When Valmond Came to Pontiac, Complete
dress had nothing of the bizarre on this occasion. He was in black-long coat, silk stockings, the collar of his waistcoat faced with white, his neckerchief white
and though, as a banker in New York, Monsieur Chalice had become an American of the Americans, at her request he had bought back from a kinsman the old place, unchanged, furniture and all. Bringing the antique plate, china, and bric-a-brac, made in France when Henri Quatre was king, she fared away to Quebec, set the rude mansion in order, and was happy for a whole summer, as was her husban
rmth or in menace. As Valmond entered the garden, Madame Chalice was leaning over the lower half of the entrance door, which opened latitudinally, and was hung on large iron hinges of quaint design, made by some seventeenth-century forgeron. Behind her deepened hospitably the spacio
ess was modern, her person had a rare touch of the archaic, and fitted into the picture like a
ftly into the salon, seated herself near the immense chimney, in a heavily carved chair, her feet lost in rich furs on the polished floor
ith the vagueness of one in a dream, she thought, and she neither understood nor relished his u
u," she said, motioning him to a seat; "a
er his costume with
and looked at her with an intent seriousness, which
sed, interested. Here was an unusual man, who ignored the conventional p
sm," she answered. "But I wi
see through things; that you can balan
Napoleon's letters
" she interrup
n sees farther than a man, and if she has judgmen
mpliment," she answered. "You a
t in flowered waistcoat, panama hat, and enamelled boots!-she should take this confidence as a compliment; if he were a barber, she could not resent it; she could not waste
ask you," he said, "what is the thing mo
ad a great idea
gerly, with youthfu
te he is!" she thought, remem
" he said in a troubled sort of way. H
"But-well, I suppose that the first requisite for success is absolute belief in the idea; that it be part of one's lif
he said. "The thing must
over the top of her coffee-cup at him. Somehow again the plebeian qu
of malice. Yet, now that she remembered, she had sweetly challenged one of a royal house for the like lapse into the vulgar tongue. A man should not be beheaded because of a what
re, and yet he made her serious and candid in spite of herself. He was of kin to her in some part of his nature. He did not concern her as a man of personal or social possibilities-merel
no pretender, his eyes did not falter. They
nd if he has it, what n
power of combination, strategy, and"-she paused, and a purely fe
t turning it to account cavalierly, as he might have done. He wa
e definition, leaving in the wo
faster than it did yesterday when the old sergeant faced him. Here was beauty-he admired that; power-he wished for that. What might he not accomplish,
" he said quietly, yet with
" was the negl
es
" insinuated the sof
lieved it was the truth. She stood looking
surprise. "Ah, yes, yes! I know-one of the people; suitable
Elise Malboir, whose littl
ver knew, or ever hoped to know," he said
, her small fingers tightening a gold hair-pin. "To Pa
start-fro
like the Great Master after Elba,"
mon
answered. "I have
the grotesqueness of the situation. But she s
e may go far. Sit down an
, now "General Lagroin," and Parpon hastening up the walk. Parpon ambled comfortab
gneur!" she said with a pretty
not wisdom. My General has scars from Auerstadt, Austerlitz, and Waterloo; my Minister is feared-in Pontiac. Was he not the trusted friend of the Grand Seigneur, as he was called here, the fath
king," she said prov
time and our lives will prove.... Madame, I
e perfect opportunity to thank her for th
she said, alluding to the imperial bees, and s
" he replied, and h
nd it amused her. She read in the old man's eye the soldier's contempt for women, together with his new-born reverence and love for Valmond. L
eral?" sai
they mock us in the streets
n a play; but Valmond, living up to his part, was grave and
you not he
d bowed. "Sire," the old man continued,
e mockery?" Valm
r. It was in the garden of the Tuileries, and twenty-four battalions of the Old Guard filed past our g
ill go down into the village-eh, monsieur?" he adde
these mockers," answered th
adame Chalice. "I know m
not here," she
nd, and bowed Lagroin
you accept a souvenir of him whom we b
all painting of Napoleon, on
inued. "You will find it well authe
a little faster. "This was do
ed. "Adieu, madame. Again I thank
? Are you really a Napoleon? I can be a constant ally, but, I charge you, speak the truth to me. Are you-" She stopped abruptly. "No, no; do not tell me," she added quickly. "If you are not
of I will give it," he said almost f
that enemy into a
ve no need of str
gestively. The droller
hall have five
head dubiously; but, glancing again at
and tell me about the mocke
r comedian, as she watched him go down the hill with Lagroin and Parpon.
snatches of, "Vive Napoleon!" For, in derision of yesterday's event, a small boy, tricked out with a paper cocked-hat and incongruous regimentals, with a hobby-horse between his legs, was marching up and down, preceded by another lad, who
otential purpose in the face of this yesterday's hero. The old serg
pproached
He took the hobby-horse, the drum, and the tin swords. "I will give you better things than these." He put the caps on the ground, added the toys to the heap, and Parpon, stooping, l
e shall have proof of my affection in due time. And now our good landlord's wine is free to you, for one goblet each. My children," he added, turning to
eon!" and he knew that he had regained his ground. Amid the pleasan
upon the fine sword at his side, given him that morning by Valmond; for, looking down, Lagroin s
e Seigneury, knocked, and was admitted to a room where w
great formality, "what may I do to serve you? W
d stern, and he vouchsafed no
er. He is of royal blood, and he may not fight you. But I, m
ghed. Without a word the old man stepped forward, and str
er and the acts of fools. I killed two Prussians once for saying that the Great Emperor's shirt stuck out below his waistcoat. You'll find me
d a restraining hand upon his arm, and Medallion said: "Dear S
d on Sunday, over the coffee, unb
im as Medallion had done. And because Valmond commanded the old sergeant to silence, the matter ended f
Romance
Romance
Romance
Romance
Romance
Romance