第27章

"Quick," she said, "give me some rags and water."Norbert gently disengaged himself."It is a mere nothing," said he, "and can be looked after later on.Fortunately I did not receive the whole weight of the blow, which would otherwise have brought me senseless to the ground, and perhaps I should have been slain by my father's hand.""By the Duke? and for what reason did he strike you?""Diana, he had grossly insulted you, and he dared to tell me of it.

Had he forgotten that the blood of the race of Champdoce ran in my veins as well as in his?"Mademoiselle de Laurebourg burst into a passion of tears.

"I," sobbed she, "I have brought all this upon you.""You? Why, it is to you that he owes his life.He dared to strike me as if I had been a lackey, but the thoughts of you stayed my hand.Iturned and fled, and never again will I enter that accursed house.Irenounce the Duke de Champdoce, he is no longer my father, and I will never look upon his face again.Would that I could forget that such a man existed; but, no, I would rather that I remembered him for the sake of revenge."Again the heart of Daumon overflowed with joy.All his deeply malignant spirit thrilled pleasantly as he heard these words.

"Marquis," said he, "perhaps you will now believe with me that in all misfortunes there is an element of luck, for your father has committed an act of imprudence which will yet cost him dear.It is very strange that so astute a man as the Duke de Champdoce should have allowed his passion to carry him away.""What do you mean?"

"Simply that you can be freed from the tyranny of your father whenever you like now.We now have all that is necessary for lodging a formal plaint in court.We have sequestration of the person, threats and bodily violence by the aid of third parties, and words and blows which have endangered life; our case is entirely complete.A surgeon will examine your wound, and give a written deposition.We can produce plenty of evidence, and the wound on the head will tell its own story.

As a commencement we will petition that we may not be ordered back to our father's custody, and it will further be set forth that our reason for this is that a father has assaulted a son with undue and unnecessary violence.We shall be sure to gain the day, and--""Enough," broke in Norbert; "will the decision give me the right to marry whom I please without my father's consent?"Daumon hesitated.Under the circumstances, it seemed to him very likely that the court would grant Norbert the liberty he desired; he, however, thought it advisable not to say so, and answered boldly, "No, Marquis, it will not do so.""Well, then, the Champdoce family have never exposed their differences to the public, nor will I begin to do so," said Norbert decisively.

The Counsellor seemed surprised at this determination.

"If, Marquis," he began, "I might venture to advise you--""No advice is necessary, my mind is entirely made up, but I need some help, and in twenty-four hours I require a large sum of money--twenty thousand francs.""You can have them, Marquis, but I warn you that you will have to pay heavily for the accommodation.""That I care nothing for."

Mademoiselle de Laurebourg was about to speak, but with a gesture of his hand Norbert arrested her.

"Do you not comprehend me, Diana?" said he; "we must fly, and that at once.We can find some safe retreat where we can live happily, where no one will harm us.""But this is mere madness!" cried Diana.

"You will be pursued," remarked the Counsellor; "and most likely overtaken.""Can you not trust your life to me?" asked Norbert reproachfully."Iswear that I will devote everything to you, life, thought, and will.

On my knees I entreat you to fly with me.""I cannot," murmured she; "it is impossible.""Then you do not love me," said he in desponding accents."I have been a thrice-besotted fool to believe that your heart was mine, for you can never have loved me.""Hear him, merciful powers! he says that I, who am all his, do not love him.""Then why cast aside our only chance of safety?""Norbert, dearest Norbert!"

"I understand you too well; you are alarmed at the idea of the world's censure, and----"He paused, checked by the gleam of reproach that shone in Diana's eyes.

"Must it be so?" said she; "must I condescend to justify myself? You talk to me of the world's censure? Have I not already defied it, and has it not sat in judgment upon me? And what have I done, after all?

Every act and word that has passed between us I can repeat to my mother without a blush rising to my cheek; but would any one credit my words? No, not a living soul.Most likely the world has come to a decision.My reputation is gone, is utterly lost, and yet I am spotless as the driven snow."Norbert was half-mad with anger.

"Who would dare to treat you with anything save the most profound respect?" said he.

"Alas! my dear Norbert," replied she, "to-morrow the scandal will be even greater.While your father was talking to me with such brutal violence and contempt, he was overheard by a woodcutter and perhaps by some of his companions.""It cannot be."

"No, it is quite true," returned Daumon."I had it from the man myself."Mademoiselle de Laurebourg shot one glance at the Counsellor; it was only a glance, but he comprehended at once that she wished to be left alone with her lover.

"Pardon me," said he, "but I think I have a visitor, and I must hinder any one from coming in here."He left the room as he spoke, closing the door noisily behind him.

"And so," resumed Norbert when alone, "it seems that the Duke de Champdoce did not even take the ordinary precaution of assuring himself that you were in privacy before he spoke as he did, and was so carried away by his fury that he never thought that in casting dishonor upon you, he was heaping infamy on me.Does he think by these means to compel me to marry the heiress whom he has chose for me, the Mademoiselle de Puymandour?"For the first time Diana learned the name of her rival.