"They are coming after me, to carry me away, perhaps!" cried Julie, wildly, "to put me in a convent!—The marchioness, Monsieur Antoine, I don't know who!—And I cannot fly! Take me away, hide me, Julien!"
"Wait, wait," said Julien, who had opened an inner door and was listening; "it is Marcel, calling Camille. Yes, it is some urgent matter. Admit him yourself!"
"I cannot!" said Julie in despair, after one last effort.
"Very well, I will go," said Julien, resolutely. "He must see me here in any event, as I do not propose to leave this house without you."
He hurried to the door of the vestibule, where Marcel was ringing as if he would pull the house down; and before any servant had time to rise and find out what the matter was, Julien opened the door to Marcel and Madame Thierry. He admitted them and locked the doors behind them.
"Ah! my child," cried Madame Thierry, "I was very sure that I should find you here! Victory, Julien, my poor Julien! Ah! I don't know what I am saying; you will be cured at once, we bring you happiness!"
When Julie learned what had happened at Sèvres, life returned to her as it returns to a half-dead plant when the rain falls upon it. Her tense nerves were relaxed by tears of joy. As for Julien, who was almost dangerously ill the day before, he was cured like those paralytics whom a beneficent thunderclap causes to walk and leap about.
After an hour passed in an outpouring of emotion which seemed inexhaustible, Marcel took Madame Thierry home with him to obtain a little rest, and entrusted Julie to the care of Camille, who undertook to keep the servants quiet concerning that nocturnal visit. Julien had already made his escape through the pavilion. Julie slept as she had not slept for a long while.
Luckily, as we have said, Monsieur Antoine no longer kept spies about the hôtel D'Estrelle, and, luckily too, the servants were discreet and devoted to their mistress; for if the rich man had learned of that interview, he might have been made dangerously angry and have changed his mind. He had expressed a desire to inform Madame d'Estrelle of her pardon with his own lips; but he too was tired, relaxed, satisfied, proud of himself; he slept soundly and rose a quarter of an hour later than usual. He was no sooner on his feet than he redoubled his ordinary activity and put his whole household in deadly fear; for he was sharp to command, quick to threaten, and even quicker to raise his hand, armed with a cane, against the sluggish. The old hôtel De Melcy was thrown open, swept and put in order in the twinkling of an eye. Messengers were despatched in all directions, and at noon a sumptuous dinner was served. The guests, assembled in the large gilded salon, anticipated some mysterious event. Marcel brought Madame Thierry and Madame d'Estrelle, whom he had invited in the master's behalf. Julien too had been notified, and arrived in due season. Julie was received by Madame d'Ancourt, Madame Desmorges, her daughter, and her son-in-law. The Duc de Quesnoy had not returned; but Abbé de Nivières was there, determined to eat for two. Madame la présidente did not keep them waiting, and Marcel was commissioned to present to the ladies a collection of botanists, learned professors and collectors, whom Monsieur Antoine was wont to convoke on great occasions.
"It is enough to make one die laughing," said the baroness to Julie, leading her unto a window recess. "The goodman sent a messenger to me at six o'clock this morning, to invite me to witness the christening of a rare plant which is to bear his name! You can imagine what a pleasant awakening it was! I was furious! but I discovered in a postscript that you were to attend the ceremony, and I decided that I would come. So you are reconciled to your old neighbor, are you, my dear? Well, so much the better; you have followed my advice and you will come to it at last, I tell you! The gardener isn't attractive; but five millions! remember that!"