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

irrelative*. They were acting under obedience, and their con-
.d uot reproach them.
was pale and nervous; it so happened that
a minor cause of anxiety, but one which involved considerable
c:mi>a;Tassmcnt, was preoccupying her mind, and such is human
uauire somewhat taking off her thoughts from the solemn considerations
of the moment.
It had been arranged that the Lescalle family should spend the
rest of the day at La Pinede, and that on the morrow, after the
religious ceremony, 51. and Madame de Vedelles and Jacques,
who had business to do in Paris which had been delayed on account
of the wedding, would take this opportunity of going
there, and leave the chateau to the young couple for their honeymoon,
returning in time for the business of the election.
But that very morning the doctor, who had been sent for to
see a housemaid who had been ailing for some days, had declared
that she bad the scarlet fever, and gave the startling intelligence
that the gardener's children were all laid up with it. This had
occurred just as the Count and Countess were dressing and the
carriage was at the door. George had had the scarlet fever, so
on his account there was no great fear, though even in that case
it would scarcely have been prudent to remain in the house; but
for Rose to go there was clearly impossible.
To put off the marriage at the last moment was, under the circumstances,
equally out of the question, and where to send the
young people the next day sadly puzzled Madame de Vedelles.
She drew Madame Lescalle aside as soon as the ceremony was
over, and looked so miserable that had it been before instead of
after the irrevocable act had been performed, that lady would
have been greatly alarmed. When the state of the case was
made known to her, she of course declared that Rose, not having
had the scarlet fever, could not go near La Piuede, and for a
moment she paused and reflected, and looked as distressed as the
Countess. But suddenly, to the inexpressible relief of both, she
exclaimed
"We have a little pavilion & few miles off in the mountains,
called Belbousquet, rather a pretty sort of a villa. Why should
not the young couple take up their abode there? "
''By all means, Madame de Vedelles replied, brightening up.
And after some conversation witli the Count and M. Lescalle,
and lor torm's sake, with George and Hose, the matter was so
arranged
The sick housemaid had been secluded from the rest of the
household, and no danger was feared for the de Vedelles in returning,
for one night, to the chateau, But as Rose was not to
go there, it was decided that the afternoon should be spent at the
(.'.ipucms instead, and provisions for a cold dinner were hastily
sent there. This was a very trying arrangement to Rose. The
sight of the home of her happy childhood, the rooms and the
ma where she had played as a little girl at her old Aunt
Mede's feet, seemed to revive all the sharpness of her sorrow,
and she had the greatest possible trouble not to break down.
Tlie hours spent there would have been more tedious but for
Jacques' unceasing lively talk. It was a relief to every one to
smile at his playful sallies. His vanity, which had suffered from
Peni-e's refusal, was soothed, his prospects for the election as
good as sure; Madame Lescalle not so bad after all, though she
was very vulgar, and Rose, as sister-in-law, not to be at all
ashamed of. So he was really m very high spirits, and showed
off to groat advantage.
1 Tin de Vedelles were in admiration of Mise Mede's house, of
her picturesque garden, of the lovely view
" '
llo\v 1 wish my sister had been here, 51. Lescalle said, " to
--elf, the honors of her dear Capucins."
This wish was too much for Rose to hear unmoved. She
rushed out of the drawing-room upon the terrace, and burst into
Why don't you go and talk to your wife a little, 51. le Baron,"
Madame Lescalle said to George, who was turning over Mise
' You ought to make yourself agreeable to her,
and pay her a few compliments.
thing, you know."
Young ladies like that sort of
THE NOTARY'S DAUGHTER.
George took no notice of the suggestion, but when Madame
Lescalle was called away by her husband to discuss some o^ies-
tion relative to the amount of furniture at Belbousquet, he rose,
went out on the terrace, and slowly walked to the place where
Rose was sitting. She did not notice his approach till ne was
close to her. When she looked up and saw him her countenance
changed; she started back with an expression of intense fear and
aversion. He saw it, fixed his eyes on her for a moment, and
then turned away in silence. Shortly afterwards the party
broke up.
As they were standing at the door5Iadame Lescalle called her
daughter " Madame la Baronne," and made some allusion to her
having soon a carriage of her own. George heard her, and again
he smiled in the same faint and unconscious manner as he bnd
done when his father had explained the connection between his
brother's election and his own marriage. Rose, who had not
heard what her mother had said, noticed that strange, and to her,
unmeaning smile ; and her heart sank within her. As the carriage
drove off she murmured to herself, "Married ! and
CHAPTER XIV.
MISE MEDE'S RETTON.
to whom? "
ON the following day, at about eight o'clock in the morning,
Mise Mede's Jittle conveyance, drawn by the tired Blanquettc,
stopped at the door of the Capucins. The good old ladv de
posited at home her small amount of luggage, and then with a
brisk step, wonderful
walked to La Ciotat.
in a person of seventy years of age,
As she crossed the Place de 1'Eglise, 5Iise Mede saw two boj-s
carrying green branches into the church through the back door,
and others spreading fine sand on the steps of the front
entrance.
"It is for the marriage of 5Iise Rose, my children, that you
are doing that? " she said.
"
Yes, 51ise Mede."
"
This is a happy day for me, my dears. Say a prayer for my
darling niece, that she may be always good and happy."
"
Do, not be afraid, Mise, we won't forget to pray at mass for
5Iise Rose. She is such a good lady, almost as good as you,
5Iise."
Aunt Mede smiled kindly on the boys, and walked fast down
the Rue Droite, and in two minutes more reached her nephew's
house.
5Iadame Lescalle's maids were busily engaged in getting the
rooms ready for the important occasion. All the doors and windows
were open, the covers of the old-fashioned chairs and sofas
were taken off for the first time for several years, and exhibited
m the rays of the morning sun their faded colors and worn-out
magmncence.
" Is my niece upstairs? '
Mise 5Icdc asked of the oldest of the
servants, who was directing the proceedings of her subordinates.
" Oh, dear no Mise: Madame went this morning at break of
day to Belbousquet where Mise Rose is going to stay with her
husband. Last night Madame sent some furniture, and now she
has gone off there with linen and a lot of things."
" Then the young people are not going to La Pinede? *
"
They were going there but as ill-luck would have it, Babette,
the under-housemaid at the chateau, is ill of something
catching, and everything is in confusion."
"
Where is Rose?"
" She has not left her room yet, the poor dear child ;
she is still asleep."
" I shall go and see," Mise Mode said, and scrambling
I suppose
over n
pile of cushions and a barricade of footstools, the dear old lady
rushed up the stairs, delighted at the idea that she would find
Rose asleep, and when her darling opened her eyes she would see
her loving aunt watching the moment of her waking, and ready
te give her a first kiss.