The Duke's Motto: A Melodrama Read online

  XIII

  CONFIDENCES

  Before she had finished the last line of the verse the curtains of awindow in the second story of the Inn parted and another young girlshowed herself through the lattice. This girl was dark-haired like thegypsy, and bright-eyed like the gypsy, and, like the gypsy, she seemed tobe some eighteen years of age, but beyond these obvious featuresresemblance ceased. The girl who looked down from the window of the Innwas of a slenderer shape than the gypsy, of a more delicate complexion,of a grace and bearing that suggested different breeding and another racethan that of the more exuberant Gitana. The girl at the window spoke in aclear, sweet voice to the singer: "I thought it must be you, Flora."

  Flora called back to her: "Come down to me, Gabrielle."

  The girl Gabrielle shook her head. "Henri does not wish me to go abroadwhile he is absent."

  Flora made a little face. "Our friends do keep us prisoners. There is nota soul about."

  Gabrielle smiled and consented. "I will come for a moment."

  She withdrew from the window, and in a few minutes she appeared at theInn door and joined her impatient friend. Flora kissed heraffectionately, and asked, between kisses: "Are you not angry with Henrifor keeping you thus caged?"

  Gabrielle smiled an amused denial. "How could I be angry with Henri? Hehas good reasons for his deeds. We are in great danger. We haveenemies."

  Flora stared at her wild-eyed. "Who are your enemies?"

  Gabrielle looked about her, as if to be assured that no one was withinhearing, and then whispered into Flora's ear: "Henri will never tell me,but they hunt us down. Ever since I was a child we have fled from placeto place, hiding. I have often been roused at night by clash of swordsand Henri's voice, crying: 'I am here!' But his sword is always thestrongest, and we have always escaped."

  "Surely you will be safe in Paris," Flora said.

  Gabrielle sighed. "Why, it seems we dare not enter Paris yet. When weleft Madrid in your company Henri told me we were journeying to Paris,but now we linger here outside the walls until Henri has seen some one--Iknow not who; and while we linger here I must keep in-doors."

  Flora looked mischievous. "Perhaps Henri is jealous, and tells this taleto keep you to himself."

  Gabrielle sighed again: "Henri only thinks of me as a child."

  Flora still was mischievous. "But you know you are not his child, and Iam sure you do not think of him as a father."

  Gabrielle turned upon her friend with an air of dainty imperiousness."Flora, Flora, you may be a witch, but there are some thoughts of mineyou must not presume to read."

  Flora laughed. "You command like a great lady. 'Must not,' indeed, and'presume'! Let me tell you, pretty Gabrielle, that I am the great ladyhere."

  Gabrielle was instantly winning and tender again. "You are my sweetfriend, and I did not mean to command you."

  Flora laughed good-humoredly. "You should have seen your air ofgreatness. But I am speaking seriously. I believe I am the long-lostdaughter of a great lord."

  Gabrielle stared, amazed. "Really, Flora, really? Are you in earnest?Tell me all about it."

  Flora looked like a gypsy sphinx. "Oh, but I may not. I should not havespoken of it at all, but I am so mad and merry at the good news that outit slipped."

  Gabrielle softly patted her cheek. "I am glad of anything that makes youhappy."

  Flora tried to look magnificent. "Do not you envy me? Would not you liketo be a great lady, too? I am afraid you look more like it than I do."

  Gabrielle spoke again in a whisper: "I will tell you my secret in returnfor yours. So long as I can be by Henri's side I envy no one--ask nothingbetter of fortune."

  Flora smiled knowingly. "Do you call that a secret? I have known thatever since I first saw you look at him."

  Gabrielle looked pained. "Am I so immodest a minion?"

  Flora protested: "No, no. But your eyes are traitors and tell me tales."

  "I must be wary," Gabrielle said, "that they tell no tales to--toothers."

  Flora shrugged her pretty shoulders. "Lovers are droll. A maid may love aman, and a man may love a maid, and neither know that the other is sickof the same pip, poor fowls."

  "What do you mean, witch?" Gabrielle questioned.

  Flora twirled a pirouette before she replied: "Nothing--less thannothing. I dance here by-and-by to please a grandee. Will you peepthrough your lattice?"

  "Perhaps," Gabrielle answered, cautiously. Then she gave a little start."Some one is coming," she said, and, indeed, some one was coming. A manhad just mounted the bridge from the Neuilly road and stood there for aninstant surveying the two girls. He was a modish young gentleman, verysplendidly attired, who carried himself with a dainty insolence, and henow came slowly towards the girls with an amiable salutation.

  "Exquisite ladies," he said, "I give you good-day."

  At the sound of his voice and the sight of his figure Gabrielle haddisappeared into the Inn as quickly as ever rabbit disappeared into itshole. Flora had no less nimbly run down to the caravan; but when shereached it she paused on the first step, attracted by the appearance ofthe handsomely dressed young gentleman, who appealed to her earnestly:"Why do you scatter so rashly? I should be delighted to talk with you."

  Flora mocked him: "Perhaps we do not want to talk to you."

  The new-comer would not admit the possibility. "Impossible," heprotested. "Let me present myself. I am the Marquis de Chavernay. I amvery diverting. I can make love to more ladies at the same time than anygentleman of my age at court."

  Flora laughed. "Amiable accomplishment," she said, mockingly; but whileshe mocked her quick eyes were carefully noting every particular of thestranger's appearance, from the exquisite laces at his throat and wriststo the jewels on his fingers, and finding all very much to her taste, andthe appropriate adornments for a young gentleman of so gallant a carriageand so pleasantly impertinent a face. She had never cast her eyes uponany youth in Madrid that had captivated her fancy so mightily, and shethought to herself that when the time came for her to have a lover herewas the very lover she would choose. And then she remembered, with afluttering heart, that she was likely to become a great lady and the peerof this fascinating dandiprat. As for him, he returned her gaze with abold stare of approval.

  The Marquis de Chavernay agitated his dainty hands in delicate assurance."Agreeable, believe me," he asserted; and then asked: "Why has yoursister nymph retreated from the field? I could entertain the pair ofyou."

  As Flora's only answer to this assurance was a further, though perhapsnot very earnest, effort to enter the caravan, he restrained her withappealing voice and gesture: "Please do not go."

  Flora looked at him quizzically. "Why should I stay, pretty gentleman?"

  The little marquis made her a bow. "Because you can do me a service,pretty lady. Is there an inn hereabouts at the sign of the ThreeGraces?"

  Flora was curious. "Why do you want to know?"

  The little marquis wore a mysterious look, as if all the politicalsecrets of the period were shut in his heart or head, and he lowered hisvoice as he answered: "Because I am commissioned to ascertain itswhereabouts for a friend."

  Flora laughed, and pointed to the Inn into which Gabrielle had retreated."You have not far to seek to oblige your friend," she said. "There itstands behind you."

  Chavernay swung round on his heels, and surveyed the modest littlehostelry with amusement. "The shelter of the fugitive nymph. Oh, now Iunderstand my friend's anxiety! Pretty child, my duty forces me to leaveyou when my inclination would fling me into your arms. If I may wait uponyou later--"

  This time Flora had evidently made up her mind that it would beindiscreet of her further to prolong the colloquy. She dipped him acourtesy, half mocking and half respectful, wished him good-day, and,diving into the caravan, slammed the door in his face. The little marquisseemed at first astonished at the austerity of the gypsy girl.

  "Dido retires to her cave," he thought to himself. "Shall AEneas pursue?"He m
ade for a moment as if to advance and force his company upon theseeming reluctant damsel. Then his volatile thoughts flickered back tothe girl who had entered the Inn. "Methinks," he reflected, "I would assoon play Paris to yonder Helen. But I must not keep his Majesty waiting.No wonder he seeks the Inn of the Three Graces." For it was plain to thelittle gentleman that he had now discovered the reason why his augustmaster and sovereign had done him the honor to select him as scout tofind out the whereabouts of the unknown tavern.