CHAPTER XXXIX. OLD AND NEW ACQUAINTANCE.

ewmybreathverydeep:Iheldinthecry,Idevouredtheejaculation,Iforbadethestart,IspokeandIstirrednomorethanastonebutIknewwhatIlookedonthroughthedimnessleftinmyeyesbymanynights’weeping,Iknewhim.TheysaidhewastosailbytheAntigua.MadameBecksaidso.Shelied,orshehadutteredwhatwasoncetruth,andfailedtocontradictitwhenitbecamefalse.TheAntiguawasgone,andtherestoodPaulEmanuel. WasIglad?Ahugeloadleftme.Wasitafacttowarrantjoy?Iknownot.Askfirstwhatwerethecircumstancesattendantonthisrespite?Howfardidthisdelayconcernme?Weretherenotthosewhomitmighttouchmorenearly? Afterall,whomaythisyounggirl,thisJustineMarie,be?Notastranger,readersheisknowntomebysightshevisitsattheRueFossette:sheisoftenofMadameBeck’sSundayparties.SheisarelationofboththeBecksandWalravensshederivesherbaptismalnamefromthesaintednunwhowouldhavebeenheraunthadshelivedherpatronymicisSauveursheisanheiressandanorphan,andM.Emanuelisherguardiansomesayhergodfather. Thefamilyjuntawishthisheiresstobemarriedtooneoftheirband—whichisit?Vitalquestion—whichisit? Ifeltverygladnow,thatthedrugadministeredinthesweetdraughthadfilledmewithapossessionwhichmadebedandchamberintolerable.Ialways,throughmywholelife,likedtopenetratetotherealtruthIlikeseekingthegoddessinhertemple,andhandlingtheveil,anddaringthedreadglance.OTitanessamongdeities!thecoveredoutlineofthineaspectsickensoftenthroughitsuncertainty,butdefinetousonetrait,showusonelineament,clearinawfulsinceritywemaygaspinuntoldterror,butwiththatgaspwedrinkinabreathofthydivinityourheartshakes,anditscurrentsswaylikeriversliftedbyearthquake,butwehaveswallowedstrength.ToseeandknowtheworstistotakefromFearhermainadvantage. TheWalravens’party,augmentedinnumbers,nowbecameverygay.Thegentlemenfetchedrefreshmentsfromthekiosk,allsatdownontheturfunderthetreestheydrankhealthsandsentimentstheylaughed,theyjested.M.Emanuelunderwentsomeraillery,halfgood-humoured,half,Ithought,malicious,especiallyonMadameBeck’spart.Isoongatheredthathisvoyagehadbeentemporarilydeferredofhisownwill,withouttheconcurrence,evenagainsttheadvice,ofhisfriendshehadlettheAntiguago,andhadtakenhisberthinthePauletVirginie,appointedtosailafortnightlater.Itwashisreasonforthisresolvewhichtheyteasedhimtoassign,andwhichhewouldonlyvaguelyindicateas“thesettlementofalittlepieceofbusinesswhichhehadsethisheartupon.”Whatwasthisbusiness?Nobodyknew.Yes,therewasonewhoseemedpartly,atleast,inhisconfidenceameaninglookpassedbetweenhimandJustineMarie.“Lapetitevam’aider—n’est-cepas?”saidhe.Theanswerwaspromptenough,Godknows? “Maisoui,jevousaideraidetoutmoncoeur.Vousferezdemoitoutcequevousvoudrez,monparrain.” Andthisdear“parrain”tookherhandandliftedittohisgratefullips.Uponwhichdemonstration,Isawthelight-complexionedyoungTeuton,HeinrichMühler,growrestless,asifhedidnotlikeit.Heevengrumbledafewwords,whereatM.Emanuelactuallylaughedinhisface,andwiththeruthlesstriumphoftheassuredconqueror,hedrewhiswardnearertohim. M.Emanuelwasindeedveryjoyousthatnight.Heseemednotonewhitsubduedbythechangeofsceneandactionimpending.Hewasthetruelifeofthepartyalittledespotic,perhaps,determinedtobechiefinmirth,aswellasinlabour,yetfrommomenttomomentprovingindisputablyhisrightofleadership.Hiswasthewittiestword,thepleasantestanecdote,thefrankestlaugh.Restlesslyactive,afterhismanner,hemultipliedhimselftowaitonallbutoh!Isawwhichwashisfavourite.Isawatwhosefeethelayontheturf,Isawwhomhefoldedcarefullyfromthenightair,whomhetended,watched,andcherishedastheappleofhiseye. Still,hintandrailleryflewthick,andstillIgatheredthatwhileM.Paulshouldbeabsent,workingforothers,theseothers,notquiteungrateful,wouldguardforhimthetreasureheleftinEurope.LethimbringthemanIndianfortune:theywouldgivehiminreturnayoungbrideandarichinheritance.Asforthesaintlyconsecration,thevowofconstancy,thatwasforgotten:thebloomingandcharmingPresentprevailedoverthePastand,atlength,hisnunwasindeedburied. Thusitmustbe.Therevelationwasindeedcome.Presentimenthadnotbeenmistakeninherimpulse:thereisakindofpresentimentwhichneverismi