CHAPTER V.
MM. de Morin and Périères were evidently in the best of humours when
Madame de Guéran joined them, and, as had been foreseen by Dr.
Desrioux, they were the bearers of good news for their fair hostess.
Nevertheless, she looked at them anxiously and inquiringly, as she
said—
"Well?"
"We go with you," was the joint reply.
"Could you doubt it?" added the painter. "There was no need to give me a week to reflect. The morning after you imparted your project to us, I made up my mind to follow you to the end of the world, if you wished it."
"As for me," chimed in M. Périères, by way of stealing a march on his rival, "my resolution was taken before you had finished speaking."
"I thank you both, gentlemen," said the Baroness, "but let us be serious, please. This is not a question as to which of you will set out with the greater haste. Still less is it a question of following me, for we all go together, each on a precisely similar footing, as loyal comrades and true. From to-day you will have the goodness to treat me as one of yourselves, and spare me even an approach to any vapid compliments. I hare already told you that we will settle our accounts on our return to France. In the meantime, it most be thoroughly understood that any display, in any way whatsoever, of the feelings with which I inspire you is absolutely and expressly forbidden. Unless I take these precautions against you our journey may become—" and then she added with a smile, "dangerous. And now that we understand each other, let us to work, that is to say, let us arrange the preliminaries of the expedition."
"Quite so. Quite so!" cried M. de Morin. "We have not a moment to lose, for we shall set out at once, shall we not? In a fortnight at the latest?"
"And why not at the end of this week?" asked his companion.
"Not so fast, gentlemen, not so fast," said the Baroness. "Voyages of exploration, and quests such as that which we contemplate, are not to be matured in a moment. I can, it is true, spare you certain delays, seeing that, in anticipation of what has occurred to-day, I took my precautions six months ago; but, not withstanding all that, we have still much to do in the way of preparation."