XIX
Faithful to the programme laid down by his accomplice, while Louiswatched at Oloron, Raoul remained in Paris with the purpose ofrecovering the confidence and affection of Mme. Fauvel, and of lullingany suspicions which might arise in her breast.
The task was difficult, but not impossible.
Mme. Fauvel had been distressed by Raoul's wild extravagance, but hadnever ceased to love him.
Whatever faults he had committed, whatever future follies he mightindulge in, he would always remain her best-loved child, her first-born,the living image of her noble, handsome Gaston, the lover of her youth.
She adored her two sons, Lucien and Abel; but she could not overcome anindulgent weakness for the unfortunate child, torn from her arms theday of his birth, abandoned to the mercies of hired strangers, and fortwenty years deprived of home influences and a mother's love.
She blamed herself for Raoul's misconduct, and accepted theresponsibility of his sins, saying to herself, "It is my fault. But forme, he would not have been exposed to the temptations of the world."
Knowing these to be her sentiments, Raoul did not hesitate to takeadvantage of them.
Never were more irresistible fascinations employed for theaccomplishment of a wicked object. Beneath an air of innocentfrankness, this precocious scoundrel concealed wonderful astutenessand penetration. He could at will adorn himself with the confidingartlessness of youth, so that angels might have yielded to the softlook of his large dark eyes. There were few women living who could haveresisted the thrilling tones of his sympathetic voice.
During the month of Louis's absence, Mme. Fauvel was in a state ofcomparative happiness.
Never had this mother and wife--this pure, innocent woman, in spite ofher first and only fault--enjoyed such tranquillity. She felt as oneunder the influence of enchantment, while revelling in the sunshine offilial love, which almost bore the character of a lover's passion;for Raoul's devotion was ardent and constant, his manner so tender andwinning, that anyone would have taken him for Mme. Fauvel's suitor.
As she was still at her country-seat, and M. Fauvel went into the cityevery morning at nine o'clock, and did not return till six, she had thewhole of her time to devote to Raoul. When she had spent the morningwith him at his house in Vesinet, she would often bring him home to dineand spend the evening with her.
All his past faults were forgiven, or rather the whole blame of them waslaid upon Clameran; for, now that he was absent, had not Raoul once morebecome her noble, generous, affectionate son, the pride and consolationof her life?
Raoul enjoyed the life he was leading, and took such an interest in thepart that he was playing, that his acting was perfect. He possessedthe faculty which makes cheats successful, faith in his own impostures.Sometimes he would stop to think whether he was telling the truth, oracting a shameful comedy.
His success was wonderful. Even Madeleine, the prudent, distrustfulMadeleine, without being able to shake off her prejudice against theyoung adventurer, confessed that perhaps she had been influenced byappearances, and had judged unjustly.
Raoul not only never asked for money, but even refused it when offered;saying that, now that his uncle was away, his expenses were buttrifling.
Affairs were in this happy state when Louis arrived from Oloron.
Although now immensely rich, he resolved to make no change in his styleof living, but returned to his apartments at the Hotel du Louvre.
His only outlay was the purchase of a handsome carriage; and this wasdriven by Manuel, who consented to enter his service, although Gastonhad left him a handsome little fortune, more than sufficient to supporthim comfortably.
Louis's dream, the height of his ambition, was to be ranked among thegreat manufacturers of France.
He was prouder of being called "iron-founder" than of his marquisate.
During his adventurous life, he had met with so many titled gamblers andcut-throats, that he no longer believed in the prestige of nobility.It was impossible to distinguish the counterfeit from the genuine. Hethought what was so easily imitated was not worth the having.
Dearly bought experience had taught him that our unromantic centuryattaches no value to armorial bearings, unless their possessor is richenough to display them upon a splendid coach.
One can be a marquis without a marquisate, but it is impossible to be aforge-master without owning iron-works.
Louis now thirsted for the homage of the world. All the badly digestedhumiliations of the past weighed upon him.
He had suffered so much contempt and scorn from his fellow-men, that heburned to avenge himself. After a disgraceful youth, he longed to live arespected and honored old age.
His past career disturbed him little. He was sufficiently acquaintedwith the world to know that the noise of his coach-wheels would silencethe jeers of those who knew his former life.
These thoughts fermented in Louis's brain as he journeyed from Pau toParis. He troubled his mind not in the least about Raoul, determined touse him as a tool so long as he needed his services, and then pay him alarge sum if he would go back to England.
All these plans and thoughts were afterward found noted down in thediary which he had in his pocket at the time of the journey.
The first interview between the accomplices took place at the Hotel duLouvre.
Raoul, having a practical turn of mind, said he thought that they bothought to be contented with the result already obtained, and that itwould be folly to try and grasp anything more.
"What more do we want?" he asked his uncle. "We now possess over amillion; let us divide it and keep quiet. We had better be satisfiedwith our good luck, and not tempt Providence."
But this moderation did not suit Louis.
"I am rich," he replied, "but I desire more than wealth. I am determinedto marry Madeleine: I swear she shall be my wife! In the first place,I madly love her, and then, as the nephew of the most eminent banker inParis, I at once gain high position and public consideration."
"I tell you, uncle, your courtship will involve you in great risks."
"I don't care if it does. I choose to run them. My intention is to sharemy fortune with you; but I will not do so till the day after my wedding.Madeleine's fortune will then be yours."
Raoul was silent. Clameran held the money, and was therefore master ofthe situation.
"You don't seem to anticipate any difficulty in carrying out yourwishes," he said discontentedly; "how are you to account for yoursuddenly acquired fortune? M. Fauvel knows that a Clameran lived atOloron, and had money in his bank. You tell him that you never heard ofthis person bearing your name, and then, at the end of the month, youcome and say that you have inherited his fortune. People don't inheritfortunes from perfect strangers; so you had better trump up somerelationship."
"You are an innocent youth, nephew; your ingenuousness is amusing."
"Explain yourself."
"Certainly. The banker, his wife, and Madeleine must be informed thatthe Clameran of Oloron was a natural son of my father, consequentlymy brother, born at Hamburg, and recognized during the emigration. Ofcourse, he wished to leave his fortune to his own family. This is thestory which you must tell Mme. Fauvel to-morrow."
"That is a bold step to take."
"How so?"
"Inquiries might be made."
"Who would make them? The banker would not trouble himself to do so.What difference is it to him whether I had a brother or not? My title asheir is legally authenticated; and all he has to do is to pay the moneyhe holds, and there his business ends."
"I am not afraid of his giving trouble."
"Do you think that Mme. Fauvel and her niece will ask any questions? Whyshould they? They have no grounds for suspicion. Besides, they cannottake a step without compromising themselves. If they knew all oursecrets I would not have the least fear of their making revelations.They have sense enough to know that they had best keep quiet."
Not finding any other objections to make, Raoul sai
d:
"Very well, then, I obey you; but I am not to call upon Mme. Fauvel forany more money, am I?"
"And why not, pray?"
"Because, my uncle, you are rich now."
"Suppose I am rich," replied Louis, triumphantly; "what is that to you?Have we not quarrelled about the means of making this money? and did younot heap abuse upon me until I consider myself justified in refusing youany assistance whatever? However, I will overlook the past. And, when Iexplain my present plan, you will feel ashamed of your former doubts andsuspicion. You will say with me, 'Success is certain.'"
Louis de Clameran's scheme was very simple, and therefore unfortunatelypresented the strongest chances of success.
"We will go back and look at our balance-sheet. As heretofore, mybrilliant nephew, you seem to have misunderstood my management of thisaffair; I will now explain it to you."
"I am listening."
"In the first place, I presented myself to Mme. Fauvel, and said not,'Your money or your life,' but 'Your money or your reputation!' It wasa rude blow to strike, but effective. As I expected, she was frightened,and regarded me with the greatest aversion."
"Aversion is a mild term, uncle."
"I know that. Then I brought you upon the scene; and, without flatteringyou in the least, I must say that your opening act was a perfectsuccess. I was concealed behind the curtain, and saw your firstinterview; it was sublime! She saw you, and loved you: you spoke a fewwords and won her heart."
"And but for you?"
"Let me finish. This was the first act of our comedy. Let us pass to thesecond. Your extravagant follies--your grandfather would have said,your dissoluteness--soon changed our respective situations. Mme. Fauvel,without ceasing to worship you--you resemble Gaston so closely--wasuneasy about you. She was so frightened that she was forced to come tome for assistance."
"Poor woman!"
"I acted my part very well, as you must confess. I was grave, cold,indignant, and represented the distressed uncle to perfection. I spokeof the old probity of the Clamerans, and bemoaned that the family honorshould be dragged in the dust by a degenerate descendant. For ashort time I triumphed at your expense; Mme. Fauvel forgot her formerprejudice against me, and soon showed that she esteemed and liked me."
"That must have been a long time ago."
Louis paid no attention to this ironical interruption.
"Now we come to the third scene," he went on to say, "the time when Mme.Fauvel, having Madeleine for an adviser, judged us at our true value.Oh! you need not flatter yourself that she did not fear and despise usboth. If she did not hate you, Raoul, it was because a mother's heartalways forgives a sinful child. A mother can despise and worship her sonat the same time."
"She has proved it to me in so many touching ways, that!--yes, even I,hardened as I am--was moved, and felt remorse."
"Parbleu! I have felt some pangs myself. Where did I leave off? Oh, yes!Mme. Fauvel was frightened, and Madeleine, bent on sacrificing herself,had discarded Prosper, and consented to marry me, when the existenceof Gaston was suddenly revealed. And what has happened since? You havesucceeded in convincing Mme. Fauvel that you are pure, and that I amblacker than hell. She is blinded by your noble qualities, and she andMadeleine regard me as your evil genius, whose pernicious influence ledyou astray."
"You are right, my venerated uncle; that is precisely the position youoccupy."
"Very good. Now we come to the fifth act, and our comedy needs entirechange of scenery. We must veer around."
"Change our tactics?"
"You think it difficult, I suppose? Nothing easier. Listen attentively,for the future depends upon your skilfulness."
Raoul leaned back in his chair, with folded arms, as if prepared foranything, and said:
"I am ready."
"The first thing for you to do," said Louis, "is to go to Mme. Fauvelto-morrow, and tell her the story about my natural brother. She will notbelieve you, but that makes no difference. The important thing is, foryou to appear convinced of the truth of what you tell her."
"Consider me convinced."
"Five days hence, I will call on M. Fauvel, and confirm the notificationsent him by my notary at Oloron, that the money deposited in the banknow belongs to me. I will repeat, for his benefit, the story of thenatural brother, and ask him to keep the money until I call for it, as Ihave no occasion for it at present. You, who are so distrustful, my goodnephew, may regard this deposit as a guarantee of my sincerity."
"We will talk of that another time. Go on."
"Then I will go to Mme. Fauvel, and say, 'Being very poor, my dearmadame, necessity compelled me to claim your assistance in the supportof my brother's son, who is also yours. This youth is worthless andextravagant.'"
"Thanks, my good uncle."
"'He has poisoned your life when he should have added to your happiness;he is a constant anxiety and sorrow to your maternal heart. I have cometo offer my regrets for your past trouble, and to assure you that youwill have no annoyance in the future. I am now rich, and henceforth takethe whole responsibility of Raoul upon myself. I will provide handsomelyfor him.'"
"Is that what you call a scheme?"
"Parbleu, you will soon see whether it is. After listening to thisspeech, Mme. Fauvel will feel inclined to throw herself in my arms, byway of expressing her gratitude and joy. She will refrain, however,on account of her niece. She will ask me to relinquish my claim onMadeleine's hand, now that I am rich. I will roundly tell her, No. Iwill make this an opportunity for an edifying display of magnanimity anddisinterestedness. I will say, 'Madame, you have accused me of cupidity.I am now able to prove your injustice. I have been infatuated, as everyman must be, by the beauty, grace, and intelligence of Mlle. Madeleine;and--I love her. If she were penniless, my devotion would only be themore ardent. She has been promised to me, and I must insist upon thisone article of our agreement. This must be the price of my silence. And,to prove that I am not influenced by her fortune, I give you my sacredpromise, that, the day after the wedding, I will send Raoul a stockreceipt of twenty-five thousand livres per annum."
Louis expressed himself with such convincing candor, that Raoul, anartist in knavery, was charmed and astonished.
"Beautifully done," he cried, clapping his hands with glee. "That lastsentence will create a chasm between Mme. Fauvel and her niece. Thepromise of a fortune for me will certainly bring my mother over to ourside."
"I hope so," said Louis with pretended modesty. "And I have strongreasons for hoping so, as I shall be able to furnish the good lady withexcellent arguments for excusing herself in her own eyes. You know whensomeone proposes some little--what shall we call it?--transaction to anhonest person, it must be accompanied by justifications sufficient toquiet all qualms of conscience. I shall prove to Mme. Fauvel and herniece that Prosper has shamefully deceived them. I shall prove to themthat he is cramped by debts, dissipated, and a reckless gambler, openlyassociating with a woman of no character."
"And very pretty, besides, by Jove! You must not neglect to expatiateupon the beauty and fascinations of the adorable Gypsy; that will beyour strongest point."
"Don't be alarmed; I shall be more eloquent than a popular divine. ThenI will explain to Mme. Fauvel that if she really loves her niece, shewill persuade her to marry, not an insignificant cashier, but a man ofposition, a great manufacturer, a marquis, and, more than this, one richenough to establish you in the world."
Raoul was dazzled by this brilliant prospect.
"If you don't decide her, you will make her waver," he said.
"Oh! I don't expect a sudden change. I only intend planting the germ inher mind; thanks to you, it will develop, flourish, and bear fruit."
"Thanks to me?"
"Allow me to finish. After making my speeches I shall disappear from thescene, and your role will commence. Of course your mother will repeatthe conversation to you, and then we can judge of the effect produced.But remember, you must scorn to receive any assistance from me. You
mustswear that you will brave all privation, want, famine even, rather thanaccept a cent from a base man whom you hate and despise; a man who--Butyou know exactly what you are to say. I can rely upon you for goodacting."
"No one can surpass me when I am interested in my part. In patheticroles I am always a success, when I have had time to prepare myself."
"I know you are. But this disinterestedness need not prevent you fromresuming your dissipations. You must gamble, bet, and lose more moneythan you ever did before. You must increase your demands, and say thatyou must have money at all costs. You need not account to me for anymoney you can extort from her. All you get is your own to spend as youplease."
"You don't say so! If you mean that--"
"You will hurry up matters, I'll be bound."
"I can promise you, no time shall be wasted."
"Now listen to what you are to do, Raoul. Before the end of threemonths, you must have exhausted the resources of these two women. Youmust force from them every franc they can raise, so that they will bewholly unable to procure money to supply your increasing demands. Inthree months I must find them penniless, absolutely ruined, without evena jewel left."
Raoul was startled at the passionate, vindictive tone of Louis's voiceas he uttered these last words.
"You must hate these women, if you are so determined to make themmiserable," he said.
"I hate them?" cried Louis. "Can't you see that I madly love Madeleine,love her as only a man of my age can love? Is not her image ever in mymind? Does not the very mention of her name fire my heart, and make metremble like a school-boy?"
"Your great devotion does not prevent you planning the destruction ofher present happiness."
"Necessity compels me to do so. Nothing but the most cruel deceptionsand the bitterest suffering would ever induce her to become my wife, totake me as the lesser of two evils. The day on which you have led Mme.Fauvel and her niece to the extreme edge of the precipice, pointed outits dark depths, and convinced them that they are irretrievably lost, Ishall appear, and rescue them. I will play my part with such grandeur,such lofty magnanimity, that Madeleine will be touched, will forget herpast enmity, and regard me with favorable eyes. When she finds that itis her sweet self, and not her money, that I want, she will soften, andin time yield to my entreaties. No true woman can be indifferent to agrand passion. I don't pretend to say that she will love me at first;but, if she will only consent to be mine, I ask for nothing more; timewill do much, even for a poor devil like myself."
Raoul was shocked at this cold-blooded perversity of his uncle;but Clameran showed his immense superiority in wickedness, and theapprentice admired the master.
"You would certainly succeed, uncle," he said, "were it not for thecashier. Between you and Madeleine, Prosper will always stand; if not inperson, certainly in memory."
Louis smiled scornfully, and, throwing away his cigar, which had diedout, said:
"I don't mind Prosper, or attach any more importance to him than to thatcigar."
"But she loves him."
"So much the worse for him. Six months hence, she will despise him; heis already morally ruined, and at the proper time I will make an end ofhim socially. Do you know whither the road of dissipation leads, my goodnephew? Prosper supports Gypsy, who is extravagant; he gambles, keepsfast horses, and gives suppers. Now, you gamble yourself, and know howmuch money can be squandered in one night; the losses of baccaratmust be paid within twenty-four hours. He has lost heavily, must pay,and--has charge of a money-safe."
Raoul protested against this insinuation.
"It is useless to tell me that he is honest, that nothing would inducehim to touch money that does not belong to him. I know better. Parbleu!I was honest myself until I learned to gamble. Any man with a grain ofsense would have married Madeleine long ago, and sent us flying bag andbaggage. You say she loves him! No one but a coward would be defraudedof the woman he loved and who loved him. Ah, if I had once feltMadeleine's hand tremble in mine, if her rosy lips had once pressed akiss upon my brow, the whole world could not take her from me. Woeto him who dared stand in my path! As it is, Prosper annoys me, and Iintend to suppress him. With your aid I will so cover him with disgraceand infamy, that Madeleine will drive every thought of him from hermind, and her love will turn to hate."
Louis's tone of rage and vengeance startled Raoul, and made him regardthe affair in a worse light than ever.
"You have given me a shameful, dastardly role to play," he said after along pause.
"My honorable nephew has scruples, I suppose," said Clameran sneeringly.
"Not exactly scruples; yet I confess--"
"That you want to retreat? Rather too late to sing that tune, my friend.You wish to enjoy every luxury, have your pockets filled with gold, cuta fine figure in high society, and remain virtuous. Are you fool enoughto suppose a poor man can be honest? 'Tis a luxury pertaining to thewealthy. Did you ever see people such as we draw money from the purefount of virtue? We must fish in muddy waters, and then wash ourselvesclean, and enjoy the result of our labor."
"I have never been rich enough to be honest," said Raoul humbly; "butI must say it goes hard with me to torture two defenceless, frightenedwomen, and ruin the character of a poor devil who regards me as his bestfriend. It is a low business!"
This resistance exasperated Louis to the last degree.
"You are the most absurd, ridiculous fool I ever met," he cried. "Anopportunity occurs for us to make an immense fortune. All we have todo is to stretch out our hands and take it; when you must needs proverefractory, like a whimpering baby. Nobody but an ass would refuse todrink when he is thirsty, because he sees a little mud at the bottomof the bucket. I suppose you prefer theft on a small scale, stealing bydriblets. And where will your system lead you? To the poor-house or thepolice-station. You prefer living from hand to mouth, supported by Mme.Fauvel, having small sums doled out to you to pay your little gamblingdebts."
"I am neither ambitious nor cruel."
"And suppose Mme. Fauvel dies to-morrow: what will become of you? Willyou go cringing up to the widower, and implore him to continue yourallowance?"
"Enough said," cried Raoul, angrily interrupting his uncle. "I neverhad any idea of retreating. I made these objections to show you whatinfamous work you expect of me, and at the same time prove to you thatwithout my assistance you can do nothing."
"I never pretended to the contrary."
"Then, my noble uncle, we might as well settle what my share is to be.Oh! it is not worth while for you to indulge in idle protestations. Whatwill you give me in case of success? and what if we fail?"
"I told you before. I will give you twenty-five thousand livres a year,and all you can secure between now and my wedding-day."
"This arrangement suits me very well; but where are your securities?"
This question was discussed a long time before it was satisfactorilysettled by the accomplices, who had every reason to distrust each other.
"What are you afraid of?" asked Clameran.
"Everything," replied Raoul. "Where am I to obtain justice, if youdeceive me? From this pretty little poniard? No, thank you. I would bemade to pay as dear for your hide, as for that of an honest man."
Finally, after long debate and much recrimination, the matter wasarranged, and they shook hands before separating.
Alas! Mme. Fauvel and her niece soon felt the evil effects of theunderstanding between the villains.
Everything happened as Louis had arranged.
Once more, when Mme. Fauvel had begun to breathe freely, and to hopethat her troubles were over, Raoul's conduct suddenly changed; he becamemore extravagant and dissipated than ever.
Formerly, Mme. Fauvel would have said, "I wonder what he does with allthe money I give him?" Now she saw where it went.
Raoul was reckless in his wickedness; he was intimate with actresses,openly lavishing money and jewelry upon them; he drove about with fourhorses, and bet heavily on every race. Never had he
been so exactingand exorbitant in his demands for money; Mme. Fauvel had the greatestdifficulty in supplying his wants.
He no longer made excuses and apologies for spending so much; insteadof coaxingly entreating, he demanded money as a right, threatening tobetray Mme. Fauvel to her husband if she refused him.
At this rate, all the possessions of Mme. Fauvel and Madeleine soondisappeared. In one month, all their money had been squandered. Thenthey were compelled to resort to the most shameful expedients in thehousehold expenses. They economized in every possible way, makingpurchases on credit, and making tradesmen wait; then they changedfigures in the bills, and even invented accounts of things never bought.
These imaginary costly whims increased so rapidly, that M. Fauvel oneday said, as he signed a large check, "Upon my word, ladies, you willbuy out all the stores, if you keep on this way. But nothing pleases mebetter than to see you gratify every wish."
Poor women! For months they had bought nothing, but had lived upon theremains of their former splendor, having all their old dresses madeover, to keep up appearances in society.
More clear-sighted than her aunt, Madeleine saw plainly that the daywould soon come when everything would have to be explained.
Although she knew that the sacrifices of the present would availnothing in the future, that all this money was being thrown away withoutsecuring her aunt's peace of mind, yet she was silent. A high-mindeddelicacy made her conceal her apprehensions beneath an assumed calmness.
The fact of her sacrificing herself made her refrain from utteringanything like a complaint or censure. She seemed to forget herselfentirely in her efforts to comfort her aunt.
"As soon as Raoul sees we have nothing more to give," she would say, "hewill come to his senses, and stop all this extravagance."
The day came when Mme. Fauvel and Madeleine found it impossible to giveanother franc.
The evening previous, Mme. Fauvel had a dinner-party, and withdifficulty scraped together enough money to defray the expenses.
Raoul appeared, and said that he was in the greatest need of money,being forced to pay a debt of two thousand francs at once.
In vain they implored him to wait a few days, until they could withpropriety ask M. Fauvel for money. He declared that he must have it now,and that he would not leave the house without it.
"But I have no way of getting it for you," said Mme. Fauvel desperately;"you have taken everything from me. I have nothing left but my diamonds:do you want them? If they can be of use, take them."
Hardened as the young villain was, he blushed at these words.
He felt pity for this unfortunate woman, who had always been so kindand indulgent to him, who had so often lavished upon him her maternalcaresses. He felt for the noble girl who was the innocent victim of avile plot.
But he was bound by an oath; he knew that a powerful hand would savethese women at the brink of the precipice. More than this, he sawan immense fortune at the end of his road of crime, and quieted hisconscience by saying that he would redeem his present cruelty by honestkindness in the future. Once out of the clutches of Clameran, he wouldbe a better man, and try to return some of the kind affection shown himby these poor women.
Stifling his better impulses, he said harshly to Mme. Fauvel, "Give methe jewels; I will take them to the pawnbroker's." Mme. Fauvel handedhim a box containing a set of diamonds. It was a present from herhusband the day he became worth a million.
And so pressing was the want of these women who were surrounded byprincely luxury, with their ten servants, beautiful blooded horses, andjewels which were the admiration of Paris, that they implored him tobring them some of the money which he would procure on the diamonds, tomeet their daily wants.
He promised, and kept his word.
But they had revealed a new source, a mine to be worked; he tookadvantage of it.
One by one, all Mme. Fauvel's jewels followed the way of the diamonds;and, when hers were all gone, those of Madeleine were given up.
A recent law-suit, which showed how a young and beautiful woman hadbeen kept in a state of terror and almost poverty, by a rascal who hadpossession of her letters, a sad case which no honest man could readwithout blushing for his sex, has revealed to what depths human infamycan descend.
And such abominable crimes are not so rare as people suppose.
How many men are supported entirely by stolen secrets, from the coachmanwho claims ten louis every month of the foolish girl whom he drove toa rendezvous, to the elegant dandy in light kids, who discovered afinancial swindle, and makes the parties interested buy his silence,cannot be known.
This is called the extortion of hush-money, the most cowardly andinfamous of crimes, which the law, unfortunately, can rarely overtakeand punish.
"Extortion of hush-money," said an old prefect of police, "is a tradewhich supports at least a thousand scamps in Paris alone. Sometimeswe know the black-mailer and his victim, and yet we can do nothing.Moreover, if we were to catch the villain in the very act, and hand himover to justice, the victim, in her fright at the chance of her secretbeing discovered, would turn against us."
It is true, extortion has become a business. Very often it is thebusiness of loafers, who spend plenty of money, when everyone knows theyhave no visible means of support, and of whom people ask, "What do theylive upon?"
The poor victims do not know how easy it would be to rid themselvesof their tyrants. The police are fully capable of faithfullykeeping secrets confided to them. A visit to the Rue de Jerusalem, aconfidential communication with a head of the bureau, who is as silentas a father confessor, and the affair is arranged, without noise,without publicity, without anyone ever being the wiser. There are trapsfor "master extortioners," which work well in the hands of the police.
Mme. Fauvel had no defence against the scoundrels who were torturingher, save prayers and tears; these availed her little.
Sometimes Mme. Fauvel betrayed such heart-broken suffering when Raoulbegged her for money which she had no means of obtaining, that he wouldhurry away disgusted at his own brutal conduct, and say to Clameran:
"You must end this dirty business; I cannot stand it any longer. Iwill blow any man's brains out, or fight a crowd of cut-throats, if youchoose; but as to killing by agony and fright these two poor miserablewomen, whom I am really fond of, I am not going to do it. You ask formore than I can do. I am not quite the cowardly hound you take me for."
Clameran paid no attention to these remonstrances: indeed, he wasprepared for them.
"It is not pleasant, I know," he replied; "but necessity knows no law.Have a little more perseverance and patience; we have almost got to theend."
The end was nearer than Clameran supposed. Toward the latter partof November, Mme. Fauvel saw that it was impossible to postpone thecatastrophe any longer, and as a last effort determined to apply to themarquis for assistance.
She had not seen him since his return from Oloron, except once, when hecame to announce his accession to wealth. At that time, persuaded thathe was the evil genius of Raoul, she had received him very coldly, anddid not invite him to repeat his visit.
She hesitated about speaking to her niece of the step she intendedtaking, because she feared violent opposition.
To her great surprise Madeleine warmly approved of it.
Trouble had made her keen-sighted and suspicious. Reflecting on pastevents, comparing and weighing every act and speech of Raoul, she wasnow convinced that he was Clameran's tool.
She thought that Raoul was too shrewd to be acting in this shameful way,ruinously to his own interests, if there were not some secret motiveat the bottom of it all. She saw that this persecution was more feignedthan real.
So thoroughly was she convinced of this, that, had it only concernedherself alone, she would have firmly resisted the oppression, certainthat the threatened exposure would never take place.
Recalling, with a shudder, certain looks of Clameran, she guessed thetruth, that the object of all this underhand
work was to force her tobecome his wife.
Determined on making the sacrifice, in spite of her repugnance towardthe man, she wished to have the deed done at once; anything waspreferable to this terrible anxiety, to the life of torture which Raoulmade her lead. She felt that her courage might fail if she waited andsuffered much longer.
"The sooner you see M. de Clameran the better for us, aunt," she said,after talking the project over.
The next day Mme. Fauvel called on the marquis at the Hotel du Louvre,having sent him a note announcing her intended visit.
He received her with cold, studied politeness, like a man who had beenmisunderstood and had been unjustly wounded.
After listening to her report of Raoul's scandalous behavior, he becamevery indignant, and swore that he would soon make him repent of hisheartlessness.
But when Mme. Fauvel told of the immense sums of money forced from her,Clameran seemed confounded, as if he could not believe it.
"The worthless rascal!" he exclaimed, "the idea of his audacity! Why,during the last four months, I have given him more than twenty thousandfrancs, which I would not have done except to prevent him from applyingto you, as he constantly threatened to do."
Seeing an expression of doubtful surprise upon Mme. Fauvel's face, Louisarose, and took from his desk some receipts signed by Raoul. The totalamount was twenty-three thousand five hundred francs.
Mme. Fauvel was shocked and amazed.
"He has obtained forty thousand francs from me," she faintly said, "sothat altogether he has spent sixty thousand francs in four months."
"I can't imagine what he does with it," said Clameran, "unless he spendsit on actresses."
"Good heavens! what can these creatures do with all the money lavishedon them?"
"That is a question I cannot answer, madame."
He appeared to pity Mme. Fauvel sincerely; he promised that he wouldat once see Raoul, and reason with him about the shameful life he wasleading; perhaps he could be persuaded to reform. Finally, after manyprotestations of friendship, he wound up by placing his fortune at herdisposal.
Although Mme. Fauvel refused his offer, she appreciated the kindness ofit, and on returning home said to Madeleine:
"Perhaps we have mistaken his character; he may be a good man afterall."
Madeleine sadly shook her head. She had anticipated just what happened.Clameran's magnanimity and generosity confirmed her presentiments.
Raoul came to see his uncle, and found him radiant.
"Everything is going on swimmingly, my smart nephew," said Clameran;"your receipts acted like a charm. Ah, you are a partner worth having.I congratulate you upon your success. Forty thousand francs in fourmonths!"
"Yes," said Raoul carelessly. "I got about that much from pawnbrokers."
"Pests! Then you must have a nice little sum laid by."
"That is my business, uncle, and not yours. Remember our agreement.I will tell you this much: Mme. Fauvel and Madeleine have turnedeverything they could into money; they have nothing left, and I have hadenough of my role."
"Your role is ended. I forbid you to hereafter ask for a singlecentime."
"What are you about to do? What has happened?"
"The mine is loaded, nephew, and I am awaiting an opportunity to setfire to it."
Louis de Clameran relied upon making his rival, Prosper Bertomy, furnishhim this ardently desired opportunity.
He loved Madeleine too passionately to feel aught save the bitteresthate toward the man whom she had freely chosen, and who still possessedher heart.
Clameran knew that he could marry her at once if he chose; but in whatway? By holding a sword of terror over her head, and forcing her to behis. He became frenzied at the idea of possessing her person, while herheart and soul would always be with Prosper.
Thus he swore that, before marrying, he would so cover Prosper withshame and ignominy that no honest person would speak to him. He hadfirst thought of killing him, but, fearing that Madeleine would enshrineand worship his memory, he determined to disgrace him.
He imagined that there would be no difficulty in ruining the unfortunateyoung man. He soon found himself mistaken.
Though Prosper led a life of reckless dissipation, he preserved orderin his disorder. If in a state of miserable entanglement, and obliged toresort to all sorts of make-shifts to escape his creditors, his cautionprevented the world from knowing it.
Vainly did Raoul, with his pockets full of gold, try to tempt him toplay high; every effort to hasten his ruin failed.
When he played he did not seem to care whether he lost or won; nothingaroused him from his cold indifference.
His friend Nina Gypsy was extravagant, but her devotion to Prosperrestrained her from going beyond certain limits.
Raoul's great intimacy with Prosper enabled him to fully understand thestate of his mind; that he was trying to drown his disappointment inexcitement, but had not given up all hope.
"You need not hope to beguile Prosper into committing any piece offolly," said Raoul to his uncle; "his head is as cool as a usurer's. Henever goes beyond a certain degree of dissipation. What object he has inview I know not. Perhaps, when he has spent his last napoleon, he willblow his brains out; he certainly never will descend to any dishonorableact. As to tampering with the money-safe intrusted to his keeping----"
"We must force him on," replied Clameran, "lead him into extravagances,make Gypsy call on him for costly finery, lend him plenty of money."
Raoul shook his head, as if convinced that his efforts would be vain.
"You don't know Prosper, uncle: we can't galvanize a dead man. Madeleinekilled him the day she discarded him. He takes no interest in anythingon the face of the earth."
"We can wait and see."
They did wait; and, to the great surprise of Mme. Fauvel, Raoul oncemore became an affectionate and dutiful son, as he had been duringClameran's absence. From reckless extravagance he changed to greateconomy. Under pretext of saving money, he remained at Vesinet, althoughit was very uncomfortable and disagreeable there in the winter. Hesaid he wished to expiate his sins in solitude. The truth was, that,by remaining in the country, he insured his liberty, and escaped hismother's visits.
It was about this time that Mme. Fauvel, charmed with the improvement inRaoul, asked her husband to give him some employment.
M. Fauvel was delighted to please his wife, and at once offered Raoulthe place of corresponding clerk with a salary of five hundred francs amonth.
The appointment pleased Raoul; but, in obedience to Clameran's command,he refused it, saying his vocation was not banking.
This refusal so provoked the banker, that he told Raoul, if he was soidle and lazy, not to call on him for money again, or expect him to doanything to assist him. Raoul seized this pretext for ostensibly ceasinghis visits.
When he wanted to see his mother, he would come in the afternoon, whenhe knew that M. Fauvel would be from home; and he only came often enoughto keep informed of what was going on in the household.
This sudden lull after so many storms appeared ominous to Madeleine.She was more certain that ever that the plot was now ripe, and wouldsuddenly burst upon them, without warning. She did not impart herpresentiment to her aunt, but prepared herself for the worst.
"What can they be doing?" Mme. Fauvel would say; "can they have ceasedto persecute us?"
"Yes: what can they be doing?" Madeleine would murmur.
Louis and Raoul gave no signs of life, because, like expert hunters,they were silently hiding, and watching for a favorable opportunity ofpouncing upon their victims.
Never losing sight of Prosper for a day, Raoul had exhausted everyeffort of his fertile mind to compromise his honor, to insnare him intosome inextricable entanglement. But, as he had foreseen, the cashier'sindifference offered little hope of success.
Clameran began to grow impatient at this delay, and had fully determinedto bring matters to a crisis himself, when one morning, about threeo'clock, he was a
roused by Raoul.
He knew that some event of great importance must have happened, to makehis nephew come to his house at this hour of the morning.
"What is the matter?" he anxiously inquired.
"Perhaps nothing; perhaps everything. I have just left Prosper."
"Well?"
"I had him, Mme. Gypsy, and three other friends to dine with me. Afterdinner, I made up a game of baccarat, but Prosper took no interest init, although he was quite tipsy."
"You must be drunk yourself to come here waking me up in the middleof the night, to hear this idle gabble," said Louis angrily. "What thedevil do you mean by it?"
"Now, don't be in a hurry; wait until you hear the rest."
"Morbleu! speak, then!"
"After the game was over, we went to supper; Prosper became intoxicated,and betrayed the secret name with which he closes the money-safe."
At these words Clameran uttered a cry of triumph.
"What was the word?"
"The name of his friend."
"Gypsy! Yes, that would be five letters."
Louis was so excited that he jumped out of bed, slipped on hisdressing-gown, and began to stride up and down the chamber.
"Now we have got him!" he said with vindictive satisfaction. "There's nochance of escape for him now! Ah, the virtuous cashier won't touch themoney confided to him: so we must touch it for him. The disgrace will bejust as great, no matter who opens the safe. We have the word; you knowwhere the key is kept."
"Yes; when M. Fauvel goes out he always leaves the key in the drawer ofhis secretary, in his chamber."
"Very good. Go and get this key from Mme. Fauvel. If she does not giveit up willingly, use force: so that you get it, that is the point; thenopen the safe, and take out every franc it contains. Ah, Master Bertomy,you shall pay dear for being loved by the woman whom I love!"
For five minutes Clameran indulged in such a tirade of abuse againstProsper, mingled with rhapsodies of love for Madeleine, that Raoulthought him almost out of his mind.
"Before crying victory," he said, "you had better consider the drawbacksand difficulties. Prosper might change the word to-morrow."
"Yes, he might; but it is not probable he will; he will forget what hesaid while drunk; besides, we can hasten matters."
"That is not all. M. Fauvel has given orders that no large sum shall bekept in the safe over-night; before closing the bank everything is sentto the Bank of France."
"A large sum will be kept there the night I choose."
"You think so?"
"I think this: I have a hundred thousand crowns deposited with M.Fauvel: and if I desire the money to be paid over to me early somemorning, directly the bank is opened, of course the money will be keptin the safe the previous night."
"A splendid idea!" cried Raoul admiringly.
It was a good idea; and the plotters spent several hours in studying itsstrong and weak points.
Raoul feared that he would never be able to overcome Mme. Fauvel'sresistance. And, even if she yielded the key, would she not go directlyand confess everything to her husband? She was fond of Prosper, andwould hesitate a long time before sacrificing him.
But Louis felt no uneasiness on this score.
"One sacrifice necessitates another," he said: "she has made too manyto draw back at the last one. She sacrificed her adopted daughter;therefore she will sacrifice a young man, who is, after all, acomparative stranger to her."
"But madame will never believe any harm of Prosper; she will always havefaith in his honor; therefore--"
"You talk like an idiot, my verdant nephew!"
Before the conversation had ended, the plan seemed feasible. Thescoundrels made all their arrangements, and fixed the day for committingthe crime.
They selected the evening of the 7th of February, because Raoul knewthat M. Fauvel would be at a bank-director's dinner, and Madeleine wasinvited to a party on that evening.
Unless something unforeseen should occur, Raoul knew that he would findMme. Fauvel alone at half-past eight o'clock.
"I will ask M. Fauvel this very day," said Clameran, "to have my moneyon hand for Tuesday."
"That is a very short notice, uncle," objected Raoul. "You know thereare certain forms to be gone through, and he can claim a longer timewherein to pay it over."
"That is true, but our banker is proud of always being prepared to payany amount of money, no matter how large; and if I say I am pressed, andwould like to be accommodated on Tuesday, he will make a point of havingit ready for me. Now, you must ask Prosper, as a personal favor to you,to have the money on hand at the opening of the bank."
Raoul once more examined the situation, to discover if possible a grainof sand which might be converted into a mountain at the last moment.
"Prosper and Gypsy are to be at Vesinet this evening," he said, "but Icannot ask them anything until I know the banker's answer. As soon asyou arrange matters with him, send me word by Manuel."
"I can't send Manuel, for an excellent reason; he has left me; but I cansend another messenger."
Louis spoke the truth; Manuel was gone. He had insisted on keepingGaston's old servant in his service, because he thought it imprudent toleave him at Oloron, where his gossiping might cause trouble.
He soon became annoyed by Manuel's loyalty, who had shared the perilsand good fortunes of an excellent master for many years; and determinedto rid himself of this last link which constantly reminded him ofGaston. The evening before, he had persuaded Manuel to return toArenys-de-mer, a little port of Catalonia, his native place; and Louiswas looking for another servant.
After breakfasting together, they separated.
Clameran was so elated by the prospect of success, that he lost sight ofthe great crime intervening. Raoul was calm, but resolute. The shamefuldeed he was about to commit would give him riches, and release himfrom a hateful servitude. His one thought was liberty, as Louis's wasMadeleine.
Everything seemed to progress finely. The banker did not ask for thenotice of time, but promised to pay the money at the specified hour.Prosper said he would have it ready early in the morning.
The certainty of success made Louis almost wild with joy. He counted thehours, and the minutes, which passed but too slowly.
"When this affair is ended," he said to Raoul, "I will reform and be amodel of virtue. No one will dare hint that I have ever indulged in anysins, great or small."
But Raoul became more and more sad as the time approached. Reflectiongradually betrayed the blackness of the contemplated crime.
Raoul was bold and determined in the pursuit of his own gratificationsand wickedness; he could smile in the face of his best friend, whilecheating him of his last napoleon at cards; and he could sleep wellafter stabbing his enemy in the heart; but he was young.
He was young in sin. Vice had not yet penetrated to his marrow-bones:corruption had not yet crowded into his soul enough to uproot anddestroy every generous sentiment.
It had not been so very long since he had cherished a few holy beliefs.The good intentions of his boyhood were not quite obliterated from hissometimes reproachful memory.
Possessing the daring courage natural to youth, he despised the cowardlypart forced upon him; this dark plot, laid for the destruction of twohelpless women, filled him with horror and disgust. His heart revoltedat the idea of acting the part of Judas toward his mother to betray herbetween two kisses.
Disgusted by the cool villainy of Louis, he longed for some unexpecteddanger to spring up, some great peril to be braved, so as to excusehimself in his own eyes, to give him the spirit to carry throughthe scheme; for he would like to reap the benefits without doing therevolting work.
But no; he well knew that he ran no risk, not even that of beingarrested and sent to the galleys. For he was certain that, if M. Fauveldiscovered everything, he would do his best to hush it up, to concealevery fact connected with the disgraceful story which would implicatehis wife. Although he was careful not to breathe it to Cl
ameran, he felta sincere affection for Mme. Fauvel, and was touched by the indulgentfondness which she so unchangingly lavished upon him. He had been happyat Vesinet, while his accomplice, or rather his master, was at Oloron.He would have been glad to lead an honest life, and could not see thesense of committing a crime when there was no necessity for it. He hatedClameran for not consenting to let the matter drop, now that he was richenough to live in affluence the rest of his life, and who, for the sakeof gratifying a selfish passion, was abusing his power, and endangeringthe safety and happiness of so many people. He longed for an opportunityof thwarting his plots, if it could be done without also ruininghimself.
His resolution, which had been so firm in the beginning, was growingweaker and weaker as the hours rolled on: as the crisis approached, hishorror of the deed increased.
Seeing this uncertain state of Raoul's mind, Louis never left him, butcontinued to paint for him a dazzling future, position, wealth, andfreedom. Possessing a large fortune, he would be his own master, gratifyhis every wish, and make amends to his mother for his present undutifulconduct. He urged him to take pride in acting his part in this littlecomedy, which would soon be over without doing harm to anyone.
He prepared, and forced his accomplice to rehearse, the scene which wasto be enacted at Mme. Fauvel's, with as much coolness and precision asif it were to be performed at a public theatre. Louis said that no piececould be well acted unless the actor was interested and imbued with thespirit of his role.
But the more urgently Louis pressed upon him the advantages to bederived from success, the oftener he sounded in his ears the magicwords, "five hundred thousand francs," the more loudly did Raoul'sconscience cry out against the sinful deed.
On Monday evening, about six o'clock, Raoul felt so depressed andmiserable, that he had almost made up his mind to refuse to move anotherstep, and to tell Louis that he must find another tool to carry out hisabominable plot.
"Are you afraid?" asked Clameran, who had anxiously watched these inwardstruggles.
"Yes, I am afraid. I am not cursed with your ferocious nature and ironwill. I am the most miserable dog living!"
"Come, cheer up, my boy! You are not yourself to-day. Don't fail me atthe last minute, when everything depends upon you. Just think that wehave almost finished; one more stroke of our oars, and we are in port.You are only nervous: come to dinner, and a bottle of Burgundy will soonset you right."
They were walking along the boulevard. Clameran insisted upon theirentering a restaurant, and having dinner in a private room.
Vainly did he strive, however, to chase the gloom from Raoul's paleface; he sat listening, with a sullen frown, to his friend's jests about"swallowing the bitter pill gracefully."
Urged by Louis, he drank two bottles of wine, in hopes that intoxicationwould inspire him with courage to do the deed, which Clameran impressedupon his mind must and should be done before many more hours had passedover his head.
But the drunkenness he sought came not; the wine proved false; at thebottom of the last bottle he found disgust and rage.
The clock struck eight.
"The time has come," said Louis firmly.
Raoul turned livid; his teeth chattered, and his limbs trembled so thathe was unable to stand on his feet.
"Oh, I cannot do it!" he cried in an agony of terror and rage.
Clameran's eyes flashed with angry excitement at the prospect of all hisplans being ruined at the last moment. But he dared not give way to hisanger, for fear of exasperating Raoul, whom he knew to be anxious for anexcuse to quarrel; so he quietly pulled the bell-rope. A boy appeared.
"A bottle of port," he said, "and a bottle of rum."
When the boy returned with the bottles, Louis filled a goblet with thetwo liquors mixed, and handed it to Raoul.
"Drink this," he said in a tone of command.
Raoul emptied the glass at one draught, and a faint color returned tohis ashy cheeks. He arose, and snatching up his hat, cried fiercely:
"Come along!"
But before he had walked half a square, the factitious energy inspiredby drink deserted him.
He clung to Clameran's arm, and was almost dragged along in thedirection of the banker's house, trembling like a criminal on his way tothe scaffold.
"If I can once get him in the house," thought Louis, "and make himbegin, the excitement of his mother's opposition will make him carryit through successfully. The cowardly baby! I would like to wring hisneck!"
Although his breast was filled with these thoughts and fears, he wascareful to conceal them from Raoul, and said soothingly:
"Now, don't forget our arrangement, and be careful how you enter thehouse; everything depends upon your being unconcerned and cool, to avoidarousing suspicion in the eyes of anyone you may meet. Have you a pistolin your pocket?"
"Yes, yes! Let me alone!"
It was well that Clameran had accompanied Raoul; for, when he got insight of the door, his courage gave way, and he longed to retreat.
"A poor, helpless woman!" he groaned, "and an honest man who pressed myhand in friendship yesterday, to be cowardly ruined, betrayed by me! Ah,it is too base! I cannot!"
"Come, don't be a coward! I thought you had more nerve. Why, you mightas well have remained virtuous and honest; you will never earn your saltin this sort of business."
Raoul overcame his weakness, and, silencing the clamors of hisconscience, rushed up the steps, and pulled the bell furiously.
"Is Mme. Fauvel at home?" he inquired of the servant who opened thedoor.
"Madame is alone in the sitting-room adjoining her chamber," was thereply.
Raoul went upstairs.
Le dossier no. 113. English Page 18
