CHAPTER XXXIX. OLD AND NEW ACQUAINTANCE.

anyouwantwithher?Youshallgotoher,butsheshallnotcometoyou. ThusIshouldhaveanswered,hadtheresponselainwithme,butnobodyseemedtobeofmymindnobodyseemedsurprised,startled,orataloss.Thequietestcommonplaceanswermetthestrange,thedead-disturbing,theWitch-of-Endorqueryofthehunchback. “JustineMarie,”saidone,“iscomingsheisinthekioskshewillbeherepresently.” Outofthisquestionandreplysprangachangeinthechat—chatitstillremained,easy,desultory,familiargossip.Hint,allusion,comment,wentroundthecircle,butallsobroken,sodependentonreferencestopersonsnotnamed,orcircumstancesnotdefined,thatlistenasintentlyasIwould—andIdidlistennowwithafatedinterest—Icouldmakeoutnomorethanthatsomeschemewasonfoot,inwhichthisghostlyJustineMarie—deadoralive—wasconcerned.Thisfamily-juntaseemedgraspingathersomehow,forsomereasonthereseemedquestionofamarriage,ofafortune—forwhomIcouldnotquitemakeout—perhapsforVictorKint,perhapsforJosefEmanuel—bothwerebachelors.OnceIthoughtthehintsandjestsraineduponayoungfair-hairedforeigneroftheparty,whomtheycalledHeinrichMühler.Amidstallthebadinage,MadameWalravensstillobtrudedfromtimetotime,hoarse,cross-grainedspeechesherimpatiencebeingdivertedonlybyanimplacablesurveillanceofDésirée,whocouldnotstirbuttheoldwomanmenacedherwithherstaff. “Lavoilà!”suddenlycriedoneofthegentlemen,“voilàJustineMariequiarrive!” Thismomentwasformepeculiar.Icalleduptomemorythepicturednunonthepanelpresenttomymindwasthesadlove-storyIsawinthoughtthevisionofthegarret,theapparitionofthealley,thestrangebirthoftheberceauIunderwentapresentimentofdiscovery,astrongconvictionofcomingdisclosure.Ah!whenimaginationoncerunsriotwheredowestop?Whatwintertreesobareandbranchless—whatway-side,hedge-munchinganimalsohumble,thatFancy,apassingcloud,andastrugglingmoonbeam,willnotclotheitinspirituality,andmakeofitaphantom? Withsolemnforcepressedonmyheart,theexpectationofmysterybreakingup:hithertoIhadseenthisspectreonlythroughaglassdarklynowwasItobeholditfacetoface.IleanedforwardIlooked. “Shecomes!”criedJosefEmanuel. Thecircleopenedasifopeningtoadmitanewandwelcomemember.Atthisinstantatorchchancedtobecarriedpastitsblazeaidedthepalemoonindoingjusticetothecrisis,inlightingtoperfectionthedénouementpressingon.SurelythosenearmemusthavefeltsomelittleoftheanxietyIfelt,indegreesounmeted.Ofthatgroupthecoolestmusthave“heldhisbreathforatime!”Asforme,mylifestoodstill. Itisover.Themomentandthenunarecome.Thecrisisandtherevelationarepassedby. Theflambeauglaresstillwithinayard,heldupinapark-keeper’shanditslongeagertongueofflamealmostlicksthefigureoftheExpected—there—whereshestandsfullinmysight.Whatisshelike?Whatdoesshewear?Howdoesshelook?Whoisshe? Therearemanymasksintheparkto-night,andasthehourwearslate,sostrangeafeelingofrevelryandmysterybeginstospreadabroad,thatscarcewouldyoudiscreditme,reader,wereItosaythatsheislikethenunoftheattic,thatshewearsblackskirtsandwhitehead-clothes,thatshelookstheresurrectionoftheflesh,andthatsheisarisenghost. Allfalsities—allfigments!Wewillnotdealinthisgear.Letusbehonest,andcut,asheretofore,fromthehomelyweboftruth. Homely,though,isanill-chosenword.WhatIseeisnotpreciselyhomely.AgirlofVillettestandsthere—agirlfreshfromherpensionnat.Sheisverycomely,withthebeautyindigenoustothiscountry.Shelookswell-nourished,fair,andfatofflesh.Hercheeksareround,hereyesgoodherhairisabundant.Sheishandsomelydressed.Sheisnotaloneherescortconsistsofthreepersons—twobeingelderlythesesheaddressesas“MonOncle”and“MaTante.”Shelaughs,shechatsgood-humoured,buxom,andblooming,shelooks,atallpoints,thebourgeoisebelle. “SomuchforJustineMarie”somuchforghostsandmystery:notthatthislastwassolved—thisgirlcertainlyisnotmynun:whatIsawinthegarretandgardenmusthavebeentallerbyaspan. Wehavelookedatthecitybellewehavecursorilyglancedattherespectableolduncleandaunt.Haveweastrayglancetogivetothethirdmemberofthiscompany?Canwesparehimamoment’snotice?Weoughttodistinguishhimsofar,readerhehasclaimsonuswedonotnowmeethimforthefirsttime.Iclaspedmyhandsveryhard,andIdr