Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

tin .
1 You
I know the fact, but I want to hear details."
know 1 suppose, that the La Pinedcs were one of the
families in this part of the country, nud that they built
liltle chateau in the midst of this pine
Till-: DM . iv popular in their own neighborhood,
thev remained here quite unmolested through
so much so, that
the whole of the
itionary period. The Court party, afler the restoration,
forgave their not having emigrated."
Tiie liai'OD, whose family had emigrated, looked displeased,
'
I do not care for political details, my dear Lescalle.
mis I said
Let me hear their domestic history."
Their private history, M. le Baron, was closely connected
with what I have just told you as briefly as I could, for it accounts
for the fact that Count Honore de la Pinede concentrated his exist-
ence in the narrow circle of his domestic affections and his se-
cluded home. One so young, so wealthy, so handsome, and so
clever, would certainly have played a part
in the world, if his
principles during the empire, and afterwards a sensitive pride
resulting from the circumstances I have alluded to, had not kept
him aloof from social and political life. He knew the Bourbons
were not favorably inclined towards him, and though his sympathies
were Royalist, he would not condescend to curry favor
with them, so he lived entirely in the country, and cared for
nothing but his wife and his
" "
Whom did he marry?
home."
'His cousin. Mdlle. de la Pinede. They had both lost their
parents in early life, and had been brought up by an old childmcle
From the time of their babyhood they had cared
for each other, and cared for hardly any one else besides. It
wa^ one of those engrossing affections which seemed to supply
to them both the place of all other ties. People used to say
that these children realized the story of Paul and Virginia, only*
in their case it ended in a marriage. When Count Honore was
twenty he married Mdlle. Louise, who was eighteen. They had
one child, a girl, and for six years their happiness knew no
bounds La Pinede seemed an earthly paradise. But in one
dav IQ one moment, it came to an end. Madame de la Pinede
died suddenly of disease of the heart. Beautiful, happy, smiling
sitting by her husband, who perfectly adored her, and her
little child playing at her feet, she expired! "
M. Lescalle paused a moment, and then pointing to the sofa,
"
said. I see it all before my eyes as I saw it then. Her lovely
face, white as a sheet and sinking on her bosom, her hand on the
of her child; Count Honore on his knees, trying in vain
to make her smell salts, and looking at her with eyes which
seemed to grow wild with terror and despair."
' How did you happen to witness this scene? " the Baron
'
I arrived here at the very moment it took place, having
c died to talk over matters of business with the Count. As I
opened the door of this room, I saw what I have been describnd
knew at once that there was no hope that all was over.
1 dragged the poor man out of the room. He seemed to have
us senses, and for several weeks his friends were afraid he
.
would quite go out of his mind. They urged him to leave the
and at last, for the sake of his child, he consented to go
away. But before his departure he dismissed all his servants,
even the gardener, and locked up the house and the gates of the
park. Then he sent for me, gave the keys into my keeping, and
exacted a solemn promii-e that I would never use them never
go myself, or let anybody else go to La Pinede. It was a morbid
fancy of his that the place where his wife had been born,
had lived, loved, and died, should remain as a solitary monu-
.n her memory, the tomb of his past happiness, an emblem
of utter desolation and perpetual mourning. I promised to atto
his directions. A ft'T shakim: hands with me, lie drove
with Ins chili! and her :
'Ml!.-.
e's education, the Count tool: up i,i; aK.d.- in \\\\-'.
l fifteen years he has always spent one week in March at
La I'inede. For eight days shut up in solitude, for even then
he would not admit any one into the place, he wandered like a
ghost about the house and grounds. People about here think he
was out of his mind, and lament that this ancient family should
have ended so sadly. The last time he came he looked deplorably
ill, and spoke of his failing health. I tried to cheer him up,
and advised him to try some waters. He smiled in a mournful
manner, and said, 'My good friend, the wound has never !.
It is not waters that can cure a broken heart. Do not look at
me so sadly. Fifteen years ago I was indeed to be pitied; but
now God has been good to me, and my release is at hand. I am
happier than I have been for a long time past. My sufferings
will soon be over.'
"But, Mdlle. Denise,' I said, 'you ought to wish to live for
her sake.'
"'Ah ! my
little girl !' he said, with some emotion. 'God
will take care of Denise.'
"
God, you see, was so much in his thoughts, M. le Baron,
that I took it as a bad sign, and though I said all I could to
make him more cheerful, I felt sure he would die soon, and so
it turned out. Three months afterwards I received the news of
Lis death, and then Mdlle. de la Pinede, by the advice of her
guardian, M. Lcgrand, made up her mind to sell this place.
He has never been to see it, this fine Paris gentleman, and he
does not know that its value has considerably increased since
the new road to Marseilles has been made. I painted in some-
state into which Count Honore's
what high colors the deplorable
morbid fancy has allowed the property to fall, and so we arrived
at a valuation which has placed it within reach of your son's
means."
"
In case we have no serious competitors," the Baron replied;
How do you call him?"
"but that M. de .
"M. deVedelles."
"Well, that M. de Vedelles, who falls upon us from the skies,
is a great bore. "
" I did my best. The sale has scarcely been advertised at all
at Marseilles only for the last eight days, so that there has been
hardly time for any one to know of it but this purchaser writes
from Paris."
"And how on earth did he hear of it there?" the Baron
exclaimed.
"Oh, in a very simple manner! Mdlle. de la Pinede has been
educated at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, and the Countess
de Vedelles visits the ladies there, and made acquaintance with
the heiress, and they have laid their heads together on the sub-
ject. It was impossible to forqtec this."
"It is the dpvil to pay!" the Baron cried.
" If they bid more
than two hundred thousand francs, we shall have to it give up.
Even with my brother's assistance, and by getting into debt, we
cannot go beyond that price."
"
It is a grent pity," the solicitor said.
There was rather a long pause, and then in a hesitating manner
he added, " There might perhaps be a way in which the matter
could be arranged."
" What way?"
"Under certain circumstances it would be in my power to
place fifty thousand francs at M. Cesaire's disposal."
" Could you really, Lescalle ? " the Baron anxiously inquired.
"But then you see, M. le Baron," the solicitor replied, speaking
slowly and laying an emphasis on the words, "you see that
sum constitutes a considerable portion of my daughter's fortune,
and Rose is growing up."
" Oh ! it is your daughter's fortune you are speaking of.
Then in that case ." The Baron did not finish his sentence ;
but there was a look in his face which meant, "We need not
say anything more about it."
" Can you reckon on your electors ? " M. Lescalle asked.
"Yes, I think so. I have no anxiety on that point."
"If we pome to an agreement, I might secure you a certain
" Oli !
It of voles."
pr.;y ilo so. We cannot afford to neglect any chance."