CHAPTER VII.
Alighting hastily from the carriage, Clotilde ran up the great flightof steps which led to the door. As she entered, it was closed behindher, but to her surprise, and much to her relief, she found that thejanitress was a nun.
"Tell me, good sister, tell me for the love of Heaven, what place isthis? Where have these men brought me to?" she exclaimed, tremblingwith excitement.
Apparently somewhat astonished at the vehemence of the new-comer, thefemale answered only by making a sign to Clotilde to follow her; shethen led the way across the hall to a spacious apartment, and thereleft her. Clotilde would have repeated her questions, but she was toolate, and on trying the door she found it locked.
The fact that the house must in some way be connected with a religiousestablishment of some kind allayed her fears, however, and she cast ananxious glance around the apartment, which was lighted by a handsomechandelier suspended from the ceiling. Her quick eye soon noticed morethan one little accessory, which showed that the room was habituallyoccupied by a lady, and one moreover with wealth at her command, andapparently of refined taste. Any further speculations, however, wereinterrupted by the entrance of a personage whose dress and bearingseemed to indicate that she must be the Lady Superior of the place.The poor girl's first impulse was to spring towards her new protectressand pour out her troubles to her, but in spite of herself she felt theimpulse checked, and her overflowing heart chilled by the cold andsupercilious look that made still more repellant a face repulsivelyplain.
Clotilde could only clasp her hands together and gaze at her newhostess, as if she felt that any appeal for help or pity from such aquarter would be hopeless.
"I presume, mademoiselle," said the Lady Superior at last, "that we maybegin by taking it for granted that you quite understand the reasonswhich have induced your friends, for your own good as well as in yourown interests, to take the course they have done."
These words were spoken in a voice so sweet, and with an air of suchhigh and courtly breeding, that for a moment Clotilde forgot everythingelse in her surprise that they could belong to one so hideously ugly.But the feeling was only momentary; the terrors of the night, whichmight well have beaten down the boldest spirit, had passed away; andonce more, face to face with one of her own sex, Clotilde was herselfagain.
"I can indeed guess, madame," she answered, with almost her usualvivacity, "what reasons have induced those who should be dear to me todo this most wicked thing; but right glad am I to think that they havebeen foiled. By a strange mistake the bird they meant to catch hasescaped, and I have for the moment fallen into the trap intended foranother. I have not the pleasure of your acquaintance--a neareracquaintance, indeed, I do not desire, if I am to understand that youare a willing party to this abominable plot--but I beg to introducemyself to you as the Baroness Clotilde de Valricour. May I beg thehonour of your name and title?"
The lady's supercilious look gave place just for a few seconds to oneof involuntary surprise, but it soon came back again as she replied,"Mademoiselle Lacroix will pardon me if I do not allow myself to bedeceived by this little scheme. I have been made so far acquaintedwith the circumstances of the case as to know that much deceit has beenalready practised, in which I believe the young baroness you speak ofhas not been without her share, and this may be, for aught I know, somefresh and cleverly devised phase of it. I must be excused forbelieving that those who had the matter in hand would not make so verysilly a mistake, and I have only to communicate to mademoiselle theobject with which she has been brought hither."
It may well be imagined that Clotilde was not a little disconcertedboth by the tone and tenor of this reply. Had she been able to frameany very definite wish during her journey, it would perhaps have beenthat she might meet with some such person as the Lady Superior of areligious house and claim her protection. Here she was in just such aposition, yet with the clouds apparently gathering still more blacklyover her. She would have been less surprised, however, had she known alittle more about the antecedents of Madame de Varny, the Superior ofthe Ursuline Convent, the place to which she had been brought. Nobleby birth, and pre-eminently lovely and accomplished, Madame de Varnyhad once been the proudest beauty of the court of King Louis, buthaving been attacked by that terrible scourge the small-pox, she hadrecovered only to find herself as hideous as she had once beenbeautiful. To be an object of loathing where she had formerly beencourted and admired was more than her frivolous and worldly mind couldbear, and she had retired to the seclusion of a nominally religiouslife, in which her rank and influence secured her the position she nowenjoyed; but, like many of her class, she still clung to the world, andher intriguing disposition led her often enough to lend her aid,whenever those with whom she had been used to associate required it, tocarry out some plot or scheme arising out of the debased andunscrupulous court life of that period. She was an old acquaintance ofMadame de Valricour, and in her the baroness had found an able andwilling confederate in the business now on hand.
"Madame," said Clotilde, after a short silence, "you will believe me ornot, as you think best, and will make to me what communication youchoose; it rests with me to decide how I shall act upon it."
"Not altogether," replied the lady, with a smile that had nothing verypleasant in it. "Mademoiselle will not have much choice in the matter.I shall not waste time," she continued, "by any allusion to the familycircumstances to which you owe your visit here; they are as well knownto you as to me--perhaps better. I can pity your infatuation ofcourse; it must have been very great indeed to allow you to supposethat a personage so exalted as the Marquis de Beaujardin could for onemoment dream of permitting an alliance between his son and one likeyourself. Such a thing would be absurd, and of course the marquis andhis relatives must prevent it by all and any means. It has beentherefore arranged that a gentleman of excellent family, who it seemshas had some opportunity of meeting you, and has, I hear, been muchtaken with your modest manners, as some foolish young men occasionallyare, shall make you his wife. The marriage will take place here thisafternoon; and I am permitted to tell you that the Marquis deBeaujardin has most generously taken it upon him to provide a dowry foryou, notwithstanding your ingratitude to that noble family. You areindeed fortunate, my young lady, in so happy an ending to so lamentablean affair." Here the lady paused as if to receive the acknowledgmentsbefitting such kindness and consideration.
"Indeed!" answered Clotilde at last. "Indeed! And pray, madame, whatif, in the new character thus forced upon me, I should decline toaccept the gentleman, and should fling my uncle's dowry in his face,and tell him that he ought to be ashamed of degrading himself by takingpart against a poor orphan girl, whom he and his are bound by all thatis sacred to love and protect? What then?"
The lady seemed just for a minute or so rather bewildered by Clotilde'svehement sally, but as soon as she recovered herself she replied withominous coldness and decision, "I can scarcely suppose thatmademoiselle could do anything so very silly; but if such should be thecase, why there will be another ride in the coach, perhaps a longer onethan the last. It will certainly not be to Beaujardin nor toValricour. Where it may stop I will not pretend to say. But didMademoiselle Marguerite never hear of such a thing as a _lettre decachet_? Well, you will have some hours to think over it, and in themeanwhile you will be quite safe here; but pray do not cherish anyfoolish hope that you have any choice except between a ring and a rideto some place where you will not be less safe than here, but where youwill most assuredly stay a good deal longer. Let us hope that you willbe better advised, and accept the hand of Monsieur de Crillon."
The hand of Monsieur de Crillon! Yes, those were the words with whichthe imperious dame had swept out of the room, locking the door afterher. Clotilde could scarcely believe her ears. Then he, too, who hadallowed her, nay, led her to suppose that to win her hand was theobject nearest to his heart, had consented for the sake of the promiseddowry to wed one for whom he cared not a jot, well
knowing that theunion could only bring misery, not happiness, to the victim of hisselfish covetousness! Never till this moment had Clotilde suspectedhow much she really cared for him; but that was now a thing of thepast. Happily she had learned in time how mean and despicable he was,and in her indignation she rejoiced at the humiliation he wouldexperience on finding that the wicked scheme was marred, and that hehimself would have the task of proving who she was, and bringing abouther release. But it was a bitter thing to find herself in such aposition, and to know that her mother, and even the marquis, wereconcerned in such a plot. It is scarcely to be wondered at that she atlength gave way to her grief; her only comfort was that, as it hadturned out, Marguerite had escaped the present danger, and as shethought of this she could not help feeling thankful that there wouldyet be a delay of many hours before the shameless de Crillon woulddiscover how they had been foiled.
Somewhat reassured by these reflections, she proceeded to examine alittle more calmly the place where she was detained. She now observedfor the first time a side-table, on which a repast that might serveeither as a supper or a breakfast was laid out, and on looking timidlythrough an open door she found a sleeping apartment, evidently intendedfor the expected prisoner. She was too excited as yet to take eitherfood or rest, and sat down to meditate on the prospect before her. Itwould, however, be as painful as it would be profitless to follow herthrough the long hours that ensued; let us see, then, what in themeanwhile was happening elsewhere.
Madame de Valricour had remained at Beaujardin for the night, perhapsnot caring to have to answer the questions with which Clotilde might beexpected to meet her on her return home. What was her surprise when,early in the forenoon, a messenger arrived from Valricour with a notefrom Madame de Bleury, informing her that immediately on the departureof the coach on the previous evening Isidore had left the chateau incompany with Mademoiselle de Valricour, and that they had not sincereturned. Utterly at a loss to account for so strange a proceeding,the baroness prepared to hasten home at once, but finally resolvedfirst to make sure that the plot against Marguerite, which she deemedof the greatest moment, had been successful; and she accordingly setout for the convent. It was a ride of some hours' length, and she didnot arrive until the afternoon was well advanced. Imagine heramazement and anger when, after hearing from the Superior an account ofher interview with the young lady, she satisfied herself beyond a doubtthat Clotilde was really there, and that it must have been Margueritewith whom Isidore had escaped from Valricour.
"Bid Monsieur de Crillon wait for me when he arrives," said she. "Ishall want his help more than ever. In the meanwhile I will go andinform the cure that his services will not be required at present. Iwill then see my daughter, and take her home."
The little dwelling of Pere Hypolite was at no great distance from theconvent, and the baroness soon reached the small but exquisite garden,in which she found the priest busily engaged in planting out his choiceflowers for the summer. A little later in the year and those flowerswould outshine even the gay and splendid costume in which the baronesshad hastily quitted the Chateau de Beaujardin. The unwonted appearanceof a lady in such brilliant attire at once attracted the attention ofPere Hypolite, who bowed respectfully as she approached him.
"You are Father Hypolite, the cure of St. Sulpice--is it not so?" saidshe. The old man bowed assent. "I have come to tell you that themarriage you were to have solemnised cannot take place to-day."
Pere Hypolite looked somewhat surprised.
"The marriage!" said he. "I do not quite understand your ladyship."
"I mean the marriage of Mademoiselle Lacroix and a gentleman of rankwho was to come here for the purpose," rejoined the lady. "The LadySuperior told me that you had been directed to hold yourself inreadiness to perform the rite."
"The marriage of Mademoiselle Lacroix!" replied the priest, apparentlyamazed. "There must be some mistake. I did receive the directions ofthe Lady Superior, and the marriage took place this morning."
"This morning! Are you mad?" retorted the baroness. "What marriage?"
"The marriage of Mademoiselle Lacroix with the young Marquis deBeaujardin, who came here to St. Sulpice for the purpose."
"Fool! idiot! do you know what you are saying? There has been nomarriage at the convent to-day. Are you mad?"
"Pardon me, madame," replied the priest, with dignity. "Even yourladyship's rank, whoever you may be, cannot excuse such expressionstowards one of my holy calling. What I have told you is the simpletruth. Little as I like these hasty and irregular proceedings, youmust be well aware that one in my humble position must needs do thebidding of those who have a right to dictate to him in such matters.The persons I have named to you were married by me this morning soonafter daybreak at the chapel of St. Sulpice."
For a little while Madame de Valricour seemed utterly confounded. Assoon as she regained her self-control she demanded of the priest a fullaccount of what had occurred.
"It was simply thus," said he. "Quite early this morning Colonel deBeaujardin, whom I know of course by sight, came to me, and, notwithout some agitation, told me that he wished to speak to me as to thepossibility of his being united to Mademoiselle Lacroix, who had cometo the village under circumstances of peculiar difficulty arising outof some family differences. I told him that I had already receiveddirections respecting the marriage of Mademoiselle Lacroix on herarrival here, though of course I knew nothing of the private matters towhich he alluded, and that it was not for me to enter into them. Heseemed somewhat astonished."
"No doubt. I should think so indeed," muttered the baroness betweenher teeth. "What next?"
"I assumed, as a matter of course, that the family desired the marriageto be kept secret on account of the disparity in the rank of the youngpeople; but this was no business of mine, and I simply asked himwhether I should repair to the convent, and at what hour. He then toldme that it was his wish that the marriage should be solemnised, not atthe convent, but at our little chapel here, adding that he wouldarrange, if possible, to meet me there in an hour's time. He did so,and the marriage took place in the presence of Michel Greboeuf and hiswife. I have nothing more to add."
"You have said enough, in all conscience," ejaculated the baroness,passionately. "But you shall pay dearly for this, miserable creature!"and with these words the enraged lady hurried away, leaving the goodold priest as thunderstruck as she herself had been but a few shortminutes since.
Inquiring of the first person whom she met the way to Michel Greboeuf'shouse, Madame de Valricour at once bent her steps thither, and soonreached the spot. Anything more miserable and dilapidated thanGreboeuf's cottage could hardly be conceived, though it was perhaps noworse than the dwellings of most people of his class in France at thattime. Michel was standing at the door, and a very small exercise ofMadame de Valricour's powers was required in order to obtain from himthe fullest corroboration of all she had heard from Father Hypolite.
"Though, to be sure," continued the simple-hearted peasant, who wasquite won over by the gracious condescension of so grand a personage,"I think the young gentleman did not come here intending at first tomarry the lady, but only to leave her for a time under our poor roof;but when they saw what a place it was they were in a great taking, asyou may suppose, and he went down to Father Hypolite to talk about it,as I told him that the good man was always ready to help anybody indistress; and sure enough he came back presently and said they were tobe married at once. The poor young lady was in a terrible way aboutit, I can tell you, madame. However, we all went down together to thechapel, and that is how it came about."
"What! are they still here then?" asked Madame de Valricour, eagerly.
"O dear, no!" replied Greboeuf. "Our poor place is not fit for thelike of them, for I assure you, madame, I think they be quite gentlefolks."
"Poor place indeed! I should think so. What on earth could ever havebrought them here?"
"Why, you see, madame, a cousin of mine,
a M. Perigord, who is employedat the Chateau de Beaujardin, sent them here to me, and asked me to doanything I could to help them; and I would give the last drop of myblood to serve my cousin Perigord, for we should all have perished longago but for his kindness. He kept us alive all last winter, whenthings were so bad. Ah, madame, you great folks don't know what thepoor people suffer. We had no fuel and had to lie a-bed to warmourselves, till we were obliged to get rid even of our beds and lastbits of furniture for a mouthful of bread. But my cousin heard of itand helped us. As for those who haven't got such a friend, what withcrown taxes, duties, fines, tolls, and forced labour on the roads,manorial dues, seigneurial rights, and I don't know how many moreheart-vexing imposts and exactions besides, there's nothing left tosubsist upon; and that's hard when one hears how grandly all the greatfolks live, and never lift a finger to keep the poor from starving."
"But where have they gone?" inquired the lady, eagerly.
"Well, madame, I took them on to the next village, where the gentlemangot a good horse, and presently rode away with his young wife on apillion behind him. They have gone to Nantes, where a brother of mycousin Perigord keeps an inn on the Quai La Fosse."
It was not long before Madame de Valricour was closeted with deCrillon, who had by this time arrived at the convent.
"We have come too late," said she, bitterly, after describing herinterviews with the cure and Greboeuf.
De Crillon shrugged his shoulders. "I presume, then," said he, "thatthere is nothing more to be done."
"Nothing more!" retorted the lady, impetuously. "We have all the cluewe want, and you have with you the king's _lettre de cachet_. I carenot what becomes of her, so long as she is safely placed where she willnot trouble us any more; but mind, M. de Crillon, no harm is to come tomy nephew."
De Crillon smiled. "Ah," said he, "I am to dispose of the young lady,so that Monsieur Isidore may come back and some day marry MademoiselleClotilde?"
"That was not spoken with M. de Crillon's usual acuteness," replied thebaroness. "Isidore is more likely in his anger and disappointment tobetake himself anywhere else than to Beaujardin, and in any case youknow that he is now married, and cannot wed Clotilde."
"Well, then," said he, "I fail to see the drift of madame's proposal."
"What!" exclaimed the baroness; "do you know so little what a woman isas to suppose that I could ever brook seeing this upstart come toBeaujardin as Isidore's wife, to lord it over me, after I have hadevery one there at my beck and call for a score of years past? Thinkyou I could live to be tolerated by that child when she came to bemistress of Beaujardin? Never! Listen to me," said she. "You haveplayed your part well enough till now, and I engage that, on my returnto Beaujardin, I will obtain for you from the marquis the dowry youwould have had with Mademoiselle Lacroix but for the accident which youcould not help. That is but fair. But it must be on the conditionthat this hateful girl shall trouble me no more. I know well enough,monsieur, that it will be no disappointment to you to touch the dowrywithout being obliged to take the bride with it. Nay, more, I will addthat, if things should so fall out that Isidore should fail to inheritBeaujardin, and Clotilde should become her uncle's heiress, it will befor you to win her hand if you can, and thus some day become the ownerof that noble inheritance. Of course, not a word must be breathed atBeaujardin about this marriage. I have nothing more to say; it is foryou to do the rest."
Within an hour Monsieur de Crillon had started off in pursuit of thefugitives, and the great unwieldy family coach, with Clotilde and hermother inside of it, and two of de Crillon's myrmidons acting asescort, was rolling along, like some great ship at sea, and ploughingup the miry roads, on its way back to the Chateau of Valricour.
Tailpiece to Chapter VII]
Headpiece to Chapter VIII]
The King's Warrant: A Story of Old and New France Page 13
