第73章

Valentin de Bellegarde's announcement of the secession of Mademoiselle Nioche from her father's domicile and his irreverent reflections upon the attitude of this anxious parent in so grave a catastrophe, received a practical commentary in the fact that M.Nioche was slow to seek another interview with his late pupil.It had cost Newman some disgust to be forced to assent to Valentin's somewhat cynical interpretation of the old man's philosophy, and, though circumstances seemed to indicate that he had not given himself up to a noble despair, Newman thought it very possible he might be suffering more keenly than was apparent.M.Nioche had been in the habit of paying him a respectful little visit every two or three weeks and his absence might be a proof quite as much of extreme depression as of a desire to conceal the success with which he had patched up his sorrow.

Newman presently learned from Valentin several details touching this new phase of Mademoiselle Noemie's career.

"I told you she was remarkable," this unshrinking observer declared, "and the way she has managed this performance proves it.She has had other chances, but she was resolved to take none but the best.

She did you the honor to think for a while that you might be such a chance.

You were not; so she gathered up her patience and waited a while longer.

At last her occasion came along, and she made her move with her eyes wide open.I am very sure she had no innocence to lose, but she had all her respectability.Dubious little damsel as you thought her, she had kept a firm hold of that; nothing could be proved against her, and she was determined not to let her reputation go till she had got her equivalent.About her equivalent she had high ideas.

Apparently her ideal has been satisfied.It is fifty years old, bald-headed, and deaf, but it is very easy about money.""And where in the world," asked Newman, "did you pick up this valuable information?""In conversation.Remember my frivolous habits.

In conversation with a young woman engaged in the humble trade of glove-cleaner, who keeps a small shop in the Rue St.Roch.

M.Nioche lives in the same house, up six pair of stairs, across the court, in and out of whose ill-swept doorway Miss Noemie has been flitting for the last five years.

The little glove-cleaner was an old acquaintance;she used to be the friend of a friend of mine, who has married and dropped such friends.I often saw her in his society.

As soon as I espied her behind her clear little window-pane, Irecollected her.I had on a spotlessly fresh pair of gloves, but I went in and held up my hands, and said to her, 'Dear mademoiselle, what will you ask me for cleaning these?'

'Dear count,' she answered immediately, 'I will clean them for you for nothing.' She had instantly recognized me, and I had to hear her history for the last six years.

But after that, I put her upon that of her neighbors.

She knows and admires Noemie, and she told me what Ihave just repeated."

A month elapsed without M.Nioche reappearing, and Newman, who every morning read two or three suicides in the "Figaro,"began to suspect that, mortification proving stubborn, he had sought a balm for his wounded pride in the waters of the Seine.

He had a note of M.Nioche's address in his pocket-book, and finding himself one day in the quartier, he determined in so far as he might to clear up his doubts.He repaired to the house in the Rue St.Roch which bore the recorded number, and observed in a neighboring basement, behind a dangling row of neatly inflated gloves, the attentive physiognomy of Bellegarde's informant--a sallow person in a dressing-gown--peering into the street as if she were expecting that amiable nobleman to pass again.But it was not to her that Newman applied;he simply asked of the portress if M.Nioche were at home.

The portress replied, as the portress invariably replies, that her lodger had gone out barely three minutes before;but then, through the little square hole of her lodge-window taking the measure of Newman's fortunes, and seeing them, by an unspecified process, refresh the dry places of servitude to occupants of fifth floors on courts, she added that M.Nioche would have had just time to reach the Cafe de la Patrie, round the second corner to the left, at which establishment he regularly spent his afternoons.

Newman thanked her for the information, took the second turning to the left, and arrived at the Cafe de la Patrie.

He felt a momentary hesitation to go in; was it not rather mean to "follow up" poor old Nioche at that rate?

But there passed across his vision an image of a haggard little septuagenarian taking measured sips of a glass of sugar and water and finding them quite impotent to sweeten his desolation.

He opened the door and entered, perceiving nothing at first but a dense cloud of tobacco smoke.Across this, however, in a corner, he presently descried the figure of M.Nioche, stirring the contents of a deep glass, with a lady seated in front of him.The lady's back was turned to Newman, but M.Nioche very soon perceived and recognized his visitor.

Newman had gone toward him, and the old man rose slowly, gazing at him with a more blighted expression even than usual.

"If you are drinking hot punch," said Newman, "I suppose you are not dead.

That's all right.Don't move."

M.Nioche stood staring, with a fallen jaw, not daring to put out his hand.

The lady, who sat facing him, turned round in her place and glanced upward with a spirited toss of her head, displaying the agreeable features of his daughter.She looked at Newman sharply, to see how he was looking at her, then--I don't know what she discovered--she said graciously, "How d'

ye do, monsieur? won't you come into our little corner?""Did you come--did you come after ME? asked M.Nioche very softly.

"I went to your house to see what had become of you.

I thought you might be sick," said Newman.

"It is very good of you, as always," said the old man.

"No, I am not well.Yes, I am SEEK."