Canalis had arranged to bring his secretary in his own carriage, and
Ernest's unsuspicious nature did not perceive that he was putting
himself in a false position until too late to remedy it. The delay in
the arrival of the pair which had troubled Charles Mignon was caused
by the painting of the Canalis arms on the panels of the carriage, and
by certain orders given to a tailor; for the poet neglected none of
the innumerable details which might, even the smallest of them,
influence a young girl.
"It is all right," said Latournelle to Mignon on the sixth day. "The
baron's valet has hired Madame Amaury's villa at Sanvic, all
furnished, for seven hundred francs; he has written to his master that
he may start, and that all will be ready on his arrival. So the two
gentlemen will be here Sunday. I have also had a letter from Butscha;
here it is; it's not long: 'My dear master,--I cannot get back till
Sunday. Between now and then I have some very important inquiries to
make which concern the happiness of a person in whom you take an
interest.'"
The announcement of this arrival did not rouse Modeste from her gloom;
the sense of her fall and the bewilderment of her mind were still too
great, and she was not nearly as much of a coquette as her father
thought her to be.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261