Max

by Katherine Cecil Thurston

  CHAPTER XXVIII

  Blake must have reached the last step of the Escalier de Sainte-Marie,must indeed have turned the corner of the rue Andre de Sarte before thecreaking of a footstep or the opening of a door disturbed the silence ofthe fifth floor; but, due time having expired--due deference having beenpaid to taste and the proprieties--the handle of M. Cartel's door wasvery softly turned, and Jacqueline slipped forth into the shadowedlanding.

  Never were human curiosity and feminine craft more signally displayedthan in the slim little form creeping on tiptoe, the astute, _piquante_little face thrust forth into the dark. Across the landing she stole,and with deft fingers opened Max's door without a sound.

  Here, in the narrow hallway, she paused and called gently, "MonsieurMax!" But as no voice answered, she crept to the _salon_ door and, witha little comedy of smiles all for her own diversion, called again withpursed lips and in a stage whisper: "Madame! Madame!"

  It carried--this portentous word--across the quiet room to the balconywhere Maxine was lingering; it drew from her a little 'oh,' ofconsternation; finally, it brought her running across the room to hervisitor.

  Jacqueline, lynx-eyed, stood and looked at her--noting how flushed shewas, how youthful-looking, how unguarded and brimming with emotion.

  "Madame!" she cried. "I know without a word! It has been a grandsuccess."

  _"C'EST LA VIE! L'ETERNELLE, LA TOUTE-PUISSANTE VIE_!"]

  Maxine laughed, a girlish laugh of self-betrayal. "A grand success!Absolutely a grand success! And, Jacqueline"--she hesitated, laughedagain with charming self-consciousness, rushed afresh intospeech--"Jacqueline, he thought me beautiful! Not a word was said, but Iknow he thought me beautiful. Tell me! Am I beautiful?" Swiftly, asmight the boy, she threw off her velvet cloak, letting it fall to theground, and showed herself tall and supple and straight in her whitedress.

  Jacqueline rushed forward warmly, caught and kissed her hand.

  "Madame, you are ravishing!" And, with her pretty native practicality,she picked up the cloak, carefully folded and carefully laid it aside.

  "Ravishing!" Maxine laughed once more. "Jacqueline, I am something morethan that! I am happy!" She threw out her arms, as if to embrace theuniverse. "I am happier than the saints in heaven! I am living in themoment, and the moment is perfection! I care nothing that yesterday Iwept, that to-morrow I may weep again. I am alive and I am happy. I feelas I used to feel at fifteen years old, galloping a spirited horse. Thewhole world is sublime--from the dust in the streets to the stars in thesky!" She forgot her companion, her speech broke off, she turned andbegan to pace the room with head thrown back, hands clasped behind herwith careless, boyish ease.

  For a while Jacqueline watched her, diligently sifting out everyemotional sign; then, deeming that some moment of her own choosing hadarrived, she slipped unobserved from the room, to return a minute laterbearing a kettle full of boiling water.

  Maxine looked round as she made her entry.

  "A kettle, Jacqueline?"

  "For madame's tea. And, my God, but it is hot!" She set it down hastilyin the fireplace, and sucked her finger with a pouting smile.

  Maxine smiled, too, coming back from her dream with vague graciousness."But I do not need tea."

  Jacqueline did not refute the statement, but merely began to manipulatethe _samovar_ in the manner learned of Max, while Maxine, yielding toher own delicious exaltation, fell again to her long, slow pacing of thefloor.

  Presently the inviting smell of tea began to pervade the room, andJacqueline set out a cup and saucer--Max's first purchase from oldBluebeard of the curios.

  "Madame is served!" She stood behind the chair ordained for Maxine, verysedate, very assured of her own arrangements.

  Maxine paused, as though the suggestion of tea was brought to her forthe first time.

  "How delightful!" she said, with swift, serene pleasure. "How kind! Howthoughtful!"

  "Seat yourself, madame!"

  The chair was drawn forward; the just and proper thrill of preparationwas conveyed by Jacqueline; and Maxine seated herself, still in hersmiling dream.

  Half the cup of tea was consumed under Jacqueline's watchful eye, thenshe stole round the chair.

  "Madame, a cigarette?" Her fingers crept to the cigarette-box, thenfound and struck a match, all with a deft, unobtrusive quiet that wonits way undenied.

  The cigarette was lighted, Maxine leaned back in her chair, Jacqueline'sconfidential moment was secured.

  "And so, madame, it was a grand success?"

  Maxine looked up. The first fine ecstasy was past; the after-glow ofdeep contentment curled round her with the cigarette smoke; she was thepliant reed to the soft wind of Jacqueline's whispering.

  "It was past belief," she answered, "past all belief. We stood togetherin the light of the lamp and looked each other in the eyes, and he neverguessed. He never guessed--he, who has--Oh, it was past belief!"

  "Ah!" murmured Jacqueline, complacently. "I told madame I had a quiteextraordinary talent in the dressing of hair--though madame wassceptical! And as for the purchase of clothes. Did he admire madame'svelvet cloak?"

  Maxine smiled tolerantly. "Of course he did not!"

  Jacqueline cast up her eyes to heaven. "These English--they areextraordinary! But I tell you this, madame, he knew here"--she touchedher heart--"he knew here, that madame looked what she is--a queen!"

  "Absurd child!"

  The reproof was gentle; Jacqueline's nimble tongue took advantage of thechance given it.

  "And tell me, madame? He play his part gallantly--Monsieur Edouard?"Never before had she dared so much; but never before had Maxine's eyeslooked as they looked to-night.

  Before replying, Maxine leaned her elbows on the table and took her facebetween her hands.

  "It was past belief--that also!" she said at last. "He seemed adifferent being. I cannot understand it."

  "He seemed of a greater interest, madame?"

  "Of a strangely greater interest."

  "In what manner, madame? Looks? Words?" Cunning as a monkey, littleJacqueline was all soft innocence in the method of her questioning.

  "In every way--manner--speech--expression of thought. And,Jacqueline"--she turned her face, all radiant and unsuspicious, to herinterlocutor--"I made a discovery! He loves Max!"

  Jacqueline, with downcast eyes and discreet bearing, carefully removedthe empty tea-cup.

  "Yes, he loves me as Max! He told me so. It has made me marvellouslyhappy--marvellously happy and, also"--she sighed--"also, Jacqueline,just a little sad!"

  "Sad, madame?"

  "Yes, sad because he loves Max as one loves a child, expecting noreturn; and--I would be loved as an equal."

  "Assuredly, madame."

  "I _must_ be loved as an equal!" Fire suddenly kindled her dreamingvoice; a look, clear and alert, suddenly crossed her eyes. "Jacqueline,"she cried, "I have set myself a new task. I shall make him respect Maxas well as love him; Max shall become his equal. Now, suppose you setyourself a task like that, how would you begin?"

  "Oh, madame!" Jacqueline was all deprecation.

  "Do not fear. Tell me!"

  "Madame, it is not for me--" Jacqueline's triumph in the moment, and herconcealing of the triumph, were things exquisitely feminine.

  "Tell me!"

  "I may speak from the heart, madame?"

  Maxine bent her head in gracious condescension.

  "Then, madame, I would make of Monsieur Edouard a book of figures. Theprincess would learn the rules; Monsieur Max would shut the book, andmake up the sum. It would be quite simple."

  The hot color scorched Maxine's face; she rose quickly. "Jacqueline! Ihad not expected this!"

  "Madame desired me to speak from the heart. The heart, at times, isunruly!"

  "True! Forgive me. But you should not suggest a thing that you know tobe impossible."

  "Pardon, madame! I was thinking of the many impossibilities performedin a good cause!"

  "Say no more, J
acqueline! To-night was to-night! To-night is over!" Shewalked across the room and passed out upon the balcony, leaning over therailing at the spot where Blake had stood.

  Jacqueline, swift and guileful, was instantly beside her.

  "Madame, at its most serious, to-night was a little comedy. Is it socriminal to repeat a little comedy--once, or even twice--in a goodcause? It is not as if madame were not sure of herself! Besides, thecomedy was charming!"

  "Yes; the comedy was charming!" Maxine echoed the sentiment, and in herheart called 'charming' a poor word. "But even if I were weak,Jacqueline," she added, "how could I banish Max? Max could scarcelycontinue to have important business."

  "Perhaps not, madame; but Monsieur Max might continue to display temper!Do not forget that he and Monsieur Edouard did not part upon thefriendliest terms."

  Maxine smiled.

  "But even granted that, I could not be here again--alone."

  Jacqueline, with airiest scorn, tossed the words aside.

  "That, madame? Why, that arranges itself! The princess loves herbrother! His quarrel is her grief. Is not woman always compassionate?"

  The tone was irresistible. Maxine laughed. "Jacqueline, you were theSerpent in Adam's Garden! There is not a doubt of it! No wonder poor M.Cartel has taken so big a bite of the Apple."

  She laughed again, and Jacqueline laughed too, in mischievous delight.

  "Madame!" she coaxed. "Madame!"

  "No!" said Maxine, with eyes fixed determinately upon the lights of thecity; while somewhere above her in the cool, clear starlight, a hiddenvoice--her own, and not her own--whispered a subtle 'Yes!'