“To become a husband, a father, a parent.”
“You are insolent! It is not worth my while
to reply to you. You may tell my goddaughter....”
The door opened, and Esperance, who had been kept
awake by the noise of their voices, appeared to know
what was the matter!
“Ah! there you are. I will say good-bye!
Your cavaliers annoy me.”
He threw a furious glance towards Jean, who had not
spoken a word. It is a fact that the majority
of people cherish more rancour against the witness
of an insult than against the insulter himself.
“I will not be present at your triumph—as
they call it. I am going to your father and shall
tell him everything.”
“My father, godfather, knows that I always tell
the truth; he will await my return to judge my actions
and those of my dear comrades.”
Adhemar pulled on his hat and stormed out of the room,
swelling with wounded dignity.
Esperance blew a kiss to the two young men.
“Now I am going to sleep until dinner time.
I have just three-quarters of an hour. Do not
forget, my loyal attendants, that we dine at six-thirty,”
she added with a sweeping courtesy, and disappeared,
light of heart at the departure of her godfather.
The performance was an unparalleled triumph for the
players and little “Dona Sol” received
the most flattering part of the success. The
King, knowing that the Queen had already favoured this
delightful child, would not be outdone in generosity,
and sent to the dressing-room of the new star a very
beautiful ring, set with a magnificent pearl and two
diamonds. Esperance, who had never had any jewellery
except a gold chain that her mother’s aunt had
left her and the little ring her father had given
her for her first communion, found herself, in one
day, possessor of two ornaments which the most fastidious
worldling would not have disdained. She put the
ring immediately on her first finger, since it was
a little loose for the ring finger, and looked at herself
in the glass, arranging a lock of hair with the ringed
hand, raising an eyebrow and laughing delightedly
to see the effect produced by the ring. Count
Albert watched her from the neighbouring room where
he was waiting. His face was of a livid pallor.
His heart beat so fast that he felt weak, and was
forced to sit down. He was out of his senses.
All the frenzy of youth, repressed so long, mounted
in a wave to his brain.
Marguerite, coming to dress her mistress, announced
that the gentlemen were waiting. She quickly
threw on a cloak, saying, “I am ready.”
Mounet-Sully and Count Albert entered together.
The Count offered his arm to the old Mademoiselle,
and Esperance, free of the contact that disturbed
her, joyfully accepted the tragedian’s assistance.
