“And to those five thousand francs we will add five thousand more which are here, in order to get back again—to get back again—”
His emotion choked him. Cruel was the commission which Rosalie had given him. Ah, how often it costs a lot to be considered a quiet-loving, strong man; much more is demanded of such a one than of other people! Then he added very rapidly—“the photograph of Mlle. Le Quesnoy.”
“At last! now we have got to it. The photograph—didn’t I know it, by heavens?” At every word she bounded up like a goat. “And so you really believe that you can make us come from the other end of France, that you can promise everything to us—to us who never asked for anything—and then that you can put us out of doors like so many dogs who have done their worst and left their dirt everywhere? Take back your money, gentleman! You can be dead sure that we sha’n’t leave, and you can say so there, and also that the photograph won’t be returned to them! That’s a paper and a proof, that is. I keep it safe in my little bag; it never leaves me and I shall show it about through Paris and what is written upon it, so that all the world may know that all those Roumestans are no better than a family of liars—of liars—”
She was foaming with rage.
“Mlle. Le Quesnoy is very, very ill,” said Méjean, with great solemnity.
“Avaï!”
“She is leaving Paris, and in all probability will never return—alive!”
Audiberte said not a word, but the silent laugh of her eyes, the implacable no which was written upon her classic brow, on which the hair grew low beneath the little lace head-dress, were sufficient to warrant the firmness of her refusal. Then a temptation seized Méjean to throw himself upon her, tear the little Indian bag from her girdle and fly with it; still, he restrained himself, attempted a few useless expostulations, and then, quivering with rage likewise, he said, “You will repent of this,” and to the great regret of Father Valmajour, left the house.
“Look out, little girl, you are going to bring us into some misfortune!”
“Not much! It’s them that we’ll give trouble to; I am going to ask the advice of Guilloche.”