Madame Ballier walked on without condescending to reply. Louis darted off like an arrow, taking with him, in his way home, the locksmith usually employed in the house, who, knowing him, made no difficulty about opening the drawers; he then dressed himself, made up a small parcel, and, meeting Marianne, who had just come in, told her to carry to M. Lebeau, in the course of the day, the rest of his things, that they might not be locked up again.
Surprised at such an order, and disturbed at seeing all the drawers open, Marianne would fain have questioned him as to what had occurred, but he was already at a distance, and she stood at the door gazing after him in complete bewilderment.
Louis was eager to arrive; eager to shake off the agitation which tormented him. Since the departure of his mother he had never felt satisfied with himself, at the present moment he was less so than ever, and knew not what the future was likely to bring forth, for he had not the courage to scrutinize the state of his mind. He concealed his uneasiness as well as he could, not liking to mention to M. Lebeau his disagreement with his aunt, and the idea of being for three whole days quite free from his vexations made him speedily forget them. As soon as dinner was over, it was announced that the asses were at the door. Louis was appointed to lead Eugenia's, and Charles that intended for his mother, excepting when M. Lebeau was to take the place of one or the other, so as to let them, by turns, mount his horse. The weather was delightful, and the young people, already animated by the prospect of pleasure, were running down the steps, laughing and jumping, when Marianne appeared at the door, much excited, and carrying in her arms a large parcel, which she held out to Louis: "Here, Master Louis," she said, "here are your clothes; when your aunt saw that I was going to take them, she threw them in my face, saying that when they were once out of the house they had better remain so, and you too. Then, said I, 'And I too;' for now that you are gone, Master Louis, she may manage as she can. I will not set foot in the house till my mistress returns. Here is the account of every thing left under my care—it may easily be seen that all is right; besides, she has taken all the keys, and I will no longer be answerable for anything."
"But, Marianne," said Louis, who was excessively disturbed, "I am not going away—I am to be absent only two days."
"Oh! indeed! but she declared that you should remain where you are—that she was going to write to your mother—that she would no longer be answerable for you—and I don't know what besides."
"You will stay with us," said Charles, with great glee.
"What nonsense!" said Madame Lebeau, impatiently, "his aunt will never drive him away from the house."
"Oh! as for that, she said that if he came back, she should go away," replied Marianne, "not that she will do any such thing—but it is all the same to me. I remained there only for your sake, Master Louis, and now I have done with her. Didn't she say it was I that forced the lock, and that she would take me before the Justice of the Peace! Let her do so! I am not afraid of her; I am better known in the town than she is. The Justice of the Peace, indeed! I am at my sister's, in the next street, let her come for me there:—Good-by, Master Louis."—Then turning back—"Oh! stay! here is a letter from your mamma, which, with all this bother, I forgot to give you;" and she went away, repeating to herself, "The Justice of the Peace! Much I care for her and her Justice of the Peace!" Thus she went on, becoming more and more irritated every time this idea recurred to her mind.
Louis was thunderstruck; he turned his mother's letter mechanically in his hand—it seemed already to pain him, as if it contained a reproach.
"What is all this?" demanded M. Lebeau, who came up in the midst of Marianne's harangue; and Louis scarcely knew how to give him an explanation, so trifling was the subject in dispute.