第68章

He will tell you that he often went without his beer and tobacco in order to pay for the music lessons that he forced the boy to take.He will tell you that he wanted to get him into the Government School of Music， for that he possessed great vocal and instrumental talent， and he cherished the hope of one day seeing him a great composer， like Weber or Mozart.I expect that this flow of self-praise will melt the heart of your client， for he will see that his son had made an effort to rise out of the mire by his own exertions， and will， in this energy， recognize one of the characteristics of the Champdoce family；and on the strength of this testimony he will almost be ready to accept the young man as his son."Catenac had for some time past been striving to decipher the meaning hidden behind the inscrutable countenance of Mascarin， but in vain.

"Let us get on，" said the lawyer impatiently."All that you have told me I shall hear later on in the course of the inquiry.""If your sagacity requires no further explanation from me，" rejoined Mascarin， "you will， I trust， permit me to continue them for the benefit of our young friend， Paul Violaine.You will feel compassion when the Alsatian tells you of his sufferings， at the boys'

description of him， and his subsequent prosperity in the Rue d'Arras.

You had better listen to the old man as long as he continues to grumble on， the more so as you will detect in the rancor and bitterness of his remarks all the vexation of a disappointed speculator.He will confess to you besides that he subsists entirely on the bounty of the lad， whom he had stigmatized as an ungrateful villain.Of course， the Duke will have to leave behind him some testimonial of his pleasure， and you will hurry off to the Rue d'Arras.The proprietor of the house will tell you that some four years ago he got rid of his musician， the only one of his class who had dared to establish himself there， and a small present and a few adroit questions will obtain for you the address of one of the young man's pupils， Madame Grandorge， a widow lady， residing in the Rue St.

Louis.This lady will tell you that she does not know the address of her former master， but that he used to live at 57， Rue de la Harpe.

From the Rue de la Harpe you will be sent to the Rue Jacob， and from thence to the Rue Montmartre， at the corner of the Rue Joquelet."Mascarin paused， drew a long breath， and chuckled inwardly， as though at some excellent joke.

"Be comforted， Catenac，" said he."You have nearly reached the end of your journey.The portress at the house in the Rue Montmartre is the most obliging woman in the world.She will tell you that the musician still retains his rooms in the house， but that he resides there no longer， for he has made a lucky hit， and last month he married the daughter of a wealthy banker living close by.The young lady， Mademoiselle Rigal， saw him， and fell in love with him."A clever man like Catenac should have foreseen what was coming， but he had not， and at this conclusion he uttered a loud exclamation of surprise.

"Yes， just so，" said Mascarin， with an air of bland triumph."The Duke de Champdoce will then drag you off to our mutual friend Martin Rigal， and there you will find our young /protégé/， the happy husband of the beautiful Flavia."Mascarin drew himself up， and adjusted his glasses firmly on his nose.

"Now， my dear Catenac， show the liberality and amiability of your disposition by congratulating our friend Paul as Gontran， Marquis de Champdoce."Hortebise， of course， knew what was coming； he knew the lines of the plot of the play as if he had been a joint author of it， and was as much excited as if he were assisting at a first rehearsal.

"Bravo！" he exclaimed， clapping his hands together."Bravo， my dear Mascarin， you have excelled yourself to-day！"Worried and perplexed as Paul had been， as Mascarin concluded he sank back in his chair， sick and giddy with emotion.

"Yes，" said Mascarin in a clear and ringing voice， "I accept your praise without any affectation of false modesty.We have no reason to fear the intervention of that grain of sand which sometimes stops the working of the machine.Perpignan， poor fool though he is， will be our best friend， and will do our work quite unconsciously.Can the Duke retain any atom of suspicion after these minute investigations？

Impossible.But to remove the slightest element of doubt， I have another and an additional plan.I will make him retrace the path upon which he has started.He shall take Paul to all these various places， and at all of them the statements will be even more fully confirmed.

Paul， the son-in-law of Martin Rigal， the husband of Flavia， will be recognized in the Rue Montmartre， the Rue Jacob， and the Rue de la Harpe.He will be joyfully welcomed in the Rue d'Arras； Fritz will embrace his ungrateful pupil； Vigoureux will remind him of his skillful feats on the trapeze； the Lorgelin family will press the lad whom they gave shelter to， to their hearts， and this will happen， Catenac， because I will it， and because all the people from the portress in the Rue Montmartre to the Lorgelins are my slaves， and dare not disobey one single command which I may issue."Catenac rose slowly and solemnly from his seat.

"I recognize your patience and ingenuity thoroughly， only I am going with one word to crush the fabric of hope that you have so carefully erected."Catenac might be a coward， he might also be a traitor but he was a clever and clear-sighted man too.Consequently Hortebise shivered as he heard these words， but Mascarin smiled disdainfully， basking in his dream of success.

"Go on then，" said he.