Next day Marguerite sent me away very early, saying that the duke was
coming at an early hour, and promising to write to me the moment he
went, and to make an appointment for the evening. In the course of the
day I received this note: "I am going to Bougival with the duke; be at Prudence's to-night at
eight."
At the appointed hour Marguerite came to me at Mme. Duvernoy's. "Well,
it is all settled," she said, as she entered. "The house is taken?"
asked Prudence. "Yes; he agreed at once."
I did not know the duke, but I felt ashamed of deceiving him.
"But that is not all," continued Marguerite.
"What else is there?"
"I have been seeing about a place for Armand to stay."
"In the same house?" asked Prudence, laughing.
"No, at Point du Jour, where we had dinner, the duke and I. While he
was admiring the view, I asked Mme. Arnould (she is called Mme. Arnould,
isn't she?) if there were any suitable rooms, and she showed me just the
very thing: salon, anteroom, and bed-room, at sixty francs a month; the
whole place furnished in a way to divert a hypochondriac. I took it. Was
I right?" I flung my arms around her neck and kissed her.
"It will be charming," she continued. "You have the key of the little
door, and I have promised the duke the key of the front door, which
he will not take, because he will come during the day when he comes. I
think, between ourselves, that he is enchanted with a caprice which will
keep me out of Paris for a time, and so silence the objections of his
family. However, he has asked me how I, loving Paris as I do, could make
up my mind to bury myself in the country. I told him that I was ill, and
that I wanted rest. He seemed to have some difficulty in believing me.
The poor old man is always on the watch. We must take every precaution,
my dear Armand, for he will have me watched while I am there; and it
isn't only the question of his taking a house for me, but he has my
debts to pay, and unluckily I have plenty. Does all that suit you?"
"Yes," I answered, trying to quiet the scruples which this way of living
awoke in me from time to time.
"We went all over the house, and we shall have everything perfect. The
duke is going to look after every single thing. Ah, my dear," she added,
kissing me, "you're in luck; it's a millionaire who makes your bed for
you."