"Is it possible? Jésus bon Dieu! What! that gentleman who was kissing our dear little one—can it be?—was monsieur le comte, her father! How is it, then, that when I told him yesterday that mademoiselle belonged to Madame la Comtesse de Marvejols, he didn't say: 'She is my daughter'?"
"Yes, he is really her father, he is the Comte de Marvejols!" said Ambroisine, with a sigh. "Oh! I am terribly sorry that I showed myself and let those words escape me. But, no matter! he kissed her—and he knew that she was his daughter.—Ah! I must make haste to tell Bathilde—she will be so happy!—Come, Blanche; come, dear child; let us hurry home to your mamma; we are going to make her very happy!"
Ambroisine took Blanche in her arms and returned to the Hôtel de Marvejols, covering with kisses the lovely child, who made no objection and seemed already to share the happiness that she diffused about her.
XLV
PRESENTIMENTS
After walking about for some time in the streets near Place Royale, Léodgard said to himself:
"That Ambroisine probably has left the square now; she has taken the child home, to tell Bathilde what she saw; so that I may safely return to the place appointed; for it is not yet two o'clock, and if that girl should go there and not find me, Valentine's pride would be offended, and who can say that all hope would not be lost?"
The count returned to the place he had just left; but he advanced more cautiously now, looking all about and scrutinizing everybody who passed. His premonitions proved accurate; Ambroisine, with the child and her nurse, had returned to the Hôtel de Marvejols.
The count did not take his place on the same bench, however, and he constantly rose to walk a little and look about him.
He had been thus engaged for about half an hour, and his increasing impatience had nearly led him to leave the square, when a girl coming slowly along Rue des Tournelles, who had observed Léodgard's restless movements, approached him and stopped, with every sign of intense agitation.
"You are the person whom I have been expecting, doubtless?" said the count, closely observing the girl, whose eyes assumed a strange expression as she looked at him.