Part 66 (2/2)
For some time we did not speak. That is what often happens when two people have a great many things to say to each other. Caroline was sitting at her piano, but she did not play.
”Why do I never hear you play now?” I asked.
”Because it depresses you, and I do not see the sense of causing you pain.”
”There are memories which are painful and sweet at the same time. I would like to hear once more that tune which you played the last time.”
”And which made your daughter cry? Poor child! how dearly I love her!”
Caroline turned to the piano and played Eugenie's favorite piece. I abandoned myself to the charm of listening and to the illusion of my memories. My heart was swollen with tears, and yet I enjoyed it.
Caroline turned often to look at me, but I did not see her.
Suddenly a great uproar roused us from that situation, which had much charm for us both. The doorbell rang violently. Soon we heard several voices and the barking of a dog.
”What a nuisance!” cried Caroline; ”one cannot be left in peace here a moment; my uncle receives all his neighbors! I absolutely must lose my temper with him.”
The noise kept increasing, and it seemed to me that I heard familiar voices. At last they came toward the salon, and lo! Giraud entered, with his wife, his daughter, one of his sons, and a tall young man dressed as if for a ball, who dared not move for fear of disarranging the knot of his cravat or rumpling his s.h.i.+rt collar.
Caroline watched the entrance of all those people with wide-open eyes.
Giraud came forward with an offhand air and introduced his wife, saying:
”Mademoiselle, I have the honor to offer my respects, and to introduce my wife. Wife, this is mademoiselle, the niece of Monsieur Roquencourt, from whom I received such a cordial welcome last Sunday, and who urged me to call again when I was driving in this direction. These are my eldest son and my daughter. Bow to the lady, my children. Monsieur is one of our intimate friends; he was in our party and I took the liberty of introducing him.--Good-day, my dear Blemont; delighted to find you here again!”
Caroline bestowed a decidedly cool salutation upon the party; she contented herself with pointing to chairs. The Giraud family seated themselves; the young dandy took his seat on the edge of a couch, and Giraud at once continued:
”But where is our dear uncle, the amiable Monsieur Roquencourt? Bless my soul! how I did enjoy hearing him recite the part of Mascarille in _L'Etourdi_! and Monsieur de Crac! Ah! how good he was! I made my wife laugh heartily by telling her about it.--Didn't I, my love?”
”Yes, my dear.--But, mon Dieu! what does Azor mean by searching under all the chairs like that? Come here, Azor.--Monsieur Mouille, just give him a kick, if you please, to make him keep still.”
Monsieur Mouille--that was the dandified young man's name--rose and tried to catch the dog. Being unable to do it, he gave him a kick, which made Azor fly from the salon yelping just as Monsieur Roquencourt entered. Everybody rose once more. Once more Monsieur Giraud introduced his family and his young man, adding:
”Monsieur Mouille does not come to the country often; he has so much business to attend to since he inherited from his uncle the merchant, who left him a hundred and fifty thousand francs and a buggy.--Was it a buggy or a tilbury that your uncle had?”
”It was a jolting affair,” replied Monsieur Mouille, without turning his neck.
Giraud made a wry face and continued;
”Yes--in short, a carriage. That is very well for a young man of twenty-three. But when I told him that we were going to pay a visit to such agreeable people, he no longer hesitated to accompany us. Wife, this is Monsieur Roquencourt, who, as I was saying just now, used to act so well! Dieu! how you did make me laugh when you recited Mascarille!”
Monsieur Roquencourt seemed at first rather surprised to find so large a party, brought by a man whom he had seen but once; but the instant that the subject of acting was mentioned, his features dilated, his eyes gleamed, and he exclaimed:
”Yes, pardieu! I should say that I have acted! and before Dugazon, Larive and many others!”
”That is what I told my wife and Monsieur Mouille, that you acted before Dugazon. My dear, monsieur acted before Dugazon!”
”Mascarille is a fine part, very long; but, although I was very good in it, especially when I said: _'Vivat Mascarillus, fourb.u.m imperator----'_”
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