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"I know you are trying to annoy me, but you shan't. Mr. Aycon, suppose my husband comes over to Avranches, and sees you?" "I have thought of that." "Well, what have you decided?" "Not to think about it till it happens. But won't he be thinking more about you than me?" "He won't do anything about me," she said. "In the first place, he will want no scandal. In the second, he does not want me.
Really, I am afraid you ought to be getting ready, Mr. Aycon." The point of view again! By virtue of the duchess' calmness and Suzanne's cool readiness, the proceeding seemed a most ordinary one. Five minutes later I presented myself to the duchess, dressed in a villainous suit of clothes, rather too tight for me, and wearing a bad hat rakishly cocked over one eye.
"Keep your eye on that fellow, Mr. Aycon," said the duke; and then he put his left hand in his pocket, took out a key and flung it in Lafleur's face. It struck him sharply between the eyes, and he whined again. "Open the box," said the duke. "Open it do you hear? This instant!"
"In case," said the duchess, "I want you, Mr. Aycon." "I will stay," said I, nodding, "just a few days at Avranches." We were within half a mile of that town. The convent gleamed white in the moonlight about three hundred yards to the left. The duchess took her little bag, jumped lightly down, kissed her hand to me, and walked off.
My name is Aycon." "I thought so. Mr. Aycon, I must tell you that you are very much to blame. You have led this innocent, though thoughtless, child into most deplorable conduct." "I deeply regret my thoughtlessness," said I earnestly. "I would, however, observe that the present position of the duchess is not due to my shall we say misconduct? but to that of her husband. I did not invite "
The duchess stretched one hand across the table, clenching her small fist and tapping gently with it on the cloth. "There is one thing that I will not do, Mr. Aycon," said she, a touch of red coming in her cheeks and her lips set in obstinate lines. "I don't care whether the house is my house or anybody else's house, or an inn yes, or a convent either.
Aycon, do not insist on trusting me too much, but tie the knot if your wounded arm will let you." Engrossed with my thoughts and my schemes, I had not dwelt on the danger to which he called my attention, and I admit that I hesitated. "I have no wish to be called a murderer," said I. "Shall we not wait again for M. de Vieuville and his friend?" "Curse them!" said he, fury in his eye again.
"When it happens," said I, "on my honor, I will write and tell you." The duchess, with a toss of her head which meant "Well, I'm right and you're wrong," rose from her seat. "I must take poor Armand home," said she. "M. de Berensac is going with me. Will you accompany us?" "If you will give me a delay of one hour, I will most willingly." "What have you to do in that hour, Mr. Aycon?"
Aycon! How in the world do you come here?" To feel surprise at the Duchess of Saint-Maclou doing anything which she might please to do or being anywhere that the laws of Nature rendered it possible she should be, was perhaps a disposition of mind of which I should have been by this time cured; yet I was surprised to find her standing in the doorway that led from Jean's little bedroom dressed in a neat walking gown and a very smart hat, her hands clasped in the surprise which she shared with me and her eyes gleaming with an amused delight which found, I fear, no answer in my heavy bewildered gaze.
For full half a minute she sat, without speech or movement. Then she said in answer to my question, which she could not take as an idle one: "Yes, I have been doing some bargaining." "Is that the result?" Again she paused long before she answered. "That," said she, "is a trifle thrown in." "To bind the bargain?" I suggested. "Yes, Mr. Aycon to bind the bargain." "Is it allowed to look?"
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