The Milkmaid of Montfermeil Part 54

"Perhaps she came to Paris to invite me to her wedding."

"I don't know what she came for; but she seemed unhappy when she went away. She said she wouldn't trouble you any more, and I saw tears in her eyes. That touched me, I admit; the child is so sweet and pretty, and anyone can see that her tears ain't make-believe."

Auguste was apparently reflecting on what the ex-corporal had said, when there was a violent ring at the door, and Bertrand announced that an old gentleman whose face denoted intense excitement, wished to see Monsieur Dalville. Auguste was surprised to recognize Monsieur Monin, whose eyes, even more staring than usual, seemed to indicate that something of grave importance had happened.

"Is it you, Monsieur Monin?" said Auguste, offering a chair to the ex-druggist, who, despite his excitement, inquired as he seated himself:

"How's the state of your health?"

"I ought rather to ask you that, Monsieur Monin. You look as if you were in some trouble; may I know what it is?"

"Yes, monsieur; I have less than I had! that's why I've come."

"What do you say? less than you had? I don't understand."

"Do you mean to say you don't know it?"

"Know what, Monsieur Monin?"

"What I just told you."

"Not yet; but if you would be good enough to explain----"

"The fact is, monsieur, it gave me such a blow!"

"Indeed, you seem to be a little confused."

"Didn't it have the same effect on you?"

"I don't know as yet what effect it will have on me, Monsieur Monin, or how I am interested in what you came to tell me."

"Oh! Monsieur Dalville, if we could have guessed; if we could have foreseen! But, bless my soul! we aren't sorcerers; that's what I told b.i.+.c.hette this morning when she insisted on taking my snuff-box away."

"I never supposed that you were a sorcerer, Monsieur Monin; but I confess that at this moment I find you rather incomprehensible."

"That's because I haven't recovered yet, monsieur."

"Recovered from what?"

"And b.i.+.c.hette declares that he's taken you in, too."

Dalville lost patience, and glanced at Bertrand, who was pacing the floor, muttering:

"If I had a squad of men like him to drill, I'd begin by fastening 'em to horses' tails and driving the horses at a gallop."

Monin took out his snuff-box, stuffed his nostrils, and continued:

"I have come to you, Monsieur Dalville, to see if by chance you have discovered which way he has gone."

"Who on earth do you mean, Monsieur Monin? For heaven's sake, explain yourself more fully! You have been talking to me for an hour, and I haven't understood a word that you've said. What is it that someone has been doing to you?"

"Someone has robbed me, monsieur!"

"Robbed you?"

"That is to say, carried off twenty-five thousand francs."

"Who, pray?"

"Monsieur Destival."

"Destival!"

"Yes, monsieur; he's gone away, left France, so I am told. That is what I had the honor to come to tell you."

Auguste understood now too well; he was overwhelmed. Bertrand walked up to Monin, shouting:

"What's that you say? d.a.m.nation! Is it possible that that Monsieur Destival----"

"Ah! Monsieur Bertrand! How's the state of your health?"

"He has gone--with our two hundred and fifty thousand francs!"

"Just so. You know you taught him to drill."

"Ah! the double-dyed villain!--We are ruined, lieutenant!"

"Don't get excited, Bertrand; perhaps this intelligence is false. I can't believe that Destival----"

"That's what I told b.i.+.c.hette; I couldn't believe it either."

"But how do you know? Who told you that Destival has gone?"

"I'll tell you, monsieur: he sold my shop for me not long ago, and kept the money to invest; and I gave him six thousand francs more a week ago, because he said that the more he had, the better investments he could make. And yet b.i.+.c.hette wasn't very much inclined to leave our money with him. But Monsieur Bisbis advised her to leave it, so--Do you take snuff?"

"I must go at once to Destival's," said Auguste, interrupting Monin in the middle of his speech.

"Yes, lieutenant," said Bertrand, "that will be much better than listening to monsieur. Go, don't lose any time; and meanwhile I'll go and try to find out something about which way the villain has gone.

Perhaps he ain't far away yet, and if we have to founder ten horses, we'll catch him!"

"If you do catch him, Monsieur Bertrand, remember that I'm in for twenty-five thousand francs," said Monin. But n.o.body was listening to him; Auguste was already on the staircase and the corporal lost no time in following him. Monin, finding that he was left alone with the little groom, decided to leave Dalville's abode and to return to his own.

"At the rate they're going," he thought, "there's no doubt that those gentlemen will succeed in catching our man; so I'll go home and encourage b.i.+.c.hette."

Auguste betook himself to the business agent's abode. He inquired for Destival of the concierge, who replied:

"Monsieur Destival hasn't been seen for three days, and n.o.body knows what's become of him; he didn't say where he was going. The negro and Baptiste have gone, too; but madame and her maid stayed behind. She's at home now."