur de la Beriniere frowned and scowled, which did not add to his beauty; he scrutinized Cherami with evident suspicion, and rejoined sharply:

"What have you so important, so urgent, to say to me, monsieur, that you presume to disturb me so early, to resort to a trick in order to be admitted?"

"You shall know in a moment; but, first, allow me to sit. The matter in hand deserves that I should take the trouble to be comfortable."

Without awaiting a reply, Cherami took an armchair, placed it beside the bed, and stretched himself out in it. The ease of his manners, which did not lack distinction, began to dispel the suspicions which had a.s.sailed the count's mind for a moment; his curiosity was aroused by the whole aspect of the strange individual who sat facing him.

Cherami, being seated to his satisfaction, began thus:

"Monsieur de la Beriniere, you see before you Arthur Cherami, the intimate friend of young Gustave Darlemont. You know Gustave Darlemont, I believe?"

"Faith! no; but, stay! Gustave---- Do you refer to the young man who was an old play-fellow of Madame Monleard, and whom I saw at Monsieur Gerbault's the other evening?"

"The same; that is, I don't know whether Gustave was Madame Monleard's play-fellow, but I do know that he had become her heart's fellow.

However, without going into that, he was on the point of marrying the young widow, when your appearance changed everything. You are a count, you are rich; the little woman is a flirt of the first order; she whirled about like a weatherc.o.c.k. By the way, this isn't the first time she has taken the same turn. King Francois I said: '_Souvent femme varie, bien fol est qui s'y fie._'[D] Which proves that that king had made a careful study of the fair s.e.x--a study which cost him rather dear! but, never mind that; thus you, monsieur le comte, are the cause of Madame Monleard's having abruptly given my friend Gustave the mitten, instead of marrying him. And now, do you begin to suspect what brings me here?"