Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/24

14 CHAPTER III.

IN WHICH WE AT LENGTH SEE THE TRUE HEROINE OF THIS HISTORY APPEAR.

Mme. de St. Kemy came up Mile, de la Valliere. She heard the explosion of maternal anger, and as she divined the cause of it, she entered the chamber trembling, and perceived the unlucky Malicorne, whose woeful countenance might have softened or set laughing whoever might have observed it coolly. He had promptly intrenched himself behind a large chair, as if to avoid the first attacks of Mme. de St. Eemy; he had no hopes of prevailing with words, for she spoke louder than he, and without stopping; but he reckoned upon the eloquence of his gestures. The old lady would neither listen to nor see anything. Malicorne had long been one of her antipathies; but her anger was too great not to overflow from Malicorne on to his accomplice. Montalais had her turn.

"And you, mademoiselle; and you, may you not be certain I shall inform madame of what is going on in the apartment of one of her ladies of honor?"

"Oh, dear mother!" cried Mile, de la Valliere, "for mercy's sake, spare"

"Hold your tongue, mademoiselle, and do not uselessly trouble yourself to intercede for unworthy subjects. That a young maid of honor like you should be subjected to a bad example is, certes, a misfortune great enough; but that you should sanction it by your indulgence is what I will not allow."

"But in truth," said Montalais, rebelling again, "I do not know under what pretense you treat me thus. I am doing no harm, I suppose?"

"And that great good-for-nothing, mademoiselle," resumed Mme. de St. Eemy, pointing to Malicorne, "is he here to do any good, I ask you?"

"He is neither here for "good nor harm, madame; he comes to see me, that is all."

"It is all very well! all very well!" said the old lady. "Her royal highness shall be informed of it, and she will judge."

"At all events, I do not see why," replied Montalais, "it should be forbidden that Monsieur Malicorne should have intentions toward me, if his intentions are honorable."