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Neither Mademoiselle Lecouvreur nor Monsieur Voltaire replied to him, but getting into the coach in which they came, were driven away under a narrow archway and were out of sight in a minute. Jacques Haret's mention of a serving-man directed my attention to an elderly man in the well-known purple and canary livery of Madame Riano, who stood close to the stage, never budging from his place.
The part of Mariamne Jacques Haret's Mariamne was a very comic one, especially at the last, which was a burlesque on Mariamne's parting from Herod. Up to that point, the young actress played with the true spirit of comedy. Her audience shouted with laughter. Even Mademoiselle Lecouvreur laughed as I have never known her to before or since.
Next morning we resumed our journey. Francezka, that day, rode a-horseback. She had not much fancy for Jacques Haret's society, as soon as her appetite for news was satisfied, so one or the other of the Chevernys rode with her the whole day.
Monsieur Voltaire had always despised Jacques Haret, and I had never known him to amuse himself with Jacques Haret's wit, or to countenance the fellow at all. But here the two sat, as jovial as you please, and Gaston Cheverny between them! I glanced toward Francezka.
The earth began to rock under my feet, the heavens broke into long waves of light, as if the oceans and a million voices were shouting in my ear at once. In the midst of all this, Jacques Haret's cool, musical voice continued: "Yes. He should reach there about this time.
The blood of the Kirkpatricks was rising in Francezka's veins; the air suddenly seemed full of electricity. I saw her involuntarily place her hand upon the inkstand, a heavy, bronze one, lying on the table, and I thought the chance was that she would throw it in Jacques Haret's face. To save her from so wild an act was my only thought.
I mentioned that I had come across Jacques Haret, for I made no doubt the fellow would intrude himself upon us, and I wished to prepare Mademoiselle Capello for his advent. By my advice and Gaston Cheverny's, she had not mentioned to Madame Riano her acting in Jacques Haret's company in the garden.
He took the pen from Jacques Haret's hand, and as clearly and steadily as ever I wrote for Count Saxe, Gaston Cheverny drew a line across the map with his right hand. "I should not be surprised, Gaston, if you entirely recovered the use of your right hand and arm," said Jacques Haret, fixing a penetrating look upon Gaston Cheverny.
If I had been surprised at his patience with Jacques Haret's impertinence an hour ago, I now saw that it was not so long suffering as I had thought, for Gaston, sitting in the coach and holding the door open, was swearing at Jacques Haret with a concentration of rage I had never seen excelled in any human being before.
There was no telling to what heights Madame Riano's wrath might rise; she would be capable of wringing Jacques Haret's neck if she had a good mind to, and as the thing was not suspected by any except a few persons who had seen the last performance, it was undoubtedly best to keep it quiet. Francezka blushed a little at the mention of Jacques Haret's name.
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