The Duke's Motto: A Melodrama Read online

  XXVII

  AESOP IN LOVE

  Again the applause broke forth. Oriol, his round eyes growing rounder,echoed the last words as a question: "A wedding?"

  Gonzague nodded. "A wonderful wedding. The bride is a beauty, and thebridegroom is AEsop."

  Navailles looked round over his companions and sighed for the absence ofa choice spirit. "How Chavernay would have laughed!" he said. "I wish hewere here."

  "I did not invite Chavernay," Gonzague replied, coldly.

  And even as he spoke the door of the antechamber opened and Chavernaymade his appearance unannounced, as briskly impudent, as cheerfullyself-confident as ever. He shook a finger in playful reproof at Gonzagueas he advanced, wholly unimpressed by the slight frown which knitted thebrows of his unexpected host. "It was most unkind of you; but anothermakes good your neglect, whose invitation I really had not the strengthof purpose to refuse."

  Gonzague's irritation was not altogether dissipated by the coolness ofhis kinsman, but he judged that any show of anger was unbefitting sofelicitous an occasion, so he smiled slightly as he asked: "Who invitesyou?"

  Chavernay looked all around him, scanning the faces of the men in thebrilliant group of Gonzague's guests, as if seeking there a countenancehe failed to find. Then he answered, in a tone of voice that wasunusually grave for the light-hearted marquis: "Henri de Lagardere."

  At the sound of that name a thrill ran through the guests, and all echoedwith astonishment the name of Lagardere.

  Gonzague looked at Chavernay with a pitying smile. "You come too late,"he said, "if you come at the summons of such a host. Lagardere is dead."

  Chavernay gave a little start of surprise, while the others, to whom thenews had been good news some little while ago, but was no news at allnow, laughed boisterously at his expected discomfiture. But Chavernay didnot seem to be discomfited, and seemed inclined to doubt the tidings."Dead?" he said. "Why, he wrote to me to meet him here at two o'clock."

  As he spoke he drew from his breast a folded piece of paper and extendedit to Gonzague, who took it with a reluctance, even with a repugnance,which he controlled because it was so clearly unreasonable. The papercontained a few words written in a bold, soldierly hand. They ran thus:

  "Meet me to-night at two o'clock at the palace of the Prince de Gonzague. HENRI DE LAGARDERE."

  Gonzague returned the paper to Chavernay with an ironical smile."Somebody has been hoaxing you," he said. "You will not meet Lagarderehere."

  Taranne consulted his watch. "It is now two o'clock," he said, and showedthe dial to Chavernay, who looked puzzled, but also unconvinced.

  "No one will come," said Navailles, mockingly.

  At that moment Chavernay's quick ear caught the sound of footsteps in theprivate passage outside, and called attention to the sound. "Some one iscoming. Is it Lagardere?"

  As he spoke all eyes were fixed upon the door. So firmly had the fear ofLagardere emanated from the consciousness of Gonzague to impress thehearts of his party that even then, when all present had the assurancefrom their leader that Lagardere was dead and done with, their convictionnot unsettled, indeed, but somewhat disturbed by Chavernay's words andChavernay's strange message, waited with uneasy expectation for whatmight happen. Then the door opened fully, and the hunchback came into theroom, dressed now with a splendor of attire which seemed to contrast moregrotesquely than his wonted sable with his twisted, withered figure. Allpresent, including Gonzague, had for the moment forgotten the existenceof the hunchback. All present, with the exception of Chavernay, burstinto the loud laughter of relieved nerves as they beheld him.

  "This is not Lagardere," said Oriol, holding his fat sides.

  The hunchback laughed a mocking laugh in answer to the amusement of thecompany and the amazement of Chavernay. "Who speaks of Lagardere? Whoremembers Lagardere? AEsop is the hero of this feast; AEsop is a gentlemanto-night, with a silk coat on his back and a lace kerchief in hisfingers. He woos a beauty, and the chivalry of France shall witness histriumph. Lagardere is dead! Long live AEsop, who killed him!"

  The little marquis advanced towards the jesting hunchback with clinchedhands and angry eyes. "Assassin!" he cried, and seemed as if he wouldtake the hunchback by the throat, but Gonzague came between his kinsmanand his servant, saying, coldly: "Whoever insults AEsop, insults me. AEsopmarries the girl whom Lagardere called Gabrielle de Nevers."

  Chavernay folded his arms and looked fiercely around him. "Now I know whyLagardere sent for me--to defend a helpless woman."

  The hunchback drolled at him: "She will not need your championship. Shewill accept with joy the hunchback's hand."

  Chavernay shook his head scornfully. "That will never happen."

  The hunchback answered him, coolly: "That will happen, Monsieur deChavernay."

  At that moment the door opposite to the antechamber opened, and thefigure of a fair girl appeared.

  "Your bride approaches," said Gonzague, and moved towards the new-comer,suddenly pausing with an angry frown as he perceived that she was notalone, for Gabrielle, very pale, but with courage in her eyes anddetermination on her lips, entered the room accompanied by the gypsy girlFlora. To Flora Gonzague spoke, angrily: "Why are you here? This is noplace for you."

  The gypsy looked at him defiantly. "This is my place," she said, "for Ihave found my friend, and I think she needs my friendship."

  Gonzague spoke, imperiously: "Retire, Mademoiselle de Nevers!"

  The gypsy girl gave him no answer, but held her ground mutinously.Gabrielle moved a little away from her friend's side. She asserted herright firmly. "I am Gabrielle de Nevers."

  Again Gonzague addressed Flora: "Mademoiselle de Nevers," he said, "haveyou not undeceived this unfortunate, this misguided girl?"

  Flora answered him, steadily: "No, highness, for I believe her."

  Gonzague began to lose his patience. He was bound, in the presence of hisfriends, to keep up the assumption of belief in the gentility of Flora,in her heirship to Nevers. He addressed her, harshly: "Mademoiselle deNevers, if you are mad enough to wish to abandon your rights to animpostor, I am here to protect you, and I order you at once to retire."

  Flora gave no sign of obedience, and Gabrielle spoke again: "I amGabrielle de Nevers. Why have I been brought here?"

  Gonzague turned to her, and his manner was that of a judge coollycourteous to one whom he professed to believe possibly innocent ofcomplicity in sin: "You have been brought here because I did not wish todeliver you to the stern justice of the law. Your offence is grave, butthe fault lies with your accomplice, and his alone the penalty."

  Gabrielle looked all about her, sustaining bravely the bold stares of thedancing-women and the evil admiration of the men. "Where is Henri deLagardere?" she asked; and then, as only silence followed upon herquestion, she cried: "Ah, he must be dead, since he is not here to defendme."

  Gonzague confirmed her fears: "He is dead."

  Chavernay, who had kept resolutely apart from the rest of the guests, nowadvanced to the beautiful girl who stood there alone and friendless, savefor Flora, and made her a respectful bow. "I will defend you in hisname," he said, simply.

  Flora clapped her hands. "Bravo, little man!" she cried.

  Gonzague, with a stern gesture, motioned to Chavernay to stand back. "Youpresume," he said. "I offer this deluded girl protection. It is for me tosee that she is properly provided for."

  Gabrielle gave him a glance that pierced through his speciousprotestations. "You wish the daughter of Nevers to die. If you havekilled Lagardere, I have no wish to live."

  Gonzague answered her, urbanely: "You take the matter too seriously. Youhave shared an imposture. I propose to shield you from punishment. Youshall tramp the highways no longer. Here is an honest gentleman ready tomarry you, to forgive and to forget. Advance, AEsop."

  At that command the hunchback, who had been leaning against a chair anapparently amused spectator of the not untragic scene, shambled slowlyforw
ard more ungainly than ever in his finery, his long sword swinginggrotesquely against his legs.

  Flora gave a cry of indignation. "Are you mad? That monster!"

  The hunchback's answer to her words was a comic bow, which madeGonzague's friends laugh. Gabrielle looked at the laughing gentlemen, andthere was something so brave, so stately in her gaze that the laughterdied away.

  "Gentlemen," she said, "you bear honorable names, you wear honorableswords. Gentlemen, the daughter of Nevers appeals to you to protect herfrom insult."

  Even Gonzague's band, hardened by the influence of long association withtheir master, could not hear that appeal unmoved, though no man amongthem made any motion of responding to it.

  Chavernay, however, rested his hand lightly upon his sword-hilt. "Rely onme," he said, boldly.

  Gonzague looked at him contemptuously. "No heroics, sir. The lady is freeto choose between the husband I offer and the law that chastisesimpostors." He turned to the hunchback, who stood near him. "I fear yourlove affair goes ill, AEsop."

  The hunchback did not seem at all disheartened. "It will go better when Itake it in hand myself. Let me speak to the lady alone."

  Flora fiercely protested: "No, no, no!"

  But Gonzague turned to her with a look so menacing that even her couragequailed before it. "For your friend's sake, be quiet, Mademoiselle deNevers," he said. Taking Flora by the hand, he drew her, partly by mainforce and partly by strength of his dominating influence, away fromGabrielle. Then he turned to his friends. "Ladies and gentlemen," hesaid, "our good AEsop desires to speak to the lady of his love in private.We are all, I am sure, too sympathetic with his amorous ambition tointerfere with his wishes. Let him ply his wooing untroubled. Standapart, please, and give AEsop a fair field."

  Wondering, laughing, whispering, Gonzague's guests drew back and rangedthemselves against the golden doors, and Gabrielle was left standingalone in the middle of the room. The hunchback caught up a chair andcarried it to where she stood, making a gesture which requested her to beseated.

  Gabrielle looked at him scornfully. "I have nothing to say to you. Itrust to the justice of France."

  The hunchback spoke to her in a low voice, so evenly calculated thatevery syllable of what he said was clear to the girl's ears, though nosyllable reached the others: "Do not start; do not show surprise."

  Gabrielle had the strength of spirit to control the wonder, the joy, thehope at the sound of the loved voice thus brought her so suddenly; butshe trembled, and her strength seemed to fail her. She sank into thechair which the hunchback had offered her. "My God!" she murmured, andthen said no more, but sat with clasped hands and rigid face.

  The hunchback spoke again, in the same low, measured tones: "Seem tolisten against your will. A sign may betray us both."

  "Henri!" Gabrielle murmured.

  The hunchback went on: "Seem as if you were enchanted at my words, by mygestures. They are watching us."

  Now the hunchback walked slowly in a circle round the chair on whichGabrielle was seated, making as he did so fantastic gestures with hishands over her head--gestures which suggested to the amazed spectatorssome wizard busy with his horrid incantations.

  Taranne nudged Oriol. "She listens."

  "She seems pleased," Oriol answered.

  Chavernay muttered, angrily: "This must be witch-craft."

  Noce, leaning forward a little, called to the hunchback: "How speeds yoursuit?"

  The hunchback paused for a moment in his round to make a motion forsilence. "Famously, gentlemen, famously. But you must not disturb myincantations."

  Navailles touched Noce on the shoulder. "Let the dog have his day."

  The hunchback was again at the side of Gabrielle, still indulging inextravagant antics of gesticulation, speaking softly the while."Gabrielle, they think me dead, but I live and hope to save you. But weface danger, dear, but we face death, and must be wary. Will you dowhatever I tell you to do?"

  "Yes," Gabrielle answered.

  The hunchback went on: "God knows how this night will end. I have toldthem that I can make you love me."

  Almost Gabrielle smiled. "You have told them the truth."

  The hunchback continued: "I have told them that I can persuade you tomarry me."

  Gabrielle said again: "You have told them the truth."

  The hunchback sighed. He was still cutting his strange capers, waving hisextended fingers over the girl's head and making grotesque genuflections,but he spoke, and his voice was full of passion and his voice was full ofpain as he whispered: "Gabrielle, Gabrielle, I have always loved you,shall always love you. But you must not love me, that would never do.Nevers's daughter cannot, may not, love the soldier of fortune."

  "Yet you ask me to marry you?" Gabrielle said.

  The hunchback answered: "To save you from Gonzague. You would have diedto-night but for this mad plan of mine. Once you are safe, you can easilybe set free from me."

  There was that in Gabrielle's eyes which the hunchback could not see.There was that in Gabrielle's heart which the hunchback could not read.Gabrielle appreciated the nobility of the man who was trying to save her,but Gabrielle also understood the strength of her own love and her owndetermination, but she showed nothing of this in her words. All she saidwas: "Well, I am not safe yet. What do you want me to do?"

  The hunchback instructed her. "Just say yes to the questions I shall askyou now aloud. Speak as if you were in a dream."

  He drew back now a little from the girl, and turned triumphantly to theothers, with the air of one who has accomplished a very difficult task.Then he approached Gabrielle again.

  "Do you love me?" he asked, in a clear voice which carried to all partsof the room.

  And the girl, looking straight before her like one that spoke in atrance, answered, clearly: "I love you with all my heart, for ever andever and ever."

  Gonzague, who had been watching the proceedings with cynical curiosity,was the most amazed of the amazed spectators. "Here is a miracle."

  "I'll not believe it," Chavernay protested.

  The hunchback made an angry gesture to command silence. "Hush!" he said,and then again addressed the girl: "Will you be my wife?"

  Gabrielle answered as clearly as before: "I will be your wife gladly. Injoy and in sorrow, I will be your wife so long as I live."

  The hunchback turned triumphantly to the company. "Gentlemen, gentlemen,you see that my suit prospers. The poor hunchback was no boaster."

  Flora, seated near to Gonzague, and conquered by his domination and bythe horror of the scene, covered her face with her hands and shuddered."It's too horrible," she moaned.

  The hunchback nodded to her ironically. "You are severe," he said, dryly.Then he turned to Gonzague. "There is a friend of mine at the door," hesaid. "May I introduce him?"

  Gonzague nodded, and the hunchback advanced to the door of theantechamber.

  Chavernay looked after him with haggard eyes. "What spell has the devilgot?" he muttered.

  Gonzague shrugged his shoulders. "I am amazed; but the knave has myfaith, and, if the lady's taste limps, shall we say her nay?"