The Mysteries of Paris, Volume 2 of 6

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Эжен Сю. The Mysteries of Paris, Volume 2 of 6

CHAPTER I. THE BALL

CHAPTER II. THE RENDEZVOUS

CHAPTER III. AN IDYL

CHAPTER IV. THE AMBUSCADE

CHAPTER V. THE RECTORY-HOUSE

CHAPTER VI. THE RENCOUNTER

CHAPTER VII. AN EVENING AT THE FARM

CHAPTER VIII. THE DREAM

CHAPTER IX. THE LETTER

CHAPTER X. THE HOLLOW WAY

CHAPTER XI. CLÉMENCE D'HARVILLE

CHAPTER XII. MISERY

CHAPTER XIII. JUDGMENT AND EXECUTION

CHAPTER XIV. RIGOLETTE

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Determined at all risks to warn Madame d'Harville of the danger she was incurring, Rodolph had quitted the winter garden without waiting to hear the remainder of the conversation between Sarah and her brother, thus remaining ignorant of their designs against Fleur-de-Marie, and of the extreme peril which threatened the poor girl. But, spite of his earnest desire to apprise the marquise of the plot laid against her peace and honour, he was unable to carry his design into execution, for Madame d'Harville, unable to bear up longer after the trying events of the evening, had abandoned her original intention of visiting the entertainment given by Madame de Nerval and gone direct home.

This contretemps ruined his hopes. Nearly the whole of the company present at the ambassadress's ball had been invited to that of Madame de Nerval's, and Rodolph drove rapidly thither, taking with him M. de Graün, to whom he gave instructions to look for Madame d'Harville among the guests, and to acquaint her that the prince, having something of the utmost consequence to communicate to her without the least delay, would walk onwards to the Hôtel d'Harville, and await her return home, when he would say a few words at the carriage-door while her servants were attending to the opening of the entrance-gates.

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"Why, master, the lady you told me to follow has just alighted here, and a smart, tidy leg and foot of her own she has got. Her dress somehow caught; so, you see, I couldn't help having a peep, nohow. This is downright good fun though, this is!"

A thousand varied thoughts agitated M. d'Harville. One minute he fancied that his wife, fearing pursuit, had taken this step to escape detection; then hope whispered that the letter which had given him so much uneasiness, might after all be only an infamous calumny; for if guilty, what could be gained by this false assumption of piety? Would it not be a species of sacrilegious mockery? At this suggestion a bright ray of hope shot across the troubled mind of M. d'Harville, arising from the striking contrast between Clémence's present occupation and the crime alleged as her motive for quitting her home. Alas! this consolatory illusion was speedily destroyed. Leaning in at the open window the coachman observed:

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