第67章

"I knew monsieur was here, and as I feared some painful explanation, Icame to do my duty as a woman, and interpose.""You need fear nothing, madame," I said; "evidently what is taking place is the result of some misunderstanding.""Ah! this is too much!" cried Monsieur de Lanty, reopening the drawer from which he had taken the portfolio, and taking out a packet of letters tied with a rose-colored ribbon."I think these will put an end to your misunderstanding."I looked at the letters; they were not postmarked, and simply bore my name, Monsieur Dorlange, in a woman's handwriting, which was unknown to me.

"Monsieur," I said, "you know more than I do; you have in your possession letters that seem to belong to me, but which I have never received.""Upon my word," cried Monsieur de Lanty, "you are an admirable comedian; I never saw innocence better played.""But, monsieur," I said, "who wrote those letters, and why are they addressed to me?""It is useless to deny them, monsieur," said Madame de Lanty;"Marianina has confessed all."

"Mademoiselle Marianina!" I exclaimed."Then the matter is very simple; have the goodness to bring us together; let me hear from her lips the explanation of this singular affair.""The evasion is clever," replied Monsieur de Lanty; "but my daughter is no longer here: she is in a convent, forever sheltered from your intrigues and the dangers of her own ridiculous passion.If that is what you came to know, all is said.Let us part, for my patience and moderation have a limit, if your insolence has none.""Monsieur!" I began, angrily; but Madame de Lanty, who was standing behind her husband, made me a gesture as if she would fall upon her knees; and reflecting that perhaps Marianina's future depended on the attitude I now took, I controlled myself and left the room without further words.

The next morning, before I was out of bed, the Abbe Fontanon was announced to me.When he entered he proved to be a tall old man with a bilious skin and a sombre, stern expression, which he tried to soften by a specious manner and a show of gentle but icy obsequiousness.

"Monsieur," he said, "Madame la Comtesse de Lanty, whose confessor Ihave the honor to be, requests me to give you a few explanations, to which you have an incontestable right, as to the scene that took place last evening between her husband and yourself.""I am ready to listen to you, monsieur," I replied.

"Monsieur de Lanty," continued the abbe, "is a bad sleeper; and one night last summer he was awakened by the sound of cautious steps.He opened his door, and called out to know who was there.He was not mistaken; some one was there, but did not answer, and disappeared before Monsieur de Lanty could obtain a light.At first it was thought to be an attempt at robbery; but on further inquiry it appeared that a gentleman had taken a room in the neighborhood, and had frequently been seen in company with Mademoiselle Marianina,--in short, the matter concerned a love affair and not a robbery.Monsieur de Lanty has long watched his daughter, whose ardent inclinations have given him much anxiety; you yourself, monsieur, caused him some uneasiness in Rome--""Very needless, Monsieur l'abbe," I said, interrupting him.