The Parisians | Page 9

a jealous
temperament to confide your discovery to another."
"Yes, I am of a very jealous temperament," replied the Englishman;
"but jealousy comes after love, and not before it. I am not in love; I am

only haunted. To-morrow evening, then, shall we dine at Philippe's,
seven o'clock?"
"With all my heart," said Lemercier; "and you too, Alain?"
"Thank you, no," said the Marquis, briefly; and he rose, drew on his
gloves, and took up his hat.
At these signals of departure, the Englishman, who did not want tact
nor delicacy, thought that he had made himself 'de trop' in the
'tete-a-tete' of two friends of the same age and nation; and, catching up
his paletot, said hastily, "No, Marquis, do not go yet, and leave our host
in solitude; for I have an engagement which presses, and only looked in
at Lemercier's for a moment, seeing the light at his windows. Permit me
to hope that our acquaintance will not drop, and inform me where I
may have the honour to call on you."
"Nay," said the Marquis; "I claim the right of a native to pay my
respects first to the foreigner who visits our capital, and," he added in a
lower tone, "who speaks so nobly of those who revere its exiles."
The Englishman saluted, and walked slowly towards the door; but on
reaching the threshold turned back and made a sign to Lemercier,
unperceived by Alain.
Frederic understood the sign, and followed Graham Vane into the
adjoining room, closing the door as he passed.
"My dear Lemercier, of course I should not have intruded on you at this
hour on a mere visit of ceremony. I called to say that the Mademoiselle
Duval whose address you sent me is not the right one,--not the lady
whom, knowing your wide range of acquaintance, I asked you to aid
me in finding out."
"Not the right Duval? Diable! she answered your description, exactly."
"Not at all."

"You said she was very pretty and young,--under twenty."
"You forgot that I said she deserved that description twenty-one years
ago."
"Ah, so you did; but some ladies are always young. 'Age,' says a wit in
the 'Figaro,' 'tis a river which the women compel to reascend to its
source when it has flowed onward more than twenty years.' Never mind:
'soyez tranquille;' I will find your Duval yet if she is to be found. But
why could not the friend who commissioned you to inquire choose a
name less common? Duval! every street in Paris has a shop-door over
which is inscribed the name of Duval."
"Quite true, there is the difficulty; however, my dear Lemercier, pray
continue to look out for a Louise Duval who was young and pretty
twenty- one years ago: this search ought to interest me more than that
which I entrusted to you tonight, respecting the pearly-robed lady; for
in the last I but gratify my own whim, in the first I discharge a promise
to a friend. You, so perfect a Frenchman, know the difference; honour
is engaged to the first. Be sure you let me know if you find any other
Madame or Mademoiselle Duval; and of course you remember your
promise not to mention to any one the commission of inquiry you so
kindly undertake. I congratulate you on your friendship for M. de
Rochebriant. What a noble countenance and manner!"
Lemercier returned to the Marquis. "Such a pity you can't dine with us
to-morrow. I fear you made but a poor dinner to-day. But it is always
better to arrange the menu beforehand. I will send to Philippe's
tomorrow. Do not be afraid."
The Marquis paused a moment, and on his young face a proud struggle
was visible. At last he said, bluntly and manfully,
"My dear Frederic, your world and mine are not and cannot be the same.
Why should I be ashamed to own to my old schoolfellow that I am poor,
--very poor; that the dinner I have shared with you to-day is to me a
criminal extravagance? I lodge in a single chamber on the fourth-story;
I dine off a single plat at a small restaurateur's; the utmost income I can

allow to myself does not exceed five thousand francs a year: my
fortunes I cannot hope much to improve. In his own country Alain de
Rochebriant has no career." Lemercier was so astonished by this
confession that he remained for some moments silent, eyes and mouth
both wide open; at length he sprang up, embraced his friend well-nigh
sobbing, and exclaimed, "'Tant mieux pour moi!' You must take your
lodging with me. I have a charming bedroom to spare. Don't say no. It
will raise my own position to say 'I and Rochebriant keep house
together.' It must be so.