“Give it to me,” said Adelardi, as he took it. “I will see that it is forwarded.”
After leaving the fortress, he looked at the letter confided to him, and was greatly surprised to find it addressed to Mademoiselle Gabrielle d'Yves, at Professor Dornthal's, Heidelberg.
LVII.
The Marquis Adelardi entered the sledge awaiting him at the gate of the fortress, but gave no orders to his coachman, uncertain where he should go. Fleurange by this time must have returned from the palace. Should he go to see her, as was agreed upon the evening before, to learn the result of the audience, and at the same time remit the letter confided to him? This was the plainest course to pursue, and, if he hesitated, it was because his interview with George had left a certain dissatisfaction or, at least, uneasiness which he feared to betray. In the singular mission confided to him, he began to feel that the love and courage of the two parties were unequally divided, and he would have anxiously questioned whether it was certain that the gratitude of one would finally correspond to the devotedness of the other, had he not been reassured by several reflections.
It was not, perhaps, very surprising that George depreciated a happiness he considered beyond his reach. But if she whom he was by no means expecting suddenly appeared in his prison, would he then complain that his bride was too beautiful? The marquis thought not. He knew better than any one else how Fleurange once charmed him. No woman had ever held such empire over George's mobile heart, and he was sure the very sight of her again would suffice to revive the powerful attraction. As to this, his perfect knowledge of his friend's character prevented all doubt, and therefore, though wounded by his coldness in speaking of Fleurange, he came to the conclusion his indifference would vanish like snow before the sun as soon as she appeared. She would never perceive it or suffer from it. He regarded this as the most important point.
The interest Fleurange inspired him with was one of the best and purest sentiments he had ever experienced in his life. Without suspecting it, and without aiming at it, she exercised a beneficent influence over him. A thousand early impressions, effaced and almost stifled by the world, awoke in the pure atmosphere that surrounded this young girl, and he welcomed them with a feeling that surprised himself. Therefore, from the time of meeting her again, he seriously assumed, more for her sake than George's, the quasi-paternal rôle the Princess Catherine had entrusted to him with respect to both.
The considerations referred to having, therefore, completely reassured him respecting George's probable if not actual dispositions, he returned to his first intentions, and gave orders to be taken to the house on the Grand Quay. He had scarcely descended and asked to see Mademoiselle d'Yves, when he saw Clement crossing the hall. He bethought himself it might be better to consult him first.
Clement was gloomy and preoccupied. He had just seen his [pg 609] cousin return from the palace in all the brilliancy that dress and the joy resulting from success added to her beauty. But the marquis had not time to notice the young man's physiognomy, nor the effort with which he replied to the first questions addressed him as soon as they were alone together in a room on the ground floor.
“I wish to speak to. you, Dornthal, about an unexpected incident. But first, has your cousin returned from the palace?”
“Yes.”