The Milkmaid of Montfermeil Part 70

"No, monsieur, no, I work because I like it, because it amuses me; and if I should try to be less of a burden to you, would there be any harm in that? Haven't you been doing everything for me for a long time? and do you propose to forbid your old comrade to do something for you?"

Auguste could not reply, but he opened his arms to Bertrand and pressed him to his heart; then he forced his faithful servant to go upstairs with him and go to bed.

The next day, at daybreak, Auguste sent for an upholsterer.

"What idea have you got in your head now, monsieur?" queried Bertrand.

"I mean to sell our furniture, turn everything we own into cash, and then leave Paris and seek in some other land a means of turning to account such talents as I have. You will go with me, won't you, Bertrand?"

"Anywhere, monsieur, anywhere you choose. But why this sudden decision?

Couldn't you do it without leaving Paris?"

"No, my friend; in this city, where I have lived the life of a man of wealth, it would be hard for me, I know, to turn my trifling talents to account. Forgive this last exhibition of weakness."

"Before we resort to this step, is there no longer any hope of your finding employment?"

"Hope is the very thing that is using up what little means I have left.

Besides, here in Paris I am not able to resist my taste for dissipation.

Perhaps I shall be wiser in some other country. So we must make our preparations to start. If this experiment isn't successful at all events it's proper to make it."

"But, lieutenant----"

"No objections, Bertrand. Your conduct suggested mine, and my mind is made up. We leave Paris to-morrow."

Bertrand saw that it was indeed useless for him to try to combat his master's plan; he realized too that it was the only course that remained for them to take, for he could not long support his master with the twenty sous that he earned by tailoring. So that he set about making preparations for departure.

Auguste, who liked to carry out his plans promptly when he had determined upon them, effected a sale of his furniture during the day, and the proceeds, added to what cash he had left, made about six thousand francs.

"I should like to know," he said to Bertrand, "if, with this amount of money, we can't go to the ends of the world in search of fortune?"

"It is certain, lieutenant, that there are a great many people who began with much less."

When everything was ready, Auguste, who proposed to go first to Italy, engaged seats in the Lyon diligence. Bertrand went to say good-bye to Schtrack.

"Farewell, old fellow," he said; "we're going round the world; if I come back, I'll have another drink with you."

"Sacretie! Good-bye, Monsieur Pertrand."

XX

POOR DENISE

Auguste and Bertrand had been gone several hours, and Schtrack was standing in the doorway trying to catch another glimpse of them, when a young village maiden, carrying a large bag of money in one hand, rushed into the courtyard and asked for Monsieur Dalville.

"Monsieur Dalville?" repeated Schtrack, taking his pipe from his mouth; "he isn't here any more, mamzelle."

"Not here! What do you mean, monsieur? This is certainly where he lived.

I came here once before. You remember the time, don't you--when you wouldn't let me go upstairs?"

"Ah, ja! You had a little poy mit you then."

"Yes, monsieur. But where does Monsieur Dalville live now? Do you know, monsieur? It is absolutely necessary that I should see him and speak to him! Oh! if I only could have got this money sooner--what I owe him! But tell me, monsieur,--must I go somewhere else?"

"My little mamzelle, I don't think you will find Monsieur Dalville very easy."

"Why not, monsieur? I am ready to go anywhere--no matter where."

"I tell you it's too late. How do you expect to find the address of a man who's going round the world?"

"What's that?--Monsieur Auguste----"

"He started off this very day mit my friend Pertrand."

"Gone!"

"Ach ja! He got ruined here, so he's going to try to make a fortune somewhere else."

"He has gone away! You don't know where he is?"

"Yes, I do--don't I tell you he's gone round the world?"

"Oh! how unlucky! I have come too late!"

With that Denise lost consciousness and fell; but Schtrack caught her in his arms, and after laying his pipe on the post, carried her into the house. He took her into his lodge. When she swooned, the girl dropped the bag that she carried; it burst, and the five-franc pieces rolled about the courtyard. Schtrack, sorely embarra.s.sed because he happened to be alone for the moment, ran from Denise to the money and from the money to his pipe, crying:

"Sacretie! this girl has to go and faint just when my wife ain't in!

Well, well! my pipe's gone out, and the money's rolling all about!

Sacretie!"

Luckily for the old German and for Denise, another lady entered the house at this juncture. It was Mademoiselle Virginie, who had come to invite herself to breakfast with Auguste, and who, when she saw the five-franc pieces scattered about the courtyard, exclaimed in surprise:

"Mon Dieu! what magnificence! They throw money out o'window here! I seem to have come just in time."

"Don't touch! don't touch!" cried Schtrack from his lodge; "it belongs to this girl who won't open her eyes."

"Well, old Dutchman, am I touching your money? What an uncivil old villain it is! What do you take me for, Monsieur Helvetian?--What girl can he be talking about?"

And as she spoke, Virginie walked toward the lodge, and she uttered a cry of surprise when she saw the young girl from Montfermeil, whom Schtrack was drenching with vinegar.

"It's Denise! it's my poor Denise!" she said, pushing Schtrack aside and taking charge of the young woman.

"Poor Denise! She ain't so poor, for I tell you that bag of crowns is hers," said Schtrack, returning to the courtyard to recover his pipe and pick up the money.

Virginie's efforts were soon successful in restoring Denise to consciousness. When she opened her eyes they rested on Virginie, and she exclaimed, sobbing bitterly: