The Bath Keepers Volume Ii Part 45

Jarnonville took little Blanche by the hand, after she had been told not to make any noise; she seemed already to understand that she was to have a share in the cure of the gentleman who was lying there, although Bathilde had not dared to tell her to call him _father_.

The chevalier returned softly to the count's room. Hearing some movement in the bed, he left Blanche hidden by the curtains, and approached the invalid, who had opened his eyes and was gazing about the room as if he were trying to collect his thoughts, to marshal his recollections.

At sight of Jarnonville, Leodgard, more amazed than ever, faltered:

"What! is it you, Jarnonville? For heaven's sake, explain! What has happened?"

"You were very dangerously wounded. I found you lying on the ground, under an arcade on Place Royale."

"Oh, yes! yes! I remember--my duel--with the Marquis de Santoval.--And you had me brought here? But I recognize this chamber--it used to be mine; I am at the Hotel de Marvejols."

"To carry you farther would have been impossible; you would have died on the way; and besides, where else would you have found the devoted, incessant care and attention with which you have been surrounded here for three weeks past?"

Leodgard made no reply; he let his head fall back on the pillow; but his expression had become sad, his brow was clouded.

Thereupon Jarnonville beckoned to Blanche, who had remained behind the curtains, afraid to stir. The little girl came forward, climbed the bed steps beside the bed, then suddenly showed her sweet face to Leodgard, saying:

"I see the gentleman!"

An abrupt change took place in Leodgard's whole expression; at first he started in surprise, but almost instantly a sentiment of well-being, like the calm after a storm, found its way into the invalid's heart.

He smiled at Blanche and tried to hold out his hand to her. But he was still too weak to use his arm, and could only say:

"Is it you, dear child?--Ah! it is very good of you to come to see me.

You must come often."

Then his eyes closed--the emotion had exhausted his strength; but the weakness that he felt was in no wise dangerous, and it was soon succeeded by a refres.h.i.+ng sleep.

"We have succeeded!" said Jarnonville, leading the child back to her mother; "the sight of the child instantly dissipated the clouds that darkened your husband's brow. Now, madame, you may be sure that Blanche will complete her father's cure."

Bathilde lovingly embraced her daughter; then she took advantage of Leodgard's slumber to go to his side and gaze at him at her ease.

By the sick man's movements they could always determine the moment when he would wake; thereupon Ambroisine and Bathilde hastened from the room, leaving Jarnonville there alone; or if the chevalier was absent, his place was taken by a servant.

When Leodgard next opened his eyes, they wandered about the room, as if in search of someone.

Jarnonville approached the bed and asked if he desired anything.

"Yes," whispered the count, trying to smile, "yes--I would like to see--the little girl."

"He is not willing yet to say 'my daughter,' but that will come in time," thought the chevalier, as he went to fetch Blanche, whom he soon led to her father's bedside.

The little one ascended the bed steps without aid, and showed her pretty face, her chestnut hair, and her winning smile.

"Bonjour, my friend!" she said.

Bathilde had instructed Blanche to address her father thus. Before giving him a sweeter name, she wished that Leodgard himself should authorize it.

The invalid succeeded in putting out his hand as far as the child, whose hair, already thick and silky, he patted gently, saying:

"You are very good to come to see me; but perhaps you will get tired of it. Will you come every day?"

"Yes, my friend."

"In the morning, and then again in the afternoon?"

"Yes--if mamma will let me!"

Leodgard became pensive, and was silent for a long while, still toying with the child's hair. After a few minutes, Blanche cried:

"I prayed to the good Lord, I did, with mamma, to make my friend not be sick any more!"

"Dear child, how kind you are! Do you love me a little?"

"Oh, yes! with all my heart!"

Leodgard made a movement; it was plain that he desired to kiss Blanche; but he could not raise himself so as to put his face to hers.

Jarnonville, who was watching him out of the corner of his eye, saw all this; he made no sign, however, but remained where he was, pretending to be engrossed by his book.

At last, unable to reach the child's face, Leodgard decided to say to her:

"Give me your hand--a little farther--against my lips; that is right."

And he covered his daughter's little hand with kisses, while she exclaimed with delight:

"Oh! monsieur friend! he kiss Blanche's hand!"

Concealed behind the folds of a portiere, Bathilde saw it all, and tears of joy escaped from her eyes.

The count kept the child with him a long while, but at last made up his mind to send her away.

"I do not wish to deprive her any longer of the pleasures, the amus.e.m.e.nts suited to her years," he said to Jarnonville; "her pretty color will fade beside a sickbed.--Take her away, chevalier.--Au revoir, little one--until to-morrow! I shall wait impatiently for you to come to pa.s.s a few moments with me."

Twelve days pa.s.sed. Leodgard continued to improve and began to recover a little strength; but it was not possible as yet for him to leave his bed, the severity of the wound he had received demanding extreme precautions. To beguile his ennui, to make the hours seem less long, he often had Blanche with him, and each day he tried to keep her longer.

When his daughter was not by his side, Leodgard was silent, and his mind seemed always to be engrossed by gloomy thoughts. He would hardly answer Jarnonville when he tried to divert him, and sometimes pa.s.sed whole hours without opening his lips, without emerging from the torpor in which he was plunged. But when Blanche's little steps pattered along the floor, when her sweet voice made itself heard in the room, it was as if a fairy had touched the Comte de Marvejols with her magic wand: his brow instantly cleared, he raised his eyes, a bright smile changed the whole expression of his countenance, and, being stronger now, he would hold out his arms to Blanche, draw her to him, and make her sit on his bed, where he could kiss her lovely face at his ease.

Then he would lead the child on to talk; he loved to hear her, to listen to her childish answers, wherein sensibility and intelligence were already apparent. These are natural gifts, which education and years do not give; when they do not manifest themselves early in life, be sure that you will look in vain for them later.

But Leodgard had not yet called Blanche his daughter; and when she spoke of her mother, he very soon found a way to change the subject.

Bathilde continued to keep out of her husband's sight, and he had not once inquired about her. But she did not complain; she was happy because she had been able to nurse him, and even happier for the affection which he displayed for his daughter.

Ambroisine thought it her duty as well to abstain from showing herself to the sick man; the mere sight of her had seemed so unpleasant to the count when she met him on Place Royale, holding Blanche in his arms, that she did not care to cause him a repet.i.tion of that sensation.

So that Leodgard saw n.o.body save the surgeon, who continued to visit him morning and evening; Jarnonville, who often came to bear him company, and to whom he had confided the fact that he had fought a duel with the Marquis de Santoval, but without disclosing the cause of their quarrel; the servants, who came to him when he rang; and the child, who had lately embellished the invalid's bed with divers toys, so that she might remain longer with her friend.

One evening, the two ladies questioned the chevalier on the subject of Leodgard's wound.