"Of two poor fellows, who, no doubt sent by those whom you call your friends, got into the neighboring convent the other night, and thence into this garden.The guns which you heard go off were fired at them."
"Alas! I thought so.They refused to tell me if either of them was wounded," said Adrienne, with painful emotion.
"One of them received a wound, but not very serious, since he was able to fly and escape pursuit."
"Thank God!" cried Mdlle.de Cardoville, clasping her hands with fervor.
"It is quite natural that you should rejoice at their escape, but by what strange contradiction do you now wish to put the officers of justice on their track? A singular manner, truly, of rewarding their devotion!"
"What do you say, sir?" asked Mdlle.de Cardoville.
"For if they should be arrested," resumed Dr.Baleinier, without answering her, "as they have been guilty of housebreaking and attempted burglary, they would be sent to the galleys."
"Heavens! and for my sake!"
"Yes; it would be for you, and what is worse, by you, that they would be condemned."
"By me, sir?"
"Certainly; that is, if you follow up your vengeance against your aunt and Abbe d'Aigrigny--I do not speak of myself, for I am quite safe; in a word, if you persist in laying your complaint before the magistrates, that you have been unjustly confined in this house."
"I do not understand you, sir.Explain yourself," said Adrienne, with growing uneasiness.
"Child that you are!" cried the Jesuit of the short robe, with an air of conviction; "do you think that if the law once takes cognizance of this affair, you can stop short its action where and when you please? When you leave this house, you lodge a complaint against me and against your family; well, what happens? The law interferes, inquires, calls witnesses, enters into the most minute investigations.Then, what follows? Why, that this nocturnal escalade, which the superior of the convent has some interest in hushing up, for fear of scandal--that this nocturnal attempt, I say, which I also would keep quiet, is necessarily divulged, and as it involves a serious crime, to which a heavy penalty is attached, the law will ferret into it, and find out these unfortunate men, and if, as is probable, they are detained in Paris by their duties or occupations, or even by a false security, arising from the honorable motives which they know to have actuated them, they will be arrested.
And who will be the cause of this arrest? You, by your deposition against us."
"Oh, sir! that would be horrible; but it is impossible."
"It is very possible, on the contrary," returned M.Baleinier: "so that, while I and the superior of the convent, who alone are really entitled to complain, only wish to keep quiet this unpleasant affair, it is you--you, for whom these unfortunate men have risked the galleys--that will deliver them up to justice."
Though Mdlle.de Cardoville was not completely duped by the lay Jesuit, she guessed that the merciful intentions which he expressed with regard to Dagobert and his son, would be absolutely subordinate to the course she might take in pressing or abandoning the legitimate vengeance which she meant to claim of authority.Indeed, Rodin, whose instructions the doctor was following without knowing it, was too cunning to have it said to Mdlle.de Cardoville: "If you attempt any proceedings, we denounce Dagobert and his son;" but he attained the same end, by inspiring Adrienne with fears on the subject of her two liberators, so as to prevent her taking any hostile measures.Without knowing the exact law on the subject, Mdlle.de Cardoville had too much good sense not to understand that Dagobert and Agricola might be very seriously involved in consequence of their nocturnal adventure, and might even find themselves in a terrible position.And yet, when she thought of all she had suffered in that house, and of all the just resentment she entertained in the bottom of her heart, Adrienne felt unwilling to renounce the stern pleasure of exposing such odious machinations to the light of day.Dr.
Baleinier watched with sullen attention her whom he considered his dupe, for he thought he could divine the cause of the silence and hesitation of Mdlle.de Cardoville.
"But, sir," resumed the latter, unable to conceal her anxiety, "if I were disposed, for whatever reason, to make no complaint, and to forget the wrongs I have suffered, when should I leave this place?"
"I cannot tell; for I do not know when you will be radically cured," said the doctor, benignantly."You are in a very good way, but--"
"Still this insolent and stupid acting!" broke forth Mdlle.de Cardoville, interrupting the doctor with indignation."I ask, and if it must be, I entreat you to tell me how long I am to be shut up in this dreadful house, for I shall leave it some day, I suppose?"
"I hope so, certainly," said the Jesuit of the short robe, with unction;
"but when, I am unable to say.Moreover, I must tell you frankly, that every precaution is taken against such attempts as those of the other night; and the most vigorous watch will be maintained, to prevent your communicating with any one.And all this in your own interest, that your poor head may not again be dangerously excited."
"So, sir," said Adrienne, almost terrified, "compared with what awaits me, the last few days have been days of liberty."
"Your interest before everything," answered the doctor, in a fervent tone.
Mdlle.de Cardoville, feeling the impotence of her indignation and despair, heaved a deep sigh, and hid her face in her hands.