"Why should you take such a great interest in my affairs? Am I responsible to anyone?"
"Oh! madame, do not speak to me in that tone," cried Julien, fairly beside himself. "Either my uncle's wealth has imposed silence on your repugnance, and in that case I have absolutely nothing to say to you, or else you submitted to his impertinent offers with a patience which misled him; and if you were so patient, so kind as that to him, I can easily guess the reason. You were afraid that Monsieur Antoine's resentment would fall on us!"
"That is true, Master Julien; I thought of your mother, I avoided giving him an answer, I asked for time to reflect, I hoped that, in order to please me, he would first keep the promise he made me to restore Madame Thierry to happiness and comfort. That was wrong perhaps, for I was not frank, and that is contrary to my nature. Indeed, could I believe that that irascible, ill-mannered old man would begin by trying to compromise me? And yet that is just what is happening, and God knows what disagreeable consequences this may have for me! but I am wrong to think about it. When I see my endeavors to assist you come to naught, I am selfish to complain, and really my greatest sorrow consists in my being unable to be of any service to you after being the cause of your disaster. And what am I to do with a man who takes my fear for coquetry and my silence for an avowal?"
Julien knelt on one knee, and as Madame d'Estrelle, surprised and terrified, was about to fly, he said:
"Fear nothing from me, madame; this is no stage declaration; I am not mad, and I am absolutely serious in thanking you on my knees in my mother's name. Your kindness is of the sort which men adore and which no words can describe. Now," he added, rising, "I have the right to say to you that I am a man, and that I should despise myself if, even for love of the most loving of mothers, I should accept the sacrifice of your pride for a single instant. No, madame, no! Monsieur Antoine Thierry must not be spared, he must not believe for another instant that he can aspire—Poor man! he is mad; but madmen need to be held in check like inconvenient and dangerous children. I will take charge of him, and with your permission I will go at once and disabuse his mind forever."
"Ah! mon Dieu! you will go yourself?" said Julie. "No! do not drive him to extremities; I will write."
"But I do not choose that you shall write," replied Julien with a proud vehemence which did not displease Madame d'Estrelle. "Do you think that I am a child to be afraid of his anger, or a coward to leave you exposed to his importunities? Do you think that my mother would be any more willing than myself to accept favors which would cost you the shadow of a falsehood? Is it for you to deal tenderly with anyone, and suffer for our sake, who would give our lives to spare you the slightest suffering? No, madame, learn to know us better. My mother's sentiments are as lofty as your own; she accepted Monsieur Antoine's benefactions with the very greatest reluctance. To-day she would blush to do it; she will detest the mere thought when she knows what they cost you. And as for me—I am of no consequence in your eyes and shall never be anything in your life; but permit a man, who feels that he is a man of spirit, to tell you that he fears neither poverty, nor vengeance, nor any sort of persecution. I have done my duty and I will continue to do it; I will support my mother until she draws her last breath, and if it is necessary to contend against the whole world, I shall be able to do it for her. Let this reassure you touching the fate of her you love so dearly. If only your friendship were concerned, she would prefer it to all Monsieur Antoine's wealth, and for my own part, though I had but this moment on earth to tell you that I love you, I should esteem myself happy and proud to have been able to say it to you without offence and without presumption; for I speak to your heart, and there is not a shadow of a sentiment in my heart that is unworthy of you. Adieu, madame! live happily and at peace; and if you ever need a man to do something for you that is beyond the power of all other men, remember that such a man exists, poor, humble, hidden in a corner, but capable of moving mountains; for when his mother's welfare is at stake, he is determination and faith personified."
Julien left the room without asking or waiting for another word from Madame d'Estrelle, and in a twinkling he was in the street. Antoine was awaiting him with feverish impatience; he was on the point of bursting into the hôtel like a bomb when Julien reappeared.
"Well, the answer must be at least four pages long!" he cried. "Where is it?"
"Come, monsieur," said Julien, offering him his arm to cross the street. "There is too much noise here for us to hear each other."