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Updated: June 10, 2025
"Diana would, perhaps, have been at the usual meeting place to-day, in spite of the weather, had she not been compelled to visit a poor woman in a contrary direction. Upon the same business, she will have to call to-morrow at the house of a man called Daumon." She folded the note and said, "This letter must be taken at once to M. Norbert de Champdoce. Who will carry it?"
Berven was one of the identical men to whom Norbert had given his promissory note for four thousand francs, for he was one of the two men who had intrusted Daumon with their savings for investment; but the young man was not in a condition to notice this. Diana had meantime slung her basket on her arm. "Before I leave you to-day," said she, "I should so much like to ask a favor of you."
And eight days later the village was thrown into a state of intense excitement by the fact becoming known that Daumon had shut up his house and departed for Paris, taking Francoise, the Widow Rouleau's daughter, with him.
Only a day or two ago some persons were speaking of you in the presence of Mademoiselle de Laurebourg, and she blushed crimson at your name. Do you know Mademoiselle Diana?" Norbert colored. "Ah, I understand," replied Daumon. "And when you have broken the fetters that now bind you, we shall see something one of these days. And now "
He vowed that he would be revenged for this, and for five years had been watching his opportunity, and this was the man whom Norbert met when he went to deliver his corn to the miller. As he was coming back with his empty wagon, Daumon asked for a lift back as far as the cross road that led to his cottage.
Daumon was expecting a visit from the young man, and had been waiting for him with the cool complacency of a bird-catcher, who, having arranged all his lines and snares, stands with folded arms until his feathered victims fall into his net. The line that he had displayed before the young man's eyes was the sight of liberty.
"I will speak about this poor woman's case to my father;" and, with her limbs bending under her, she left the room. As Daumon returned from accompanying her to the door, the Counsellor rubbed his hands. "Things are getting decidedly warm," muttered he. He felt that he must gain some further information, and this he could not get from Norbert.
When Diana had lost sight of her lover, she turned round to Daumon. Her face was pale, and her eyelids swollen, but her eyes flashed with the conviction of success. "To-morrow, Counsellor," said she, "to-morrow I shall be the Duchess de Champdoce." Daumon was so overwhelmed that, accustomed as he was to startling events and underhand trickery, he could find no words to express his feelings.
After a pause, in which she succeeded in mastering her emotion, Diana began with the utmost volubility to explain the extortion that Daumon was endeavoring to practise upon her, magnifying, though there was but little need to do so, all the threats and menaces that he had made use of.
He had made up his mind that for the present he would yield to his despotism, but afterwards, in the future, what was he to do? It is an easy thing to find persons to give you bad advice, and the very next day Norbert found one at Bevron in the shape of a certain man called Daumon, a bitter enemy of the Duke.
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