Monsieur Cherami Part 63

"Order the dinner; you know how to do it."

"Pardon me, but I think I won't order again," said Cherami; "I went about it like a bull in a china-shop; I don't propose to do it any more; you do the ordering."

"What does this mean? You, a man who understood life so well!"

"On the contrary, I understood it very ill; and I have changed all that--a complete reformation; better late than never."

Gustave finally decided to order the dinner; but at every moment his guest said to him:

"Enough; that's quite enough! and we'll have only one kind of wine."

"Faith! my dear fellow, you may eat and drink what you choose; but I propose to order to suit myself; I haven't turned hermit, you see."

"Go on, you are the master. I will get drunk, if you insist; it's my duty to obey you."

Throughout the first course, Cherami put water in his wine, and was very abstemious.

"I shouldn't know you," said Gustave.

"So much the better! I aim to be unrecognizable; but let us talk of your affairs: have you been to Papa Gerbault's?"

"Yes; I saw Adolphine, f.a.n.n.y's younger sister; still, as always, kind and affectionate and ready to help me."

"I have an idea that she is very affectionate, in truth."

"But I found her very much changed--she is thin, and she has lost her fresh color. One would say that the girl has some secret sorrow."

"There's nothing impossible in that, poor child! And you told her that you still love her sister?"

"To be sure; I confided to her all the hopes which f.a.n.n.y's present position justified me in forming. Oh! I made no mystery to her of my love for her sister."

"That must have afforded her a great deal of pleasure!"

"Adolphine takes an interest in my happiness; if she can help me with f.a.n.n.y, she will do it, I am sure."

"She is quite capable of it. But, look you, if you take my advice, you will go directly to the young widow, and not have the little sister for a constant witness of your love making; it's a dangerous business for a heart of nineteen years! When one sees others making love, it may arouse a longing to make love on one's own account."

"My dear Arthur, I ask nothing better than to go to Madame Monleard's; but I must see her first at her father's, and she must give me permission to call on her."

"Never fear; she'll give you permission. What about your uncle? have you spoken to him about the revival of your hopes?"

"No, indeed! he isn't fond of f.a.n.n.y. There'll be time enough for that when affairs come to a head."

"By the way, if I want to see you now, where shall I find you? I don't want to apply to your uncle again; he's an old curmudgeon whom I can't get along with. He has a way of looking at me! If he hadn't been your uncle, we should have had it out before this, I promise you."

"My dear fellow, my uncle is a most excellent man, I give you my word; very just and fair at bottom; a little obstinate when he has formed a bad opinion of people; but very willing to revise his judgment when you prove to him that he was wrong."

"A n.o.ble trait, that!"

"He has a prejudice against f.a.n.n.y; he believes her to be incapable of loving; but when she makes me happy, he will be the first to agree that he was wrong. As for myself, I have accepted a very nice suite of rooms in his house, where I shall stay till I marry."

"In your uncle's house! Then no one can see you without his permission?"

"Not so; my apartments are on the second floor, front, entirely separate from his."

"Does the concierge know you now?"

"Yes, never fear; he knows my name. Come, my good fellow, a gla.s.s of champagne to my love, to my union with f.a.n.n.y!"

"You insist on drinking champagne?"

"Most certainly."

"Very good, if you insist on it! We might well have been content with this claret, which is perfect."

"But what is the meaning of this virtuous conduct? what revolution has taken place in you? who has wrought this miracle?"

"Who? Don't you suspect?"

"Faith, no!"

"Well, it was you, my dear Gustave."

"I? Nonsense!"

"It's the truth, none the less. Twice now, you have obliged me; and with such tact, such generosity----"

"Oh! I beg you----"

"Sacrebleu! let me speak; I am not talking _blague_ now, and you must believe me, because I have no reason for lying. I brought myself up with a sharp turn; I said to myself that, although I am no longer young, I am not old enough yet to live at other people's expense. In short, I don't propose to throw money out of window any more.--Better still: I am conscious now of a desire to do something--to work and occupy my mind. I used to laugh at clerks, at the men employed in offices; but find me such a place, my friend, and I promise you that I'll fill it in such a way that they won't turn me away."

Gustave took Cherami's hand and pressed it warmly.

"This is very well done of you," he said; "I certainly can't blame you for such good resolutions. If you keep to them, why, I will look about, and I will find something for you."

"Oh! I shall keep to them; my mind is made up."

"Meanwhile, as one must never carry anything to excess, there's no law against your drinking champagne, provided you don't get drunk on it."

"Very good; let us drink it, then."

"To my love!"

"To your love! But take my advice, and attend to your business yourself; don't put it in the little sister's hands any more."

"Do you think her capable of doing me a bad turn with f.a.n.n.y?"

"No, indeed! G.o.d forbid! she loves you too well to do you a bad turn with anybody. But the result of my experience is that, in love, you should never employ an amba.s.sador. It's a waste of time."