"Accursed be that man's name, and MY tongue if ever I utter it again in your hearing!" cried Rose, weeping bitterly."You are wiser than I, and every way better.O my darling, dry your tears! Here he comes: look! riding across the park.""Rose," cried Josephine, hastily, "I leave all to you.Receive Monsieur Raynal, and decline his offer if you think proper.It is you who love me best.My mother would give me up for a house; for an estate, poor dear.""I would not give you for all the world.""I know it.I trust all to you."
"Well, but don't go; stay and hear what I shall say.""Oh, no; that poor man is intolerable to me NOW.Let me avoid his sight, and think of his virtues."Rose was left alone, mistress of her sister's fate.She put her head into her hands and filled with anxiety and sudden doubt.
Like a good many more of us, she had been positive so long as the decision did not rest with her.But with power comes responsibility, with responsibility comes doubt.Easy to be an advocate in re incerta; hard to be the judge.And she had but a few seconds to think in; for Raynal was at hand.The last thing in her mind before he joined her was the terrible power of that base Camille over her sister.She despaired of curing Josephine, but a husband might.There's such divinity doth hedge a husband in innocent girls' minds.
"Well, little lady," began Raynal, "and how are you, and how is my mother-in-law that is to be--or is not to be, as your sister pleases; and how is SHE? have I frightened her away? There were two petticoats, and now there is but one.""She left me to answer you."
"All the worse for me: I am not to your taste.""Do not say that," said Rose, almost hysterically.
"Oh! it is no sacrilege.Not one in fifty likes me.""But I do like you, sir."
"Then why won't you let me have your sister?""I have not quite decided that you shall not have her," faltered poor Rose.She murmured on, "I dare say you think me very unkind, very selfish; but put yourself in my place.I love my sister as no man can ever love her, I know: my heart has been one flesh and one soul with hers all my life.A stranger comes and takes her away from me as if she was I don't know what; his portmanteau; takes her to Egypt, oh! oh! oh!"Raynal comforted her.
"What, do you think I am such a brute as to take that delicate creature about fighting with me? why, the hot sand would choke her, to begin.No.You don't take my manoeuvre.I have no family; Itry for a wife that will throw me in a mother and sister.You will live all together the same as before, of course; only you must let me make one of you when I am at home.And how often will that be?
Besides, I am as likely to be knocked on the head in Egypt as not;you are worrying yourself for nothing, little lady."He uttered the last topic of consolation in a broad, hearty, hilarious tone, like a trombone impregnated with cheerful views of fate.
"Heaven forbid!" cried Rose: "and I will, for even I shall pray for you now.What you will leave her at home? forgive me for not seeing all your worth: of course I knew you were an angel, but I had no idea you were a duck.You are just the man for my sister.She likes to obey: you are all for commanding.So you see.Then she never thinks of herself; any other man but you would impose on her good-nature; but you are too generous to do that.So you see.Then she esteems you so highly.And one whom I esteem (between you and me) has chosen you for her.""Then say yes, and have done with it," suggested the straightforward soldier.
"Why should I say 'no?' you will make one another happy some day:
you are both so good.Any other man but you would tear her from me;but you are too just, too kind.Heaven will reward you.No! Iwill.I will give you Josephine: ah, my dear brother-in-law, it is the most precious thing I have to give in the world.""Thank you, then.So that is settled.Hum! no, it is not quite; Iforgot; I have something for you to read; an anonymous letter.Igot it this morning; it says your sister has a lover."The letter ran to this tune: a friend who had observed the commandant's frequent visits at Beaurepaire wrote to warn him against traps.Both the young ladies of Beaurepaire were doubtless at the new proprietor's service to pick and choose from.But for all that each of them had a lover, and though these lovers had their orders to keep out of the way till monsieur should be hooked, he might be sure that if he married either, the man of her heart would come on the scene soon after, perhaps be present at the wedding.
In short, it was one of those poisoned arrows a coarse vindictive coward can shoot.
It was the first anonymous letter Rose had ever seen.It almost drove her mad on the spot.Raynal was sorry he had let her see it.
She turned red and white by turns, and gasped for breath.
"Why am I not a man?--why don't I wear a sword? I would pass it through this caitiff's heart.The cowardly slave!--the fiend! for who but a fiend could slander an angel like my Josephine? Hooked?
