The Son of Monte-Cristo

by Jules Lermina

  CHAPTER LVIII.

  GOUTRAN AND CARMEN.

  Goutran was really in love, although for a time his attention had beendistracted by the strange affair of Jane Zeld. But now that calm was ina measure restored, Goutran thought of Carmen with quickened pulse. Heno longer hesitated. He resolved to write to a millionaire uncle of hiswho spent his last days hunting wolves in the Ardennes, and beg him tocome up and lay his proposal before the banker. He told Esperance whathe meant to do, and the Vicomte encouraged the plan.

  When he had come to this conclusion, he was astonished to find that thesame indecision again attacked him. Why did he hesitate? He would havebeen at a loss to say. He determined, however, on one of two things,either to ask Carmen's hand or never see her again. He had been withEsperance for forty-eight hours, encouraging him and ministering toJane, and now he felt the need of fresh air. He walked toward SaintCloud, softly saying to himself among the green trees:

  "I love her! I love her!"

  On his return the decision was made. He would write to his uncle thenext day. As he entered the hotel, the concierge said to himmysteriously:

  "There was a lady here, sir."

  "A lady! What lady?"

  "Ah! sir, that I can't say. My discretion was too great to permit me toask her name. I think she is young and pretty, though she was heavilyvailed. She asked for you, and when I told her you were out she lookedembarrassed, and finally drew from her pocket a little note which shehad prepared. She gave it to me, saying it was very urgent."

  "A note! Where is it? You should have given it to me at once."

  "Oh! it is safe, sir, in my davenport."

  A concierge with a davenport! What is the world coming to, thoughtGoutran.

  Finally the good man produced the paper in question, rose colored andperfumed. Goutran tore it open, but did not read it until he reached hisown room. The address was in delicate, long letters, the result oflessons from an English master. Who could have sent it? He did not knowthe writing. But when he glanced at the signature he with difficultyrefrained from a cry of surprise. The note was signed, "Carmen deL----." These were its contents:

  "MONSIEUR GOUTRAN--or will you allow me to call you my friend--I must see you at once on matters of vast importance. To-night, at eleven o'clock, I shall expect you. Ring at the side door of the hotel; my maid will be in attendance. Do not fail, for you and those you love are in danger."

  Goutran was amazed. What did these mysterious lines mean? And of whomdid Carmen speak when she said "those you love"? He was greatlydisturbed, but he was not the man to hesitate.

  At ten o'clock he was already walking up and down a street whichcommanded a view of the Hotel Laisangy, but he felt none of the emotionnatural to a lover going to a rendezvous. He had a feeling of strangeoppression. Finally the clock struck eleven. The side door was on theRue Saint Honore. Goutran was about to ring the bell, when the door wasopened and a hand was laid on his.

  "Come this way," said a woman's voice.

  It was the curious maid whom we have already seen. She was enchanted,feeling sure that it was a lover she admitted. The stairs were carpetedand dimly lighted. Presently he entered Carmen's boudoir, but she wasnot there.

  "I will notify the young lady," said the maid, with one of those knowingsmiles that tell so much.

  Goutran was standing with his hat in his hand when Carmen entered. Shewas very simply dressed in black. Her beautiful face was very pale. Herblonde hair looked like burnished gold. She extended her hand as headvanced with a profound bow.

  "Many thanks," she said, "for having come. I hardly dared expect you."

  "Why did you doubt me? Did you suppose that I could be deaf to such amark of confidence?"

  Carmen smiled sadly.

  "Yes," she said, "I do feel entire confidence in you, a confidence thatis most real."

  She seated herself and motioned him to a chair, and with her large eyesfixed on her companion, was silent for a minute. At last she said,abruptly:

  "Monsieur Goutran, do you love me?"

  At this most unexpected question, Goutran started.

  "Yes," he answered, gravely. "I love you, and I feel a devotion for youwhich is, perhaps, better than love."

  Carmen's long lashes rested on her burning cheeks.

  "Your words are sweeter to me than you can well imagine. By and by youwill understand me better. I need your affection, and I need yourassistance, but I am about to put your interest in me to a very severetest."

  "You have but to express your wishes," said Goutran.

  Carmen waited. Evidently she had not strength to go on with herexplanation.

  "Listen to me," she resumed. "I owe you a declaration which will removeevery possibility of a misunderstanding between us. A few days ago, whenon the terrace of your house my hands rested in yours, I fully realizedthat, so far as you were concerned, a tacit engagement from that momentexisted between us."

  "From that moment," interrupted Goutran, "I felt that if you wouldaccept my hand and name----"

  "And yet you did not apply to Monsieur Laisangy?" said Carmen, gently.

  "Did you doubt me? I did not dare."

  "And you were right, for, Monsieur Goutran, I can never be your wife!"

  Goutran rose quickly.

  "Was it to break my heart that you summoned me here to-night?" he cried.

  "I can never be your wife," repeated Carmen, "because only an unstainedwoman should bear your name!"

  Goutran turned deadly pale.

  "And I," she continued, "am not such a woman!"

  "Ah! Mademoiselle, I cannot understand you."

  "Listen to me. Every word I speak I have thoroughly weighed, and Iunderstand my duty. I hope my frankness will at least win your esteem,and possibly your pity."

  "My pity! Ah! Carmen, for God's sake do not say such things!"

  "I have not finished. Goutran, I love you, deeply and sincerely. Yourcharacter, your talents, all inspire me, for the first time in my life,with those sentiments which tend to elevate us. Before knowing you Ipassed through life knowing little, and caring little, of what was rightor what was wrong."

  Tears were now pouring down her cheeks.

  "I am not the daughter," she sobbed, "I am not the daughter, I am thefriend, of Monsieur de Laisangy!"

  A pained exclamation broke from Goutran's breast, and he hid his face inhis hands. He felt as if a dagger had struck him in the heart.

  "Yes," continued Carmen, with a smile of contempt, "this old man, forreasons of his own, insisted on my bearing his name. Do not condemn metoo greatly," she continued, "I was not sixteen when I fell into thetrap that this man laid for me. Think of it!"

  "The miserable scoundrel!"

  "Yes, he ruined me, body and soul! All the finer instincts of my naturehe sneered at. He taught me to despise everything--himself, myself! Forfive long years I endured this martyrdom. When we reached Paris, headded another wrong to those he had already inflicted on me. Hecompelled me to profane the sacred name of father, and yet I did notrealize my shame until the day I met you. I sat to you for my portrait,and as you talked I felt a whole new world opening before me. I knewthen, for the first time, that I was unworthy of the love of an honestman. Ah! Goutran, how I have suffered in loving you!"

  And the poor girl sank on her knees, a very Magdalen.

  Goutran laid his hand on her head.

  "Carmen, these avowals prove to me that I was not wrong in thinking youthe best and the most adorable woman in the world!"

  "You do not loathe me, then?"

  "Have I any right to be your judge? I have certainly received a sadshock."

  He lifted her to a chair.

  "If you have made me this terrible confidence it is because you wish togive me a proof of your great confidence in me. I shall be worthy ofit, be sure of that. And now, tell me what you wish."

  Carmen lifted her sad eyes to his.

  "How good you are!" she said, quietly. "But you are right. Now you willnot doubt m
y motives nor me?"

  "I swear that I will believe every syllable you utter!"

  Carmen, after a few moments' consideration, said:

  "You are very fond of this young Monte-Cristo?"

  "Certainly I am. He is one of the noblest fellows I ever met. But why doyou speak of him?"

  "Because it was to speak of him that I summoned you here to-night. Yourfriend, Goutran, is in great danger, as are you--and myself, too."

  "Danger!"

  "We must find some means of avoiding it, but your enemies----"

  "I have no enemies!"

  "Yes, and Monsieur de Laisangy is one of them."

  "That scoundrel!"

  "Yes, and he is worse than I supposed, and the other foe is--but did younotice an Italian here, the secretary of the Italian Count?"

  "Yes--his name was Fagiano."

  "He calls himself Fagiano, but that is not his real name."

  "Who is he, then?"

  "I cannot say. But listen. For some time I have hated and loathedLaisangy. I felt that he was a greater criminal towards others thanmyself, and as my conscience began to stir, I felt my suspicions dailyincrease. At your _soiree_ I noticed that this man whom I called fatherstarted and turned pale when he heard the name of Monte-Cristo, and thenhe invented some pretext to leave the room."

  "I remember," said Goutran.

  "Then, when we were on the terrace--" Carmen hesitated. There werememories connected with that terrace which she did not care to approach.

  Goutran said, kindly:

  "Go on, dear child."

  "I do not know if you remember as well as myself a dispute which we, ina measure, overheard. I recognized Laisangy's voice, and thedisconnected words confirmed my suspicions. Early the next morning Isent for him and questioned him very closely, and in a most peremptorymanner. In the midst of our animated discussion a card was brought in.This Signor Fagiano had called to see Monsieur de Laisangy.

  "I heard no more of him, saw no more of him, until yesterday, when, as Ientered the hotel, I saw Fagiano coming in. I at once ran intoLaisangy's private office, and reached it first, where I hid in acloset, ready to listen to every word. Do not reprove me. All means arelawful when dangers threaten those you love, and some instinct taught methat I should learn something of you and the Vicomte."

  Goutran kissed Carmen's hand as his sole reply.

  "The two men came in a moment or two, and I at once learned from thefirst words they uttered that they were associates in some crime. Whatit is I know not, but Fagiano said:

  "'I have done it, and now our vengeance is certain. But I need money.'

  "'I have already told you that I would give it to you. Here is what youwant. And now, what do you mean to do?'

  "'She is in my power now, and I shall soon have him, too.'

  "'No imprudence! We must not be compromised.'

  "'I am hardly foolish enough for that. I will torture Monte-Cristo'sson, but not in a way that the law can reach!'

  "'Let him be tortured! Let him pay for all the agony his father hasinflicted on me!'

  "'You shall be satisfied!'

  "The two men then walked away still talking, but in such low voices thatI could not hear. I rushed from my hiding-place and hastened to my room.I had learned little, it is true; but what I heard had opened wide andfearful possibilities. I knew Monsieur de Laisangy, and knew that hewould stop at nothing. It would be useless for me to interfere openly,and then I thought of you."

  "And you we're right in sending for me. In your recital, however, thereare many points that are obscure. Thank you for warning me. You askedme, a few moments since, if I loved Esperance. I look upon him as mybrother, and I would give my life to spare him a pang."

  "But of whom did the man speak when he said, '_she_ is in my power'?"

  "I do not venture to say; but in an hour we shall know."

  The young man turned toward the door. Carmen came to his side and gavehim her hand. He drew her to his breast.

  "You have hurt me, Carmen, but I respect you more than ever, and I loveyou!"

  "Ah!" she said, passionately, "those words from your lips have made meyour slave. I belong to you from this moment! I will mount guard overthe enemy, and we will work together!"