The Milkmaid of Montfermeil Part 55

Auguste went upstairs and was admitted by Julie. The young man noticed no change in the apartments, where it simply seemed more quiet than before. He was ushered into the presence of madame, who seemed a little embarra.s.sed at sight of him.

"Can it be that the current report is true, madame?" Auguste asked. "I am told that your husband has gone away, that he has left France!"

"Alas! it is only too true, monsieur," replied Emilie, sinking into an easy-chair.

"What, madame! has he gone, not to return?"

"I think so, monsieur. He has abandoned me; he is an abominable man!"

"And do you know what he has taken with him, madame?"

"No, monsieur; I knew absolutely nothing about his business."

"Two hundred and fifty thousand francs! It is almost all that I possessed."

"Oh! that was shocking on his part!"

"Say rather that it is robbery, infernal rascality!" cried Auguste, angered by Madame Destival's indifference. "And you don't know, madame, where he has gone?"

"I know nothing at all about it, monsieur; I am overwhelmed, stunned, like yourself!"

"Your husband has ruined me, madame."

"I am terribly distressed, monsieur; but what do you expect me to do?"

"It seems to me, madame, that this occurrence is likely to involve you in some unpleasantness."

"I have no responsibility whatever to Monsieur Destival's creditors, monsieur; we had each our own property; this house is hired in my name, and everything in it is mine. Is it my fault that Monsieur Destival has been unfortunate in his speculations? Is it the first time that such a thing ever happened? Am I not more to be pitied than anybody else? He has carried off my marriage portion, monsieur, and the furniture that is left here is certainly not worth the amount of that.--However, monsieur, do whatever you choose; proceed against me; turn me into the street if such is your desire!"

Auguste made no reply, but left Madame Destival's presence abruptly, cursing the business agent's rascality.

Bertrand returned, having failed to discover any traces of the fugitive.

He continued his efforts in that direction for three days, while Auguste on his side did all that he could; but it seemed certain that Destival was already outside of France; that was the utmost that he could learn about him.

Auguste tried to recover his cheerfulness and to endure the blow philosophically. Bertrand was very careful not to offer his master any counsel at that moment, for he realized that the time would be ill-chosen. But when all hope was abandoned of discovering the tracks of the swindler who had carried off Dalville's fortune, Bertrand bethought himself of the Marquis de Cligneval's little debt; and Auguste consented that the corporal should call upon him.

Bertrand hastened to the address given him and asked for monsieur le marquis.

"He don't live here now," said the concierge.

"Where does he live?"

"He's gone to take the waters."

"What waters, morbleu?"

"Faith, he didn't tell me, monsieur."

Bertrand was furious; he returned, cursing, to tell Auguste, who received the news calmly enough.

"What! lieutenant, you are robbed of a hundred louis more, and it doesn't make you angry!" said Bertrand.

"Faith, my friend, when a fellow is ruined, a hundred louis more or less aren't worth worrying about."

"Still, they'd tide over for some time. That cursed marquis! I had a presentiment of this."

"I shall find him somewhere."

"He won't pay you."

"Bertrand, you must look into the condition of my cash-box and see how much I have left."

"That won't take long, lieutenant."

Bertrand walked sadly toward the desk; then returned and presented with a sigh a statement of their finances.

"Eighteen thousand six hundred and forty francs," said Auguste, reading the total; "Gad! I didn't think that I was still so rich as this."

"I haven't counted the marquis's hundred louis, nor what several of your friends owe you."

"I am inclined to think that that is wise. But I must know what I owe also; send to my tailor and boot-maker and harness-maker, and pay their bills. When I was rich I could afford to owe; but when one's money is gone, one should not think of running into debt."

"You speak like the great Turenne, lieutenant. All the bills shall be paid to-morrow."

After the bills were paid, Auguste possessed sixteen thousand four hundred francs.

"Add to that our handsome furniture and the wine in the cellar, and by leading an orderly, economical life, you can wait to see what will turn up," Bertrand observed.

"We must subtract from the total, Bertrand, three hundred francs that I have promised to pay for a pretty mercer's apprentice, whose furniture a heartless bailiff proposed to seize; two hundred francs which I am lending to Virginie, and ten louis for some bracelets that I am going to buy to-night."

Bertrand nearly swallowed the pen that he had in his mouth.

"You can't mean it, lieutenant!" he cried; "before long you won't have anything left."

"Look you, my friend, I promised all these things when I was still rich; shall I break my promises just because a villain has ruined me? You wouldn't do it yourself. But I swear that these shall be my last follies. Henceforth I propose to be virtue itself; besides, you must remember that we shall also have the proceeds of the sale of my two horses and my cabriolet, for I can no longer indulge in a carriage! I must cut down my establishment, dismiss Tony, and go on foot.--Does that make you feel sad, Bertrand?"

"For your sake, lieutenant!"

"Oh! very likely I shall be all the better for it, my friend. Exercise is essential to good health--I've heard you say that a thousand times.

Do you think that people who go on foot aren't just as good as those who ride in carriages?"

"Oh! you don't think I'm such a fool as that, lieutenant!"

"Well then, why regret a thing one can do so well without! With money, hasn't one always a cab at his command, without having horses and a groom to keep? Upon my word, I can't understand now why I ever had a cabriolet."

"But all those grisettes who come to tell you about their little troubles, to have you comfort them, and the great ladies whose heads you turned--don't you think, lieutenant, that your cabriolet had something to do with their display of affection for you?"

"That would be an additional reason for not regretting it. Henceforth I shall know the hearts of the women to whom I make love; I shall be sure of being loved for myself; and if I triumph over a youthful beauty, if I carry the day over a rival, I shall have no reason to fear that I owe the preference accorded me to my fortune and to that alone."