CHAPTER XXXVI

THE RENDEZVOUS

The morning arrived on which M. de Brévannes was to meet Madame de Hansfeld in the Jardin des Plantes. He went there at eleven o'clock.

The perusal of the black book--this mysterious confidant of the most intimate thoughts of Paula--had given Bertha's husband almost hopes: the secrets he believed he had surprised were thus summed up:--

"Madame de Hansfeld reproached herself for not hating M. de Brévannes, the murderer of Raphael, sufficiently."

"The prince made her so unhappy that she desired his death."

Iris had particularly desired M. de Brévannes not to give the princess the slightest hint of his being in possession of her most secret thoughts. This counsel served De Brévannes' plans too well for him not to follow it scrupulously.

Madame de Hansfeld came to this interview with less feeling of security than M. de Brévannes, whom she knew to be capable of spreading the most unworthy calumnies; and the effect of these calumnies might be very terrible, and reach De Morville.

Paula was thus under the necessity of proceeding very cautiously with a man for whom she entertained profound aversion, and to display towards him a feeling of kindness, in order to neutralise his slanders, temporarily at least.

But Madame de Hansfeld did not for a moment deceive herself. From the instant when De Brévannes should detect that he was trifled with, he would avenge himself by calumny, and his vengeance might have the most fatal effects on De Morville's love. The slightest suspicion might be mortal for this ideal, disinterested, romantic affection, based on reciprocal esteem and confidence.

Madame de Hansfeld went to the Jardin des Plantes, attended by Iris, in spite of the horror with which the young girl's crimes had inspired her. Under the circumstances she could not do without her.

Eleven o'clock struck when Paula and the Bohemian girl reached the entrance of the labyrinth. It was cold, although the day was fine and clear. In this season the visitors are very few, especially in this part, and the two women reached the famous cedar without meeting any one.

De Brévannes had been sitting beneath this immense tree for half an hour, and rose when he saw Madame de Hansfeld, who had the utmost difficulty to conceal her emotion when, after several years, she again encountered a man whom she had so many reasons for detesting. Her heart beat violently, and, in a low tone, she desired Iris to remain close beside her.

De Brévannes, vain and proud, interpreted this emotion to his own advantage. He gazed with ecstasy on the fine features of Paula, which the cold had mottled with the brightest tints. Her exquisite figure was displayed to the utmost advantage beneath a garnet-coloured velvet gown trimmed with ermine.

Bertha's husband allowed himself to be led into the most foolish hopes by reflecting that, by dint of persistance, he had obtained a rendezvous with a woman who combined so many charms with so much dignity; so many graces with an elevated position in society; which latter, in the eyes of De Brévannes, was by no means the least of the princess's attractions.

Full of hope and love, he approached Paula, saying, as he did so, respectfully,--

"Madame, with what impatience I have awaited this moment--how deep is my obligation for its concession--for such extreme kindness to me!"

"You know better than any one else, sir, by whom such a step is imposed upon me," said Madame de Hansfeld, alluding to De Brévannes' threats.

"I understand you, madame," said De Brévannes; "but if you knew into what a distracted state an ardent passion felt for many years can throw you!--Oh! how often have I remembered with rapture the time when I saw you every day--when, under the guise of the love I feigned for your aunt----"

"Enough, sir, enough; you did not, unquestionably, request this interview to talk to me of the past, and which for so many reasons you ought to forget."

"Forget!--can I ever forget? This recollection has effaced every other memory in my life."

"Deign to answer me, sir! When you persisted so obstinately in requesting this interview, what was your object?"

"To tell you of my love, more intense than ever--to interest you--almost in spite of yourself, in the torments I endure."

"Listen, M. de Brévannes," said Paula, with a chilling air. "Two years since you told me of your love, and I did not believe you. The silence you have since kept as to this pretended passion has proved to me that your avowal was mere gallantry. When I was informed of your pertinacious resolve to meet me here, I attributed it to quite a different motive than that of alluding to a love which offends me, and but recalls atrocious calumnies."

"Then I will not again speak of this love. I will content myself with adoring you without saying a word, awaiting every thing from time. For the proof of the sincerity of my feelings towards you, allow me only to see you sometimes. I could have requested some mutual acquaintance to have introduced me to you, but I preferred having your consent from your own lips before I ventured on that step."

"I receive only a few persons who are very intimate with me," replied Paula, formally. "M. de Hansfeld lives in solitude, and it is impossible for me, particularly after your strange avowal, to change my habits in any way."

De Brévannes could not repress a movement of vexation and anger, which reminded Madame de Hansfeld that she must be cautious with him; and she added, with a somewhat more friendly air,--

"Reflect, I beg of you, on all that occurred in Florence, and you must then confess that it is impossible for me to receive you, even if I were willing to do so."

These last words, only spoken by Madame de Hansfeld to soften the effect of her refusal, appeared to De Brévannes very encouraging. He recollected the confidences of the black book, and interpreted the constrained coldness of the princess into the reserve and dissimulation of a love which she would not then confess. He thought he ought to have consideration for these scruples, relying that, after some further scruples of ceremony, Paula would accord him opportunities of seeing her. De Brévannes replied,--

"I dare not again entreat you, madame, to allow me to be formally presented to you; yet, what unpleasant result could occur?--for, believe me, that, far from abusing the favour, I would use it with the utmost caution."

"I assure you, sir, that it is impossible under any pretext. What could I say to M. de Hansfeld?"

"That I had had the honour of knowing you in Italy--and besides, a married man," he added, with a smile, "never inspires distrust. I might, even if it were only for form's sake, have the honour of bringing Madame de Brévannes, although she is not worthy of occupying your attention for a moment."

This request seemed to strike Paula very forcibly.

Knowing the prince was deeply enamoured of Bertha, she could not conceal an ironical smile when she heard De Brévannes speak of presenting his wife at the Hôtel Lambert.

A vague presentiment, which she could not account for, whispered her that this circumstance would one day serve her hatred against De Brévannes. She replied, with assumed embarrassment,--

"If it were possible, I should have the greatest pleasure in knowing Madame de Brévannes, for I have many reasons to believe that you judge her too severely. Thus, in case I could arrange to receive you, it would be only--and I beg you to remark it--only for the sake of Madame de Brévannes; and I say this most frankly to you, sir."

"It is always thus; women never have a more intimate friend than her whose husband they are delighted to carry off. She has betrayed herself," said De Brévannes to himself; and then he added aloud, "You must see, madame, how happy I should be with any and every thing that could make my friendship with you more intimate. Allow me, then, for the love of Madame de Brévannes," he added with a fresh smile, "to present her to you, only asking for myself the privilege of sometimes accompanying her."

"It must be very seldom, sir, especially during the commencement of my acquaintance with Madame de Brévannes," added Madame de Hansfeld, after a brief pause.

"I do not desire to penetrate the motives which induce you to act thus, madame, but I submit to them." And he thought to himself,--

"This is unquestionably a master-piece of skill. The prince is jealous, and she is anxious in the first instance to remove her husband's suspicion and acquire my wife's confidence."

"On these conditions," replied Madame de Hansfeld, casting down her eyes, "I will allow of this introduction to Madame de Brévannes; but it must be distinctly understood that you never again breathe to me one word of a love as vain as it is wrong."

"I will request a modification of this clause, madame. I will undertake to do every thing in the world to try and forget you: only, in order to encourage and fortify myself in my good resolution, you will sometimes permit me to come and tell you how far I have succeeded; and as, according to your desires, I shall see you but very seldom at your own abode, you will, perhaps, deign sometimes to accord me the privilege of meeting you elsewhere."

"Sir!----"

"Only to hear me say to you that I am endeavouring to forget you. The sacrifice I make is surely great enough to allow you to grant me this compensation?"

"This is a singular way of forgetting people; but if you believe it will have its effect, then, sir, some day I may again consent to see you."

"Ah! madame, what excessive goodness!"

"But mind, if I am not satisfied with the progress of your indifference, you will not obtain a single interview from me."

"I feel confident that I may promise you, madame, that you shall have no cause to regret the favour you grant me."

After a moment's silence, Paula replied,--

"You must think it very surprising, sir, after what formerly passed between us----"

"Madame----"

"I will not add another word. One day you shall know the motive of my conduct and my generosity; but it is growing late, and I must return home. Tell me who is the person who will introduce Madame de Brévannes to me?"

"Madame de Saint-Pierre, cousin to M. de Luceval: she has already offered me her friendly services."

"Yes, I have frequently met her in society. Remember your promise, sir, and I will assent to the request."

"And you leave me already? Oh! I had so much to say to you. One more word--one more--I entreat of you."

"Impossible!--Iris, come."

The young girl followed her mistress, descending the steps of the labyrinth, after having exchanged a meaning look with M. de Brévannes.

Bertha's husband was now a still greater dupe of Iris's stratagem with respect to the black book, as, in consequence of the revelation of the gipsy girl as to Raphael's infidelity, Paula had not testified the horror she must have felt at the sight of the man who had slain her betrothed lover.

This subject gave additional authority to the collection of Madame de Hansfeld's private thoughts.

De Brévannes, as elated as overjoyed at the desire of Paula to form an acquaintance with Bertha, believed himself the only and real motive for seeking this introduction, which, no doubt, at a later period, would assure and facilitate his daily intimacy with Paula.

Whilst awaiting with extreme and confident impatience the moment of again inspecting, through the medium of the black book, the real impression caused on the mind of Madame de Hansfeld, De Brévannes returned home with a light and contented heart.

A short time previously Bertha had returned from her father's, dejected and dispirited. She had seen De Hansfeld, no doubt for the last time, and was thus compelled for ever to renounce the sweet and dear hopes in which she had so fondly indulged.

Learning that his wife was at home, De Brévannes, on entering, went straight to her apartment.