“Give him to me, Cousin Quintin,” he remembered her saying on the last of those days to his godfather. “Let me take him back with me to Versailles as my adopted child.”
But the Seigneur had gravely shaken his head in silent refusal, and there had been no further question of such a thing. And then, when she said goodbye to him—the thing came flooding back to him now—there had been tears in her eyes.
“Think of me sometimes, André-Louis,” had been her last words.
He remembered how flattered he had been to have won within so short a time the affection of this great lady. The thing had given him a sense of importance that had endured for months thereafter, finally to fade into oblivion.
But all was vividly remembered now upon beholding her again, after sixteen years, profoundly changed and matured, the girl—for she had been no more in those old days—sunk in this worldly woman with the air of calm dignity and complete self-possession. Yet, he insisted, he must have known her anywhere again.
Aline embraced her affectionately, and then answering the questioning glance with faintly raised eyebrows that madame was directing towards Aline’s companion—
“This is André-Louis,” she said. “You remember André-Louis, madame?”
Madame checked. André-Louis saw the surprise ripple over her face, taking with it some of her colour, leaving her for a moment breathless.
And then the voice—the well-remembered rich, musical voice—richer and deeper now than of yore, repeated his name:
“André-Louis!”
Her manner of uttering it suggested that it awakened memories, memories perhaps of the departed youth with which it was associated. And she paused a long moment, considering him, a little wide-eyed, what time he bowed before her.
“But of course I remember him,” she said at last, and came towards him, putting out her hand. He kissed it dutifully, submissively, instinctively. “And this is what you have grown into?” She appraised him, and he flushed with pride at the satisfaction in her tone. He seemed to have gone back sixteen years, and to be again the little Bréton lad at Gavrillac. She turned to Aline. “How mistaken Quintin was in his assumptions. He was pleased to see him again, was he not?”
“So pleased, madame, that he has shown me the door,” said André-Louis.
“Ah!” She frowned, conning him still with those dark, wistful eyes of hers. “We must change that, Aline. He is of course very angry with you. But it is not the way to make converts. I will plead for you, André-Louis. I am a good advocate.”
He thanked her and took his leave.
“I leave my case in your hands with gratitude. My homage, madame.”
And so it happened that in spite of his godfather’s forbidding reception of him, the fragment of a song was on his lips as his yellow chaise whirled him back to Paris and the Rue du Hasard. That meeting with Mme. de Plougastel had enheartened him; her promise to plead his case in alliance with Aline gave him assurance that all would be well.
That he was justified of this was proved when on the following Thursday towards noon his academy was invaded by M. de Kercadiou. Gilles, the boy, brought him word of it, and breaking off at once the lesson upon which he was engaged, he pulled off his mask, and went as he was—in a chamois waistcoat buttoned to the chin and with his foil under his arm to the modest salon below, where his godfather awaited him.
The florid little Lord of Gavrillac stood almost defiantly to receive him.
“I have been over-persuaded to forgive you,” he announced aggressively, seeming thereby to imply that he consented to this merely so as to put an end to tiresome importunities.
André-Louis was not misled. He detected a pretence adopted by the Seigneur so as to enable him to retreat in good order.
“My blessings on the persuaders, whoever they may have been. You restore me my happiness, monsieur my godfather.”
He took the hand that was proffered and kissed it, yielding to the impulse of the unfailing habit of his boyish days. It was an act symbolical of his complete submission, reestablishing between himself and his godfather the bond of protected and protector, with all the mutual claims and duties that it carries. No mere words could more completely have made his peace with this man who loved him.
M. de Kercadiou’s face flushed a deeper pink, his lip trembled, and there was a huskiness in the voice that murmured “My dear boy!” Then he recollected himself, threw back his great head and frowned. His voice resumed its habitual shrillness. “You realize, I hope, that you have behaved damnably … damnably, and with the utmost ingratitude?”
“Does not that depend upon the point of view?” quoth André-Louis, but his tone was studiously conciliatory.
“It depends upon a fact, and not upon any point of view. Since I have been persuaded to overlook it, I trust that at least you have some intention of reforming.”
“I … I will abstain from politics,” said André-Louis, that being the utmost he could say with truth.
“That is something, at least.” His godfather permitted himself to be mollified, now that a concession—or a seeming concession—had been made to his just resentment.
“A chair, monsieur.”
“No, no. I have come to carry you off to pay a visit with me. You owe it entirely to Mme. de Plougastel that I consent to receive you again. I desire that you come with me to thank her.”
“I have my engagements here …” began André-Louis, and then broke off. “No matter! I will arrange it. A moment.” And he was turning away to reenter the academy.
“What are your engagements? You are not by chance a fencing-instructor?” M. de Kercadiou had observed the leather waistcoat and the foil tucked under André-Louis’ arm.
“I am the master of this academy—the academy of the late Bertrand des Amis, the most flourishing school of arms in Paris today.”
M. de Kercadiou’s brows went up.
“And you are master of it?”
“Maître en fait d’Armes. I succeeded to the academy upon the death of des Amis.”
He left M. Kercadiou
