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Updated: June 8, 2025
Marie Delhasse took a step forward when she heard his reference to the duchess. "Her absence was discovered by Suzanne at six o'clock this morning," the old fellow went on. "And the duke ah, take care how you come near him, sir! Oh, it's a kettle of fish! For as I came I met that coxcomb Lafleur riding back with a message from the duke's guests that they would not come to-day!
I offered no opinion on the question of Mlle. Delhasse: to begin with, I knew very little about it; in the second place there seemed to me to be a more pressing question. "Quick, Jean!" said the duchess. And we lumbered on at a trot, Jean twisting his cheroot round and round, and grunting now and again. The old man's face said, plain as words. "Yes, I shall get the sack; and you'll be shot!"
And yet it was not of the duchess only that I thought as I went. There were also in my mind the indignant pride with which Marie Delhasse had questioned me, and the shrinking shame in her eyes at that counter-question of mine. The Duke of Saint-Maclou's invitation seemed to bring as much disquiet to one of his guests as it had to his wife herself.
"We'll wait till to-morrow," said I, "if you'll promise not to seek to see or speak to Mlle. Delhasse till to-morrow. Otherwise we'll fight tonight, seconds or no seconds, light or no light!" I never understood perfectly the temper of the man, nor the sudden gusts of passion to which, at a word that chanced to touch him, he was subject.
Well, I have looked in Avranches. She is not in Avranches. I'll go home again." Marie Delhasse came close to my side. "Ask him," she said to me, "if he speaks of the Duchess of Saint-Maclou." I put the question as I was directed. "You couldn't have guessed better if you'd known," said Jean; and a swift glance from Marie Delhasse told me that her suspicion as to my knowledge was aroused.
But that she had in reality gone, I could not believe. A sudden thought struck me. "Did Mlle. Delhasse," I asked, "send any answer to the note that came from the carriage?" "Ah, sir, I forgot. Certainly. She wrote an answer, and the messenger carried it away with him." "And did the boy you speak of see anything more of the carriage?" "He did not pass that way again, sir."
"Nonsense!" said I. "I can aim as well with my left;" and that indeed was not very far from the truth. And I went on: "Is she here?" "Mme. and Mlle. Delhasse are both here, under my escort." "I should like to see Mlle. Delhasse," I observed.
He spared me the remark, but not the sly leer that had been made to accompany it. He clapped his heels to his horse's side and trotted off in the direction from which he had come. So that he could swear he had been to Avranches, he was satisfied! Marie Delhasse turned to me, asking haughtily: "What is the meaning of this? What do you know of the Duke or Duchess of Saint-Maclou?"
For I understood that he did but offer the same terms as before terms which included the abandonment of Marie Delhasse. On we went, our faces set toward the great Mount, and with the sinking sun on our left hands. We met few people, and as we reached the sands yet fewer. The duke took out his watch. "We are punctual to the minute," said he.
Most undoubtedly I had intruded into the bedchamber of that highly respectable lady, Mme. Delhasse. I can only plead that the circumstances were peculiar. A Strange Good Humor. For a moment Marie Delhasse stood looking at me; then she uttered a low cry, full of relief, of security, of joy; and coming to me stretched out her hands, saying: "You are here then, after all!"
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