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"If you knew, my dear aunt, how surprised I am to see you here," he exclaimed in his hypocritical way. "Not more so than I am to find myself here," said she, with a smile. "But, bah! I have slipped my traces for a week." "And what are you going to do here?" continued Savinien. "What everybody does. By-the-bye, what do they do?" asked Madame Desvarennes, with vivacity.
She had been brought up as if she were to live always in velvet and silks to loll in carriages and think only of her pleasure. What reason did she give for refusing him! None. Haughtily and disdainfully she had declared that she did not love "that man," and that she would not marry him. When Savinien heard these details his rapture increased.
By a wave of her hand she dismissed Savinien, who, abashed, went out with Marechal. Left alone, she seated herself at her secretary's desk, and taking the pile of letters she signed them. The pen flew in her fingers, and on the paper was displayed her name, written in large letters in a man's handwriting. She had been occupied thus for about a quarter of an hour when Marechal reappeared.
One evening, as he was mounting the stairs to his room, absorbed in his thoughts, he heard, as he was about to enter, the sound of angry voices, and he recognized that of the old Auvergnat who lodged with Savinien and himself. An old habit of suspicion made him stop at the landing-place and listen to learn the cause of the trouble.
It seems to me a pretty good proof of confidence. Is that settled?" "Ah, aunt, you are implacable!" groaned Savinien. "When you have laid your hand upon any one, it is all over. Adieu, independence; one must obey you. Nevertheless, it was a vast and beautiful conception." "Very well. Marechal, see that my nephew has ten thousand francs. And you, Savinien, remember that I see no more of you."
"Then I saw Monsieur Savinien standing quite still and looking at me. Oh! godfather, I was so proud, for I thought I saw a look in his eyes of surprise and admiration I don't know what I would not do to make him look at me again like that. It seemed to me I ought to think of nothing forevermore but pleasing him. That glance is now the best reward I have for any good I do.
"You know well enough that it is not so," sighed Savinien; "my aunt is opposed to it." "What a mistake!" cried Marechal, quickly. "I have heard Madame Desvarennes say more than twenty times how she regretted your being unemployed. Come into the firm, you will have a good berth in the counting-house." "In the counting-house!" cried Savinien, bitterly; "there's the sore point.
"You must be proud of her," replied Savinien; "for she seems as good as she is beautiful." "Ah! she is the joy of the house. I could not love her better if she were my own daughter. She will be sixteen on the 5th February. God grant that I may live long enough to marry her to a man who will make her happy.
If Savinien had had more confidence in the admiral we could have taken him to live with us, and he would already have obtained some good situation. But, unfortunately, he told us nothing; he ran into debt of his own accord, and even involved himself for me, who knew nothing of his pecuniary position.
A smile played on his lips. He knew Savinien too well not to be aware that he was a prey to one of those attacks of melancholy which seized on him when his funds were low. On these occasions, which occurred frequently, the young man had longings for business, which Madame Desvarennes stopped by asking: "How much?"
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