Monsieur Cherami Part 89

"Really, you are too kind! I preferred to come myself to tell you of this blessed change. Now I must leave you, to go to my banker's. I must make him give me a lot of money, for I propose to cover you with jewelry and fine clothes."

"Oh! monsieur le comte, don't be foolish, I beg!"

"It's not foolish, simply to try to please you. Ah! to-morrow, what quant.i.ties of things I will buy, and perhaps I shall not have the pleasure of seeing you; but expect me the day after to-morrow, about noon, with all my little gewgaws."

"You are always welcome, monsieur le comte."

Monsieur de la Beriniere took his leave after kissing the young widow's hand; while she abandoned herself without reserve to the most intense delight.

"At last," she cried, "I am going to be a countess! Oh! that Monsieur Cherami is a delightful man! And when I am a countess and have my carriage and forty thousand francs a year, which I won't lose by speculating in stocks, then father won't think that I did wrong to refuse a second time to marry Gustave; for, in this world, it seems to me that it is one's duty to think of one's self first."

When the count woke on the third day of the new treatment, he was amazed to find that he felt almost as weak as before he began to drink the precious liquid; he did not realize that the strength which it gave him was purely artificial and vanished with the spirits which it contained.

He summoned his valet, bade him give him the precious bottle, drank two gla.s.ses in quick succession, and soon felt revivified.

"I will drink it all to-day!" said the count to himself, while his valet was dressing him.--"How many more gla.s.ses are there in the bottle, Francois?"

"I should think there were at least six, monsieur le comte, besides the two you have drunk."

"That will make eight; but I shall be as lively as a cricket."

"Doesn't monsieur think that it may excite him too much?"

"No, no! Mere herbs! they're very strengthening! Give me a gla.s.s."

"Here it is, monsieur le comte."

"Ah! it's good! I am beginning to like it much. It's an extraordinary thing, the good it does me. I feel like pirouetting, Francois."

"Don't do it, monsieur; it would make you dizzy."

"Let us see: I have a lot of errands to do to-day, tradesmen to see, gifts to buy for my bride that is to be; for I am to be married on Sat.u.r.day, Francois!"

"Indeed! so much the better, monsieur."

"I am going to make a list of the things I want to buy. I shall have a tiresome day. Give me another gla.s.s, Francois."

"Yes, monsieur."

"I don't know just where I shall dine to-day. I think I shall not come back here."

"At Madame Monleard's, perhaps?"

"Oh, no! that would embarra.s.s her. I will dine at a restaurant, with the first friend I happen to meet. Have you ordered the carriage?"

"Yes, monsieur; it is waiting for you."

"I am off. Pardieu! another gla.s.s before I go."

"Monsieur is very much flushed now."

"So much the better! That's my natural color coming back. Just put the bottle in the carriage; I will finish it while I do my errands."

The count swallowed his fifth gla.s.s of chartreuse, made a demi-pirouette, and almost fell, because he was very dizzy; but his valet held him up, and he finally succeeded, after much b.u.mping against walls, in reaching his carriage, into which he threw himself, saying:

"Deuce take me! I believe I am quite capable of climbing a greased pole!"

The day was pa.s.sed by the future bridegroom in visiting emporiums of jewelry, laces, and shawls; he gave his orders, and from the mult.i.tude of those pretty trifles which are said to be necessaries of life, and with which ladies adorn their whatnots, he made a selection well calculated to flatter her who was to bear his name. This took a great deal of time, but he found leisure to finish the bottle he had brought with him; he had an unfamiliar burning sensation in his breast; he was tremendously thirsty, and said to himself:

"I will drink seltzer with my dinner."

About five o'clock, as he was leaving a famous fancy-goods shop, he spied his two seconds, Messieurs de Maugrille and de Gervier, coming toward him arm in arm. He went forward eagerly to meet them.

"Good afternoon, messieurs! Where are you going?"

"Why, we are going to dine."

"With friends?"

"No; at the first restaurant we see, provided that it's a good one."

"Then you will give me the pleasure of dining with me; we will celebrate my recovery and my approaching marriage."

"So be it."

"Get into my carriage; we can sit close together. I will take you to Philippe's; will that suit you?"

"Perfectly; one can dine very well there."

They entered the carriage. As they drove along, Monsieur de Maugrille glanced very often at the count. Finally, he said to him:

"Are you completely cured?"

"As you see."

"Your face seems to me very much flushed; your eyes gleam with supernatural brilliancy."

"That's the result of the medicine I have been taking; a very agreeable remedy, I give you my word."

"Something that your doctor prescribed?"

"No; I got it from my opponent, Monsieur Cherami."

"Your opponent! You have seen him again?"

"To be sure; we are the best of friends. He's a hot-head, but a very good fellow."

"Did you ask him who those two Mohicans were who acted as his seconds?"