United States or Mauritania ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The supper sorted well with the house a greasy, ill-cooked meal that proved little inviting to the somewhat fastidious La Boulaye. But the wine, plundered, no doubt, in common with the goblets out of which they drank it was more than good, and whilst La Boulaye showed his appreciation of it, Charlot abused it like a soldier.
"Why, yes," answered La Boulaye, "more than was necessary. I am desolated that I should have brought you to re-open a sorrow that I thought was healed." "So it is, Caron. How it is I do not know.
La Boulaye still contemned the notion with a fine show of indifference, but Tardivet held to his purpose, and presently despatched the messengers as he had proposed. At that Caron felt his pulses quickening with anxiety for Mademoiselle. These astute measures must inevitably result im her capture for was it not at Roubaix that he had bidden her await him?
But a glance from the Marquis bade him resume, and resume he did, as though there had been no interruption. "What is this?" demanded Bellecour, half amused, half vexed, whilst a sudden new light leapt to the eyes of La Boulaye, which but a moment back had been so full of agony. But Mademoiselle never paused to answer her father.
"The business, however, is at an end. Take charge of this good Caron, Cecile, whilst I make ready for my journey." Thus, sore at heart, and chagrined beyond words, La Boulaye was forced to realise his defeat, and to leave the presence of the Incorruptible. But with Cecile he went no farther than the landing. "If you will excuse me, Citoyenne," he said abstractedly, "I will take my leave of you."
At that Brutus, who, for all his insolence of manner, was very devotedly attached to his employer, broke into remonstrances, impertinent of diction but affectionate of tenor. He protested that La Boulaye had left him behind, and lonely, during his mission to the army in Belgium, and he vowed that he would not be left behind again.
But they were accompanied by the rustle of a gown, and presently it was Mademoiselle who appeared before them. The two men eyed her with astonishment, which in the case of La Boulaye, was tempered by another feeling. "Monsieur la Boulaye," said she, her glance wandering towards the Captain, "may I speak with you alone?" Outwardly impassive the Commissioner bowed.
But La Boulaye, who, from the point where he and Duhamel had halted, had observed the whole scene from its inception, turned now a livid face upon his companion. "Shall such things be?" he cried passionately. "Merciful God! Are we men, Duhamel, and do we permit such things to take place?" The old pedagogue shrugged his shoulders in despair. His face was heavily scored by sorrow.
But almost at the same time La Boulaye stirred on the cloak, and the men who carried him heard him speak. At first it was an incoherent mutter, then his words came more distinctly. "Hold! Where are you carrying me? Who the devil are you?" It was Garin's voice that came instantly to reassure him. Caron essayed to sit up, but finding it impracticable, he shortly bade his men set him down.
He announced, therefore, to the corporal that they must push on to Liege. Garin gasped at his obstinacy, and would have sought to have dissuaded him, but that La Boulaye turned on him with a fierceness that silenced his expostulations. It was left to Nature to enforce what Garin could not achieve. When La Boulaye came to attempt to mount he found it impossible.
Word Of The Day