Rose got a little cross at being practically confuted, and said coldly, "Come, let us go in; the only cocked hat we can see is on the way to Paris."Josephine assented eagerly.But she had not taken two steps towards the house ere she altered her mind, and said she felt faint, she wanted air; no, she should stay out a little longer."Look, Rose,"said she, in a strangely excited way, "what a shame! They put all manner of rubbish into this dear old tree: I will have it all turned out." And she looked with feigned interest into the tree: but her eyes seemed turned inward.
Rose gave a cry of surprise."He is waving his hat to me! What on earth does that mean?""Perhaps he takes you for me," said Josephine.
"Who is it? What do you mean?"
"IT IS HE! I knew his figure at a glance." And she blushed and trembled with joy; she darted behind the tree and peered round at him unseen: turning round a moment she found Rose at her back pale and stern.She looked at her, and said with terrible simplicity, "Ah, Rose, I forgot.""Are you mad, Josephine? Into the house this moment; if it IS he, Iwill receive him and send him about his business."But Josephine stood fascinated, and pale as ashes; for now the cocked hat stopped, and a pale face with eyes whose eager fire shone even at that distance, rose above the palings.Josephine crouched behind Rose, and gasped out, "Something terrible is coming, terrible! terrible!""Say something hateful," said Rose, trembling in her turn, but only with anger."The heartless selfish traitor! He never notices you till you are married to the noblest of mankind; and then he comes here directly to ruin your peace.No; I have altered my mind.He shall not see you, of course; but YOU shall hear HIM.I'll soon make you know the wretch and loathe him as I do.There, now he has turned the corner; hide in the oak while he is out of sight.Hide, quick, quick." Josephine obeyed mechanically; and presently, through that very aperture whence her sister had smiled on her lover she hissed out, in a tone of which one would not have thought her capable, "Be wise, be shrewd; find out who is the woman that has seduced him from me, and has brought two wretches to this.I tell you it is some wicked woman's doing.He loved me once.""Not so loud!--one word: you are a wife.Swear to me you will not let him see you, come what may.""Oh! never! never!" cried Josephine with terror."I would rather die.When you have heard what he has to say, then tell him I am dead.No, tell him I adore my husband, and went to Egypt this day with him.Ah! would to God I had!""Sh! sh!"
"Sh!"
Camille was at the little gate.
Rose stood still, and nerved herself in silence.Josephine panted in her hiding-place.
Rose's only thought now was to expose the traitor to her sister, and restore her peace.She pretended not to see Camille till he was near her.He came eagerly towards her, his pale face flushing with great joy, and his eyes like diamonds.
"Josephine! It is not Josephine, after all," said he."Why, this must be Rose, little Rose, grown up to a fine lady, a beautiful lady.""What do you come here for, sir?" asked Rose in a tone of icy indifference.
"What do I come here for? is that the way to speak to me? but I am too happy to mind.Dear Beaurepaire! do I see you once again!""And madame?"
"What madame?"
"Madame Dujardin that is or was to be."
"This is the first I have ever heard of her," said Camille, gayly.
"This is odd, for we have heard all about it.""Are you jesting?"
"No."
"If I understand you right, you imply that I have broken faith with Josephine?""Certainly."
"Then you lie, Mademoiselle Rose de Beaurepaire.""Insolent!"
"No.It is you who have insulted your sister as well as me.She was not made to be deserted for meaner women.Come, mademoiselle, affront me, and me alone, and you shall find me more patient.Oh!
who would have thought Beaurepaire would receive me thus?""It is your own fault.You never sent her a line for all these years.""Why, how could I?"
"Well, sir, the information you did not supply others did.We know that you were seen in a Spanish village drinking between two guerillas.""That is true," said Camille.
"An honest French soldier fired at you.Why, he told us so himself.""He told you true," said Camille, sullenly."The bullet grazed my hand; see, here is the mark.Look!" She did look, and gave a little scream; but recovering herself, said she wished it had gone through his heart."Why prolong this painful interview?" said she;"the soldier told us all."
"I doubt that," said Camille."Did he tell you that under the table I was chained tight down to the chair I sat in? Did he tell you that my hand was fastened to a drinking-horn, and my elbow to the table, and two fellows sitting opposite me with pistols quietly covering me, ready to draw the trigger if I should utter a cry? Did he tell you that I would have uttered that cry and died at that table but for one thing, I had promised her to live?""Not he; he told me nothing so incredible.Besides, what became of you all these years? You are a double traitor, to your country and to her."Camille literally gasped for breath."You are a most cruel young lady to insult me so," said he, and scalding tears forced themselves from his eyes.
Rose eyed him with merciless scorn.
