At this moment, quick footsteps were heard in the passage, and one of the nurses entered, after having knocked at the door.
"Sir," said she to the doctor, with a frightened air, "there are two gentlemen below, who wish to see you instantly, and the lady also."
Adrienne raised her head hastily; her eyes were bathed in tears.
"What are the names of these persons?" said M.Baleinier, much astonished.
"One of them said to me," answered the nurse: "`Go and inform Dr.
Baleinier that I am a magistrate, and that I come on a duty regarding Mdlle.de Cardoville.'"
"A magistrate!" exclaimed the Jesuit of the short robe, growing purple in the face, and unable to hide his surprise and uneasiness.
"Heaven be praised!" cried Adrienne, rising with vivacity, her countenance beaming through her tears with hope and joy; "my friends have been informed in time, and the hour of justice is arrived!"
"Ask these persons to walk up," said Dr.Baleinier, after a moment's reflection.Then, with a still more agitated expression of countenance, he approached Adrienne with a harsh, and almost menacing air, which contrasted with the habitual placidity of his hypocritical smile, and said to her in a low voice: "Take care, madame! do not rejoice too soon."
"I no longer fear you," answered Mdlle.de Cardoville, with a bright, flashing eye."M.de Montbron is no doubt returned to Paris, and has been informed in time.He accompanies the magistrate, and comes to deliver me.I pity you, sir--both you and yours," added Adrienne, with an accent of bitter irony.
"Madame," cried M.Baleinier, no longer able to dissemble his growing alarm, "I repeat to you, take care! Remember what I have told you.Your accusations would necessarily involve the discovery of what took place the other night.Beware! the fate of the soldier and his son is in your hands.Recollect they are in danger of the convict's chains."
"Oh! I am not your dupe, sir.You are holding out a covert menace.Have at least the courage to say to me, that, if I complain to the magistrates, you will denounce the soldier and his son."
"I repeat, that, if you make any complaint, those two people are lost,"
answered the doctor, ambiguously.
Startled by what was really dangerous in the doctor's threats, Adrienne asked: "Sir, if this magistrate questions me, do you think I will tell him a falsehood?"
"You will answer what is true," said M.Baleinier, hastily, in the hope of still attaining his end."You will answer that you were in so excited a state of mind a few days ago, that it was thought advisable, for your own sake, to bring you hither, without your knowing it.But you are now so much better, that you acknowledge the utility of the measures taken with regard to you.I will confirm these words for, after all, it is the truth."
"Never!" cried Mdlle.de Cardoville, with indignation, "never will I be the accomplice of so infamous a falsehood; never will I be base enough to justify the indignities that I have suffered!"
"Here is the magistrate," said M.Baleinier, as he caught the sound of approaching footsteps."Beware!"
The door opened, and, to the indescribable amazement of the doctor, Rodin appeared on the threshold, accompanied by a man dressed in black, with a dignified and severe countenance.In the interest of his projects, and from motives of craft and prudence that will hereafter be known, Rodin had not informed Father d'Aigrigny, and consequently the doctor, of the unexpected visit he intended to pay to the asylum, accompanied by a magistrate.On the contrary, he had only the day before given orders to M.Baleinier to confine Mdlle.de Cardoville still more strictly.
Therefore, imagine the stupor of the doctor when he saw the judicial officer, whose unexpected presence and imposing aspect were otherwise sufficiently alarming, enter the room, accompanied by Rodin, Abbe d'Aigrigny's humble and obscure secretary.From the door, Rodin, who was very shabbily dressed, as usual, pointed out Mdlle.de Cardoville to the magistrate, by a gesture at once respectful and compassionate.Then, while the latter, who had not been able to repress a movement of admiration at sight of the rare beauty of Adrienne, seemed to examine her with as much surprise as interest, the Jesuit modestly receded several steps.
Dr.Baleinier in his extreme astonishment, hoping to be understood by Rodin, made suddenly several private signals, as if to interrogate him on the cause of the magistrate's visit.But this was only productive of fresh amazement to M.Baleinier; for Rodin did not appear to recognize him, or to understand his expressive pantomime, and looked at him with affected bewilderment.At length, as the doctor, growing impatient, redoubled his mute questionings, Rodin advanced with a stride, stretched forward his crooked neck, and said, in a loud voice: "What is your pleasure, doctor?"
These words, which completely disconcerted Baleinier, broke the silence which had reigned for some seconds, and the magistrate turned round.
Rodin added, with imperturbable coolness: "Since our arrival, the doctor has been ****** all sorts of mysterious signs to me.I suppose he has something private to communicate, but, as I have no secrets, I must beg him to speak out loud."
This reply, so embarrassing for M.Baleinier, uttered in a tone of aggression, and with an air of icy coldness, plunged the doctor into such new and deep amazement, that he remained for some moments without answering.No doubt the magistrate was struck with this incident, and with the silence which followed it, for he cast a look of great severity on the doctor.Mdlle.de Cardoville, who had expected to have seen M.de Montbron, was also singularly surprised.