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It was as if the sun had blazed out of twilight, Gaston Cheverny's face glowed so. "She is in great beauty, perfect health and happiness. She desired me to ask of you not to forget her; that she remembered you daily." So did I remember her daily. "And you have gone away and left the field to your brother and rival?" I said.
My master told me afterward, that it was quite involuntary with him mentioning Gaston Cheverny's right arm, that he meant rather to avoid it, but, to his chagrin, the words kept coming up in his speech, he, all the while, feeling that it sounded foolish to mention that it was done with the right arm. I glanced toward Francezka while Count Saxe was speaking.
I bound my mantle around Gaston Cheverny's body, told him to lie still, meanwhile examining him to see if he was about to die. I thought he was. His face was quite green, his extremities grew cold and he was deathly sick. But his eye retained its undimmed brightness; and while he was lying there on the ground, in this sad state, he burst out into a feeble laugh.
Her face, her flying figure, her unconscious grace, were all childlike that day, and after all she was only fourteen; but maids were married often at fourteen. On the twelfth day after I had made a hole in Gaston Cheverny's carcass I was admitted to see him; we then thought ourselves on the verge of our departure for Courland.
"For, in spite of my heavy misfortune in not knowing where my husband is, it must ever be a day of congratulation and of honor with me when I tell the world that I am Gaston Cheverny's wife," she said proudly.
She returned our bows with the lowest of curtsies. Gaston Cheverny's eyes were glued to that balcony until Mademoiselle Capello was no longer visible. His face was glowing with delight. When we were well out beyond the barriers and in the fair open country, he rode up beside me. His face was all smiles and blushes, like a girl's. "Did you see Mademoiselle Francezka?" he asked.
He told me that Francezka's face haunted him, and the absence of any reproach on her part for the imprudence which led to Gaston's capture went like a poniard to his heart. We reached the Luxembourg before midnight, and were abroad by daylight. I, myself, went to the café of the Green Basket, where news was to be gathered, and found that wild rumors were afloat concerning Gaston Cheverny's return.
I feel for him, because he is my brother; but in love and war, one must learn to face defeat." Then he asked after his dog, and all I had to tell him contented him very much. By that time it was ten o'clock. It was Gaston Cheverny's custom, as well as mine, to walk a little out of doors every night before we slept, so we walked together on the bank of the river.
His description tallied perfectly with Gaston Cheverny, and the absolute certainty was reached by the innkeeper's wife producing a fine handkerchief which had been left behind, with Gaston Cheverny's initials embroidered on it by Francezka's own hand! When Francezka heard this she was like one ready to die with joy.
As Gaston Cheverny did this, I saw suddenly flash into his eyes that look of Regnard Cheverny's. Francezka saw it, too. It was the very end of the minuet. In the confusion that followed the breaking up of the dance Francezka disappeared. In a little while there was a hue and cry raised for Madame Cheverny. Messengers were sent after her.
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