第50章

FALSE FRIEND, OLD LOVER.

It was on a Wednesday morning that the Duke de Champdoce, instead of, as usual, going to his own or one of his friends' clubs to breakfast, took his seat at the table where his wife was partaking of her morning meal.He was in excellent spirits, gay, and full of pleasant talk, a mood in which his wife had never seen him since their ill-fated marriage.The Duchess could not understand this sudden change in her husband; it terrified and alarmed her, for she felt that it was the forerunner of some serious event, which would change the current of her life entirely.

Norbert waited until the domestics had completed their duty and retired, and as soon as he was alone with his wife he took her hand and kissed it with an air of gallantry.

"It has been a long time, my dear Marie, since I had resolved to open my heart to you entirely, and now a full and open explanation has become absolutely necessary.""An explanation!" faltered Marie.

"Yes, certainly; but do not let the word alarm you.I fear that I must have appeared in your eyes the most morose and disagreeable of husbands.Permit me to explain.Since we came here, I have gone about my own affairs, I have gone out early and returned extremely late, and sometimes three days have elapsed without our even setting eyes on each other."The young Duchess listened to him like a woman who could not believe her ears.Could this be her husband who was heaping reproaches upon himself in this manner?

"I have made no complaint," stammered she.

"I know that, Marie; you have a noble and forgiving nature; but, however, it is impossible, as a woman, that you should not have condemned me.""Indeed, but I have not done so."

"So much the better for me.On this I shall not have to find either defence or excuse for my conduct; you must know, however, that you are ever foremost in my thoughts, even when I am away from you."He was evidently doing his best to put on an air of tenderness and affection, but he failed; for though his words were kind, the tone of his voice was neither tender nor sympathetic.

"I hope I know my duty," said the Duchess.

"Pray, Marie," broke in he, "do not let the word duty be uttered between us.You know that you have been much alone, because it was impossible for the friends of Mademoiselle de Puymandour to be those of the Duchess de Champdoce!""Have I made any opposition to your orders?""Then, too, our mourning prevents us going out into the world for five months longer at least.""Have I asked to go out?"

"All the more reason that I should endeavor to make your home less dull for you.I should like you to have with you some person in whose society you could find pleasure and distraction.Not one of those foolish girls who have no thought save for balls and dress, but a sensible woman of the world, and, above all, one of your own age and rank,--a woman, in short, of whom you could make a friend.But where can such a one be found? It is a perilous quest to venture on, and upon such a friend often depends the happiness and misery of a home.

"But," continued he, after a brief pause, "I think that I have discovered the very one that will suit you.I met her at the house of Madame d'Ailange, who spoke eloquently of her charms of mind and body, and I hope to have the pleasure of presenting her to you to-day.""Here, at our house?"

"Certainly; there is nothing odd in this.Besides, the lady is no stranger to us; she comes from our own part of the country, and you know her."A flush came over his face, and he busied himself with the fire to conceal it as he added,--"You recollect Mademoiselle de Laurebourg?""Do you mean Diana de Laurebourg?"

"Exactly so."

"I saw very little of her, for my father and hers did not get on very well together.The Marquis de Laurebourg looked on us as too insignificant to--""Ah, well," interrupted he, "I trust that the daughter will make up for the father's shortcomings.She married just after our wedding had been celebrated, and her husband is the Count de Mussidan.She will call on you to-day, and I have told your servants to say that you are at home."The silence that followed this speech lasted for nearly a couple of minutes, and became exceedingly embarrassing, when suddenly the sound of wheels was heard on the gravel of the courtyard, and in a moment afterwards a servant came and announced that the Countess de Mussidan was in the drawing-room.Norbert rose, and, taking his wife's arm, led her away.

"Come, Marie, come," said he; "she has arrived."Diana had reflected deeply before she had taken this extraordinarily bold step.In paying a visit so contrary to all the usual rules of etiquette, she exposed herself to the chance of receiving a severe rebuff.The few seconds that elapsed while she was still alone in the drawing-room seemed like so many centuries; but the door was opened, and Norbert and his wife appeared.Then, with a charming smile, Madame de Mussidan rose and bowed gracefully to the Duchess de Champdoce, making a series of half-jesting apologies for her intrusion.She had been utterly unable, she said, to resist the pleasure she should experience in seeing an old country neighbor, the more so as they were now separated by so short a distance.She had, therefore, disregarded all the rules of etiquette so that they might have a cozy chat about Poitiers, Bevron, Champdoce, and all the country where she had been born, and which she so dearly loved.

The Duchess listened in silence to this torrent of words, and the expression of her face showed how surprised she was at this unexpected visit.A less perfectly self-possessed woman than Diana de Mussidan might have felt abashed, but the slight annoyance was not to be compared to the prospective advantages that she hoped to gain, and she brought all the mettle of her talent and diplomacy into play.