To return for a moment to Rose.She parted from Edouard, and went in at the front door: but the next moment she opened it softly and watched her lover unseen."Dear Edouard!" she murmured: and then she thought, "how sad it is that I must deceive him, even to-night:
must make up an excuse to get him from me, when we were so happy together.Ah! he little knows how I shall welcome our wedding-day.
When once I can see my poor martyr on the road to peace and content under the good doctor's care.And oh! the happiness of having no more secrets from him I love! Dear Edouard! when once we are married, I never, never, will have a secret from you again--I swear it."As a comment on these words she now stepped cautiously out, and peered in every direction.
"St--st!" she whispered.No answer came to this signal.
Rose returned into the house and bolted the door inside.She went up to the tapestried room, and found the doctor in the act of wishing Josephine good-night.The baroness, fatigued a little by her walk, had mounted no higher than her own bedroom, which was on the first floor just under the tapestried room.Rose followed the doctor out."Dear friend, one word.Josephine talked of telling Raynal.You have not encouraged her to do that?""Certainly not, while he is in Egypt."
"Still less on his return.Doctor, you don't know that man.
Josephine does not know him.But I do.He would kill her if he knew.He would kill her that minute.He would not wait: he would not listen to excuses: he is a man of iron.Or if he spared her he would kill Camille: and that would destroy her by the cruellest of all deaths! My friend, I am a wicked, miserable girl.I am the cause of all this misery!"She then told Aubertin all about the anonymous letter, and what Raynal had said to her in consequence.
"He never would have married her had he known she loved another.He asked me was it so.I told him a falsehood.At least Iequivocated, and to equivocate with one so loyal and ****** was to deceive him.I am the only sinner: that sweet angel is the only sufferer.Is this the justice of Heaven? Doctor, my remorse is great.No one knows what I feel when I look at my work.Edouard thinks I love her so much better than I do him.He is wrong: it is not love only, it is pity: it is remorse for the sorrow I have brought on her, and the wrong I have done poor Raynal."The high-spirited girl was greatly agitated: and Aubertin, though he did not acquit her of all blame, soothed her, and made excuses for her.
"We must not always judge by results," said he."Things turned unfortunately.You did for the best.I forgive you for one.That is, I will forgive you if you promise not to act again without my advice.""Oh, never! never!"
"And, above all, no imprudence about that child.In three little weeks they will be together without risk of discovery.Well, you don't answer me."Rose's blood turned cold."Dear friend," she stammered, "I quite agree with you.""Promise, then."
"Not to let Josephine go to Frejus?" said Rose hastily."Oh, yes! Ipromise."
"You are a good girl," said Aubertin."You have a will of your own.
But you can submit to age and experience." The doctor then kissed her, and bade her farewell.
"I leave for Paris at six in the morning," he said."I will not try your patience or hers unnecessarily.Perhaps it will not be three weeks ere she sees her child under her friend's roof."The moment Rose was alone, she sat down and sighed bitterly."There is no end to it," she sobbed despairingly."It is like a spider's web: every struggle to be free but multiplies the fine yet irresistible thread that seems to bind me.And to-night I thought to be so happy; instead of that, he has left me scarce the heart to do what I have to do."She went back to the room, opened a window, and put out a white handkerchief, then closed the window down on it.
Then she went to Josephine's bedroom-door: it opened on the tapestried room.
"Josephine," she cried, "don't go to bed just yet.""No, love.What are you doing? I want to talk to you.Why did you say promise? and what did you mean by looking at me so? Shall Icome out to you?"
"Not just yet," said Rose; she then glided into the corridor, and passed her mother's room and the doctor's, and listened to see if all was quiet.While she was gone Josephine opened her door; but not seeing Rose in the sitting-room, retired again.
Rose returned softly, and sat down with her head in her hand, in a calm attitude belied by her glancing eye, and the quick tapping of her other hand upon the table.
Presently she raised her head quickly; a sound had reached her ear,--a sound so slight that none but a high-strung ear could have caught it.It was like a mouse giving a single scratch against a stone wall.
Rose coughed slightly.
On this a clearer sound was heard, as of a person scratching wood with the finger-nail.Rose darted to the side of the room, pressed against the wall, and at the same time put her other hand against the rim of one of the panels and pushed it laterally; it yielded, and at the opening stood Jacintha in her cloak and bonnet.
"Yes," said Jacintha, "under my cloak--look!""Ah! you found the things on the steps?"
"Yes! I nearly tumbled over them.Have you locked that door?""No, but I will." And Rose glided to the door and locked it.Then she put the screen up between Josephine's room and the open panel:
then she and Jacintha were wonderfully busy on the other side the screen, but presently Rose said, "This is imprudent; you must go down to the foot of the stairs and wait till I call you."Jacintha pleaded hard against this arrangement, and represented that there was no earthly chance of any one coming to that part of the chateau.
"No matter; I will be guarded on every side.""Mustn't I stop and just see her happy for once?""No, my poor Jacintha, you must hear it from my lips."Jacintha retired to keep watch as she was bid.Rose went to Josephine's room, and threw her arms round her neck and kissed her vehemently.Josephine returned her embrace, then held her out at arm's length and looked at her.
