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Josephine cast a look of wonder and anguish on Camille, but she said nothing. She rang the bell, and, on Jacintha coming up, despatched her to Dr. Aubertin for the patient's medicine. "Tell the doctor," said she, "Colonel Dujardin has let fall the glass." While Jacintha was gone, she scolded Camille gently. "How could you be so unkind to the poor doctor who loves you so?
At last Rose heard some news of the truant lover. The fact is, this young lady was as intelligent as she was inexperienced; and she had asked Jacintha to tell Dard to talk to every soldier that passed through the village, and ask him if he knew anything about Captain Dujardin of the 17th regiment.
"I hope she may," said Madame Dujardin, tears twinkling in her eyes. "I'm sure she will," said Marie. "You see everybody is looking for her. There's Granny, and Mother and Father De Smet, and Joseph, and the people in Rotterdam, and the people in England, too; and then, besides, Mother is looking for herself, of course!"
The next minute the sad letter was finished, and Raynal walked out of the tent, and confronted the man he had challenged to single combat. I have mentioned elsewhere that Colonel Dujardin had eyes strangely compounded of battle and love, of the dove and the hawk. And these, softened by a noble act he meditated, now rested on Raynal with a strange expression of warmth and goodness.
Let a man be as bold as a lion, a certain awe still waits upon doubt and mystery; and some of this vague awe crept over Camille Dujardin at Raynal's mysterious speech, and his grave, quiet, significant manner. Had he discovered something, and what? For Josephine's sake, more than his own, Camille was on his guard directly. Raynal looked at him in silence a moment.
At last the great day arrived on which Camille and Josephine were to be married at Frejus. The mayor awaited them at eleven o'clock. The cure at twelve. The family had been duly prepared for this excursion by several smaller ones. Rose announced their intention over night; a part of it. "Mamma," said she, blushing a little, "Colonel Dujardin is good enough to take us to Frejus tomorrow.
Well, sir, as you said just now, it's no use crying over spilled milk; you can't unseduce the little fool; so you must marry her." "M m marry her?" and Dujardin flushed all over, and his heart beat, and he stared in Raynal's face. "Why, what is the matter again? If she has played the fool, it was with you, and no other man: it is not as if she was depraved. Come, my lad, show a little generosity!
Upon my honor, never." "Your honor! you have none. The only question is would you rather marry her or die." "Die, to be sure." "Then die you shall." "Ah!" said Dujardin; "did I not tell you we were wasting time? "Let us waste no more then. WHEN and WHERE?" "At the rear of the commander-in-chief's tent; when you like." "This afternoon, then at five." "At five." "Seconds?" "What for?"
"Do so; oblige me by avoiding that angle; it is exposed, and the enemy have got the range to an inch." Colonel Dujardin slipped into his quarters; off with his half-dress jacket and his dirty boots, and presently out he came full fig, glittering brighter than the other, with one French and two foreign orders shining on his breast, mounted the aide-de-camp's horse, and away full pelt.
I shall not go into a pet like you; I am in earnest. I shall just say to him, 'Dujardin, I know all! Then if he is guilty his face will show it directly. Then I shall say, 'Comrade, you must marry her whom you have dishonored." "He will not. He is a libertine, a rascal." "You are speaking of a man you don't know. He WILL marry her and repair the wrong he has done." "Suppose he refuses?"
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