Informed of the truth, would Mme. Favoral have strength enough to resist these daily storms? Would not a time come, when, called upon by her husband to explain the refusals of her daughter, threatened, terrified, she would confess all?
At one glance Mlle. Gilberte estimated the danger; and, drawing from necessity an audacity which was very foreign to her nature:
"You are mistaken, dear mother," said she, "I have concealed nothing from you."
Not quite convinced; Mlle. Favoral shook her head.
"Then," said she, "you will yield."
"Never!"
"Then there must be some reason you do not tell me."
"None, except that I do not wish to leave you. Have you ever thought what would be your existence if I were no longer here? Have you ever asked yourself what would become of you, between my father, whose despotism will grow heavier with age, and my brother?"
Always prompt to defend her son:
"Maxence is not bad," she interrupted: "he will know how to compensate me for the sorrows he has inflicted upon me."
The young girl made a gesture of doubt:
"I wish it, dear mother," said she, "with all my heart; but I dare not hope for it. His repentance to-night was great and sincere; but will he remember it to-morrow? Besides, don't you know that father has fully resolved to separate himself from Maxence? Think of yourself alone here with father."
Mlle. Favoral shuddered at the mere idea.
"I would not suffer very long," she murmured. Mlle. Gilberte kissed her.
"It is because I wish you to live to be happy that I refuse to marry," she exclaimed. "Must you not have your share of happiness in this world? Let me manage. Who knows what compensations the future may have in store for you? Besides, this person whom father has selected for me does not suit me. A stock-jobber, who would think of nothing but money, - who would examine my house-accounts as papa does yours, or else who would load me with cashmeres and diamonds, like Mlle. de Thaller, to make of me a sign for his shop?
No, no! I want no such man. So, mother dear, be brave, take sides boldly with your daughter, and we shall soon be rid of this would-be husband."
"Your father will bring him to you: he said he would."
"Well, he is a man of courage, if he returns three times."
At this moment the parlor-door opened suddenly.
"What are you plotting here again?" cried the irritated voice of the master. "And you, Mme. Favoral, why don't you go to bed?"
The poor slave obeyed, without saying a word. And, whilst making her way to her room:
"There is trouble ahead," thought Mlle. Gilberte. "But bash! If I do have to suffer some, it won't be great harm, after all. Surely Marius does not complain, though he gives up for me his dearest hopes, becomes the salaried employe of M. Marcolet, and thinks of nothing but making money, - he so proud and so disinterested!
Mlle. Gilberte's anticipations were but too soon realized. When M.
Favoral made his appearance the next morning, he had the sombre brow and contracted lips of a man who has spent the night ruminating a plan from which he does not mean to swerve.
Instead of going to his office, as usual, without saying a word to any one, he called his wife and children to the parlor; and, after having carefully bolted all the doors, he turned to Maxence.
"I want you," he commenced, "to give me a list of your creditors.
See that you forget none; and let it be ready as soon as possible."
But Maxence was no longer the same man. After the terrible and well-deserved reproaches of his sister, a salutary revolution had taken place in him. During the preceding night, he had reflected over his conduct for the past four years; and he had been dismayed and terrified. His impression was like that of the drunkard, who, having become sober, remembers the ridiculous or degrading acts which he has committed 'under the influence of alcohol, and, confused and humiliated, swears never more to drink.
Thus Maxence had sworn to himself to change his mode of life, promising that it would be no drunkard's oath, either. And his attitude and his looks showed the pride of great resolutions.
Instead of lowering his eyes before the irritated glance of M.
Favoral, and stammering excuses and vague promises:
"It is useless, father," he replied, "to give you the list you ask for. I am old enough to bear the responsibility of my acts. I shall repair my follies: what I owe, I shall pay. This very day I shall see my creditors, and make arrangements with them.
"Very well, Maxence," exclaimed Mlle. Favoral, delighted.
But there was no pacifying the cashier of the Mutual Credit.
"Those are fine-sounding words," he said with a sneer; "but I doubt if the tailors and the shirt-makers will take them in payment.
That's why I want that list."
"Still - "
"It's I who shall pay. I do not mean to have another such scene as that of yesterday in my office. It must not be said that my son is a sharper and a cheat at the very moment when I find for my daughter a most unhoped-for match."
And, turning to Mlle. Gilberte:
"For I suppose you have got over your foolish ideas," he uttered.
The young girl shook her head.
"My ideas are the same as they were last night."
"Ah, ah!"
"And so, father, I beg of you, do not insist. Why wrangle and quarrel? You must know me well enough to know, that, whatever may happen, I shall never yield."
Indeed, M. Favoral was well aware of his daughter's firmness; for he had already been compelled on several occasions, as he expressed it himself, "to strike his flag" before her. But he could not believe that she would resist when he took certain means of enforcing his will.
"I have pledged my word," he said.
"But I have not pledged mine, father."
He was becoming excited: his cheeks were flushed; and his little eyes sparkled.
"And suppose I were to tell you," he resumed, doing at least to his daughter the honor of controlling his anger:" suppose I were to tell you that I would derive from this marriage immense, positive, and immediate advantages?"
"Oh!" she interrupted with a look of disgust, "oh, for mercy's sake!"