The Corsican Brothers

I wished to speak of Corsica, but Louis was too absent to follow out such a grave subject of conversation. His eyes were constantly fixed on the clock, and suddenly he rushed away from my side, exclaiming:

“Ah, there is my bouquet of violets.”

He pushed through the crowd to join a woman who, evidently with a purpose, was holding a large bouquet of violets in her hand.

There were bouquets of every species in the foyer, and I myself was soon accosted by a bouquet of camellias, which congratulated me upon my safe return to Paris.

To the camellias succeeded a bouquet of rose-pompons.

To these succeeded a bouquet of heliotrope.

In fact I was engaged with my fifteenth bouquet when I encountered D – .

“Ah, is it you, mon cher?” he cried. “Welcome back; you have returned just in time. I have a little supper party this evening – so-and-so and so-and-so – and we shall count upon you.”

“A thousand thanks, my dear fellow; but though I am strongly tempted to accept your invitation, I can’t. I am engaged to somebody.”

“Yes; but everyone else will bring somebody also,” said D – . “It is quite understood that there are to be six water-bottles, whose destiny it is to refresh bouquets.”

“Ah, you are mistaken. I shall have no bouquet to put in a water-bottle; I am with a friend.”

“Well, you know the proverb, ‘Friends of our friends.’ ”

“It is a young gentleman whom you do not know.”

“Well, then, we will make his acquaintance.”

“I will tell him of his good fortune.”

“Yes, and if he decline, bring him by force.”

“I will do what I can, I promise you. At what time?”

“Three o’clock; but as supper will remain on table till six you have ample margin.”

“Very well.”

A bouquet of myosotis, which perhaps had heard the latter portion of our conversation, then took D – ’s arm and walked on with him.

Shortly afterwards I met Louis, who had by this time got rid of his violets.

As the lady who honoured me with her attention just then was a trifle dull, I despatched her to one of my friends, and took Louis’ arm.

“Well,” I said, “have you learnt what you wanted to know?”

“Oh, yes! You know that at a masked ball people talk of the very things they ought to leave you in ignorance of.”

“My poor friend,” I said, “pardon me for thus addressing you; but it appears to me that I know you since I have known your brother. Look here – you are unhappy, are not you? Now what is it?”

“Oh, my goodness! Nothing worth talking about.”

I saw that he did not wish to speak on the subject, so I said no more.

We took two or three turns in silence. – I was quite indifferent, for I expected nobody, but he was anxiously examining every domino that passed.

At length I said, “Do you know what you might do to-night?”

He started like a man suddenly aroused.

“I! No. I beg your pardon; what did you say?”

“I was about to propose a distraction which it seems to me you need.”

“What is it?”

“Come to supper with a friend of mine, with me.”

“Oh, no – I am not in a festive humour.”

“Bah! They will talk nothing but nonsense, and that will amuse you.”

“Well – but I am not invited!”

“You mistake – for you are.”

“It is very kind on your part – but ’pon my word I am not worthy of – ”

Just then we crossed D – . He seemed very much engaged with his bouquet of myosotis. Nevertheless he saw me.

“Well,” he said, “is it settled? Three o’clock.”

“Less settled than ever,” I replied – “I cannot join you.”

“Go to the Devil, then!”

And with this pious ejaculation he continued his course.

“Who is that gentleman?” inquired Louis.

“That is D – , one of my friends; a very cheerful youth, though he is the manager of one of our most respectable papers.”

“Monsieur D – !” exclaimed Louis. “Do you know him?”

“Certainly. I have known him for some years.”

“And is he the person with whom you are invited to sup this evening?”

“Yes, the same.”

“Then it was to his house you intended to take me?”

“Yes.”

“Then that alters the case. I accept, and with very great pleasure.”

“All right. That settles the question.”

“Perhaps, after all, I ought not to go,” muttered Louis, smiling sadly. “But you remember what I said yesterday about my destiny. Here is the proof. I should have done better not to have come here this evening.”

At this moment we again encountered D – . “My dear fellow,” I said, “I have changed my mind!”

“And you will join us?”

“Yes.”

“Bravo! But I ought to mention one thing.”

“That is?”

“That whoever sups with us to-night, sups with us again to-morrow evening.”

“By what law of society is that?”

“By the laws of the wager made with Chateau Renaud.”

I felt Louis’ arm quiver as it rested on mine – I turned round; but though his face was deadly pale, it was impassable.

“What is the wager?” I inquired.

“Oh, it would occupy too much time to repeat here, and, besides, some one interested might overhear, and it might thus be lost.”

“What wonderful discretion you possess! At three, then.”

“At three!”

Once more we separated, and as I glanced at the clock I saw it then was thirty-five minutes past two.

“Do you know this M. de Chateau Renaud?” asked Louis, who vainly attempted to command his voice, and to conceal his emotion.

“Only by sight. I have met him occasionally in society.”

“Then he is not a friend of yours?”

“Not even an acquaintance.”

“Ah, so much the better,” replied Louis.

“Why so?”

“For no particular reason.”

“But do you know him?”

“Indirectly.”

Notwithstanding this evasive answer, it was easy to perceive that between Louis and Chateau Renaud there existed one of those mysterious bonds which could only be forged by a woman. An instinctive feeling assured me that it would be best for all if he and I returned home quietly.

“Will you take my advice, Monsieur de Franchi,” I said.

“About what? tell me!”

“Do not go to supper at D – ’s house.”

“Why not? Does he not expect us. Have you not told him that you will bring a friend?”

“Yes, but that is not the point.”

“What is the point then?”

“I am sure you had better not go, that is all!”

“But surely you have some reason to give for your change of opinion; just now you were insisting on my presence at D – ’s against my will.”

“I did not then know that we should meet Chateau Renaud.”

“But that is all the better. I believe he is a very pleasant companion, and I shall be glad to make his acquaintance.”

“Very well,” I replied – “so be it. Shall we go now?”

We accordingly went downstairs for our paletots.

D – lived within a short distance of the opera house, the morning was very fine, and I hoped that the open air would enliven my companion. So I proposed that we should walk, and this he agreed to.

CHAPTER XIII

WE found many of my friends assembled – habitués of the opera lobbies and of the greenroom, and, as I had expected, a few unmasked “bouquets” anxious for the time to come when the water-bottles would be used – supper time!

I introduced Louis to several friends, and it is needless to say that he was politely received and welcomed.

Ten minutes after our arrival D – entered, accompanied by his bouquet of myosotis, who unmasked herself with a freedom and precision which argued a long acquaintance with these sort of parties.

I introduced Louis to D – .

“Now,” said B – , “if all the presentations have been made, I suggest that we present ourselves at table.”

“All the presentations are made, but all the guests have not arrived,” replied D – .

“Who is expected then?”

“Chateau Renaud is still wanting to complete the party.”

“Ah, just so. By-the-by, was there not some bet?”

“Yes. We laid a wager of a supper for twelve, that he would not bring a certain lady here to-night.”

“And who is the lady,” asked the bouquet of myosotis, “who is so very shy as to be made the subject of a bet?”

I looked at Louis de Franchi. He was outwardly composed, but pale as a corpse.

“Faith, I don’t know that there is any great harm in telling you her name, especially as none of you know her I think. She is Madame – ”

Louis placed his hand upon D – ’s arm.

“Monsieur,” he said; “will you grant me a favour? As a new acquaintance I venture to ask it!”

“What is it, monsieur?”

“Do not name the lady who is expected with M. de Chateau Renaud, you know she is a married woman!”

“Oh yes, but her husband is at Smyrna, in the East Indies, in Mexico, or some such place. When a husband lives so far away it is nearly the same as having no husband at all.”

“Her husband will return in a few days. I know him. He is a gallant fellow. I would wish, if possible, to spare him the chagrin of learning on his return that his wife had made one at this supper-party.”

“Excuse me, monsieur,” said D – , “I was not aware that you are acquainted with the lady, and I did not think she was married. But since you know her and her husband – ”

“I do know them.”

“Then we must exercise greater discretion. Ladies and gentlemen, whether Chateau Renaud comes or not – whether he wins or loses his bet, I must beg of you all to keep this adventure secret.”

We all promised, not because our moral senses were offended, but because we were hungry and wished to begin our supper.

“Thank you, monsieur,” said Louis to D – , holding out his hand to him. “I assure you you are acting like a thorough gentleman in this matter.”

We then passed into the supper-room, and each one took his allotted place. Two chairs were vacant, those reserved for Chateau Renaud and his expected companion.

The servant was about to remove them.

“No,” said the master, “let them remain; Chateau Renaud has got until four o’clock to decide his wager. At four o’clock if he is not here he will have lost.”

I could not keep my eyes from Louis de Franchi; I saw him watching the timepiece anxiously. It was then 3.40 A.M.

“Is that clock right?” asked Louis.

“That is not my concern,” said D – , laughing. “I set it by Chateau Renaud’s watch, so that there may be no mistake.”

“Well, gentlemen,” said the bouquet of myosotis, “it seems we cannot talk of anything but Chateau Renaud and his unknown fair one. We are getting horribly ‘slow,’ I think.”

“You are quite right, my dear,” replied V – . “There are so many women of whom we can speak, and who are only waiting to be spoken to – ”

“Let us drink their health,” cried D – .

So we did, and then the champagne went round briskly; every guest had a bottle at his or her elbow.

I noticed that Louis scarcely tasted his wine; “Drink, man!” I whispered: “don’t you see that she will not come?”

“It still wants a quarter to four,” said he; “at four o’clock, even though I shall be late in commencing, I promise you I will overtake some of you.”

“Oh, very well!” I replied.

While we had been exchanging these few words in a low tone, the conversation had become general around the table. Occasionally D – and Louis glanced at the clock, which ticked regularly on without any care for the impatience of the two men who were so intent upon its movements.

At five minutes to four I looked at Louis.

“To your health,” I said.

He took his glass, smiled, and raised it to his lips. He had drunk about half its contents when a ring was heard at the front door.

I did not think it possible that Louis could become any paler than he was, but I saw my mistake then.

“ ’Tis he,” he muttered.

“Yes, but perhaps he may have come alone,” I replied.

”We shall see in a moment.”

The sound of the bell had attracted everybody’s attention, and the most profound silence suddenly succeeded the buzz of conversation which had till then prevailed.

Then the sound of talking was heard in the anteroom.

D – rose and opened the door.

“I can recognize her voice,” said Louis, as he grasped my arm with a vice-like grip.

“We shall see! wait! be a man!” I answered. “It must be evident that if she has thus come to supper with a man, of her own will, to the house of a stranger, she is not worthy your sympathy.”

“I beg, madam, that you will enter,” said D – ’s voice in the outer room. “We are all friends here I assure you.”

“Yes, come in, my dear Emily,” said M. de Chateau Renaud, “you need not take off your mask if you do not wish to do so.”

“The wretch,” muttered Louis.

At that moment a lady entered, dragged in rather than assisted by D – , who fancied he was doing the honours, and by Chateau Renaud.

“Three minutes to four,” said Chateau Renaud to D – , in a low voice.

“Quite right, my dear fellow, you have won.”

“Not yet, monsieur,” said the young unknown addressing Chateau Renaud, and drawing herself up to her full height. “I can now understand your persistence. You laid a wager that I would sup here. Is that so?”

Chateau Renaud was silent. Then addressing D – , she continued.

“Since this man cannot answer, will you, monsieur, reply. Did not M. de Chateau Renaud wager that he would bring me here to supper to-night?”

“I will not hide from you, madame, that he flattered us with that hope,” replied D – .

“Well, then, M. de Chateau Renaud has lost, for I was quite unaware he was bringing me here. I believed we were to sup at the house of a friend of my own. So it appears to me that M. de Chateau Renaud has not won his wager.”

“But now you are here, my dear Emily, you may as well remain; won’t you? See, we have a good company and some pleasant young ladies too!”

“Now that I am here,” replied the unknown, “I will thank the gentleman who appears to be the master of the house for the courtesy with which he has treated me. But as, unfortunately, I cannot accept his polite invitation I will beg M. Louis de Franchi to see me home.”

Louis with a bound placed himself between the speaker and Chateau Renaud.

“I beg to observe, madam,” said the latter between his shut teeth, “that I brought you hither and consequently I am the proper person to conduct you home.”

“Gentlemen,” said the unknown, “you are five, I put myself into your honourable care. I trust you will defend me from the violence of M. de Chateau Renaud!”

Chateau Renaud made a movement. We all rose at once.

“Very good, madame,” he said. “You are at liberty. I know with whom I have to reckon.”

“If you refer to me, sir,” replied Louis de Franchi with an air of hauteur impossible to describe, “you will find me all day to-morrow at the Rue du Helder, No. 7.”

“Very well, monsieur. Perhaps I shall not have the pleasure to call upon you myself, but I hope that two friends of mine may be as cordially received in my place.”

“That was all that was necessary,” said Louis, shrugging his shoulders disdainfully. “A challenge before a lady! Come, madame,” he continued, offering his arm. “Believe me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the honour you do me.”

And then they left the room, amidst the most profound silence.

“Well, gentlemen, so it seems I have lost,” said Chateau Renaud, when the door closed. “That’s all settled! To-morrow evening all of you sup with me at the Frères Provençaux.”

CHAPTER XIV

THE next day, or rather the same day, at ten o’clock, I called upon M. Louis de Franchi.

As I was ascending the staircase, I met two young men coming down. One was evidently a civilian, the other wore the Legion of Honour, and though in mufti I could see he was an officer.

I had, no doubt, that these gentlemen had just been with M. de Franchi, and I watched them downstairs. Then I continued my way to Louis’ apartments and rang the bell.

The servant opened the door. His master was in his study.

When the man announced me, Louis, who was writing, looked up and exclaimed —

“Ah, welcome! I was just writing to you. I am very glad to see you. Joseph, I am not at home to any one.”

The servant went out and left us alone.

“Didn’t you meet two gentlemen upon the stairs?” asked Louis, as he placed a chair.

“Yes, one of them was decorated.”

“The same.”

“I fancied they had called upon you.”

“You are quite right.”

“Did they come on behalf of M. de Chateau Renaud?”

“They are his seconds.”

“Ah! so he has taken this matter seriously it seems.”

“He could scarcely do otherwise,” replied Louis.

“So they came to – .”

“To request me to name two friends who would confer with them; I thought of you.”

“I am really honoured by your kindness. But I cannot go alone.”

“I have also written to ask an old friend, the Baron Giordano Martelli, to breakfast here. He will come at eleven. We will breakfast together, and at twelve, perhaps, you will be kind enough to go and see these gentlemen who have promised to remain at home until three o’clock. Here are their names and addresses.”

Louis handed me two cards as he spoke.

One card represented the Baron René de Chateaugrand, the other M. Adrien de Boissy.

The former lived in the Rue de la Paix, No. 12.

The latter, who I now saw, belonged to the army, was a lieutenant of Chasseurs d’Afrique, and lived in the Rue de Lille, No. 29.

I turned the cards over and over in my fingers.

“Well, what embarrasses you?” asked Louis.

“I should like to be told frankly if you look upon this as a serious matter. You know we must mould our conduct upon that.”

“Indeed, I do consider it a very serious matter. You heard me place myself at M. de Chateau Renaud’s disposal, he has sent to me. I must now go with the current.”

“Yes, of course, but after all – ”

“Go on,” said Louis, smilingly.

“After all,” I continued, “we must know what you are going to fight for. We cannot put two men up to cut and slash each other without having some ground for the encounter.”

“Very well, let me tell you in as few words as possible, the head and front of the offending.

“When I first arrived in Paris I was introduced by a friend of mine, a captain in the navy, to his wife. She was young and beautiful. She made a deep impression upon me, and as I was really afraid I might end by falling in love with her, I very rarely went to my friend’s house, although frequently pressed to do so.

“My friend was rather piqued at my absence, and at last I frankly told him the truth, that his wife being so charming I was rather afraid to go to his house. He laughed, shook hands with me, and asked me, even pressed me, to dine with him that same evening.

“ ‘My dear Louis,’ said he, after dinner. ‘In a few weeks I shall sail for Mexico. I may be absent three months, perhaps six – or longer. We sailors sometimes know when we shall sail, but never when we may return. To you, I commend Emily during my absence. Emily, I beg of you to look upon M. Louis de Franchi as a brother.’

“The lady gave me her hand in token of agreement. I was stupefied! I did not know what to say, and I daresay I appeared very stupid to my future sister.

“Three weeks after this my friend sailed.

“During those three weeks he insisted that I should dine at least once a week with them en famille.

“Emily’s mother then came to live with her. I need scarcely say that her husband’s confidence was not abused, and though I loved her dearly I regarded her simply as a sister.

“Six months elapsed.

“Emily’s mother still remained with her, but when he went away, her husband had entreated her to receive as usual. There was nothing my poor friend had a greater horror of than to appear as a jealous husband. He adored Emily and had every confidence in her.

“So Emily continued to receive, and they were very friendly receptions. But her mother’s presence silenced all scandal or cause for it, and no one could say a word against her reputation.

“At the end of three months or so M. de Chateau Renaud appeared.

“You believe in presentiments, I daresay. When I first saw that man I disliked him and would not speak to him. I hated him.

“But why I disliked him I cannot tell you. I did!

“Most likely because I saw that even at his first appearance Emily seemed inclined to like him, and he evidently admired her. Perhaps I am mistaken, but, as at the bottom of my heart I had never ceased to love Emily, I suspect I was jealous.

“So on the next occasion I did not lose sight of M. de Chateau Renaud. Perhaps he noticed my looks and it seemed to me that he was chatting in undertones to Emily and holding me up to ridicule.

“Had I yielded to my feelings I would have challenged him that evening, but I reflected that such conduct would be absurd, and restrained myself.

“Every Wednesday thenceforth was a greater trial than the last.

“M. de Chateau Renaud is quite a man of the world, a dandy – a lion – I know how superior he is to me in many respects. But it seems to me that Emily values him more highly than he deserves.

“Soon I found out that I was not the only one who remarked her preference for M. de Chateau Renaud, and this preference increased to such an extent and became so obvious that one day Giordano, who like me was an habitué of the house, spoke to me about it.

“From that moment my resolution was taken. I determined to speak to Emily on the subject, convinced that she was only acting thoughtlessly and I had but to call her attention to the matter to have it remedied.

“But to my great astonishment she took my remonstrances in joke, pretended that I was mad, and that those who agreed with me were as stupid as I was.

“However, I insisted.

“Emily only replied, that she would leave to my own decision as to whether a man in love was not necessarily a prejudiced judge.

“I remained perfectly stupefied; her husband must have told her everything.

“Now you will understand that under these circumstances, and being an unhappy and jealous lover, and only making myself objectionable to the lady, I ceased to visit at the house.

“But although I did not go to her parties I did not the less hear the gossip that was afloat, nor was I the less unhappy, for these reports were assuming a tangible shape.

“I resolved therefore to write to her, and beg her in the strongest language of which I was capable, for her own and her husband’s sake, to be careful. She never answered my letter.

“Some time afterwards I heard it publicly stated that Emily was actually the mistress of Chateau Renaud. What I suffered I cannot express.

“It was then my poor brother became conscious of my grief.

“Then, after about a fortnight, you came back to Paris. The very day you called upon me I received an anonymous letter from a lady unknown appointing a meeting at the Opera Ball.

“This woman said that she had certain information to convey to me respecting a lady friend of mine, whose Christian name only she would mention.

“The name was Emily.

“My correspondent said I should recognize her by her carrying a bouquet of violets.

“I told you at the time that I did not wish to go to the ball, but I repeat I was hurried thither by fate.

“I went as you know. I found my domino at the place at the hour indicated. She confirmed what I had already heard respecting Chateau Renaud and Emily, and if I wished proof, she would give it me, for Chateau Renaud had made a bet that he would take his new mistress to supper at M. D – ’s house that evening.

“Chance revealed to me that you knew M. D – , you suggested that I should accompany you. I accepted, you know the rest.”

“Now, what more could I do but await and accept the proposals that were made to me?”

“But,” I said, at length, as a sensation of fear crossed my mind, “I am afraid I heard your brother say that you had never handled a sword or a pistol.”

“That is quite true!”

“Then you are absolutely at the mercy of your adversary!”

“I cannot help it. I am in the hands of Providence.”

CHAPTER XV

AS Louis was speaking, the servant announced the Baron Giordano Martelli.

He was a young Corsican from Sartène. He had served in the 11th Regiment, in which his gallantry had secured him promotion at the age of twenty-three.

“Well,” he said, after having bowed to me, “so things have come to a crisis, and no doubt you will soon have a visit from the seconds of Monsieur de Chateau Renaud.”