human
That is all I have to tell, my lady.
gpt
And you have really told it very well, Mother Denise, said the Advocate's wife;
human
Heaven forbid, my lady, said Mother Denise, raising her hands,
gpt
Well, to tell you the truth, said Adelaide, with a bright smile,
human
I do not think it at all likely to happen. Of course, there is no telling what one might have to go through. Men are such strange creatures, and lead such strange lives! They may do anything--absolutely anything!--fight, gamble, make love without the least sincerity, deceive poor women and forsake them--yes, they may do all that, and the world will smile indulgently upon them. But if one of us, Mother Denise, makes the slightest trip, dear me! what a fuss is made about it--how shocked everybody is! A perfect carnival for the scandal-mongers! 'Isn't it altogether too dreadful.' 'Did you ever hear of such a thing?' 'Would you have believed it of her?' That is what is said by all sorts of people. But if _I_ happened to be treated badly I should not submit to it tamely--nor between you and me, Mother Denise, in my opinion, did the lady whose story you have just related.
gpt
Everything occurred, said Mother Denise stiffly,
human
With a small allowance, said Adelaide archly,
gpt
I have omitted nothing, my lady. I am angry with myself for having told so much. I doubt whether I have not done wrong.
human
Mr. Christian Almer, whom I expect every minute --and Adelaide looked at her watch--
gpt
What do you think I have concealed, my lady?
human
There was a certain M. Gabriel, said Adelaide,
gpt
Tell me, Mother Denise, was he handsome?
human
He was exceedingly good-looking, Mother Denise was constrained to reply,
gpt
Tall?
human
Yes, tall, my lady.
gpt
Dark or fair? But I think you gave me the impression that he was dark.
human
Yes, my lady, he was dark,
gpt
And young, of course--much younger than Mr. Almer?
human
Much younger, my lady.
gpt
There would be no sense in the matter otherwise; anyone might guess that he was young and handsome and fascinating. Well, as I was about to say--I hope you will forgive me for flying off as I do; my head gets so full of ideas that they tumble over one another--all at once this M. Gabriel drops clean out of the story, and we hear nothing more of him. If there is one thing more inexplicable than another in the affair, it is that nothing more should be heard of M. Gabriel.
human
We live out of the gay world, my lady; far removed from it, I am happy to think. It is not at all strange that in this quiet village we should not know what became of him.
gpt
That is assuming that M. Gabriel went back into the gay world, as you call it, which is not such a bad place, I assure you, Mother Denise.
human
He could not have stopped in the village, my lady, without its being known.
gpt
Probably not; but, you dear old soul! said Adelaide, her manner becoming more animated as that of Mother Denise became more frigid,
human
You mean, my lady, said Mother Denise, very gravely,
gpt
That is my meaning exactly. What else could he do?
human
I will not say whether I am glad or sorry to disappoint you, my lady, but M. Gabriel, after the summer-house was barred up, never made his appearance again in the village.
gpt
Of course, under the circumstances, he could not show himself to everybody. It was necessary that he should be cautious. He had to come quietly--secretly, if you like.
human
He never came, my lady,
gpt
But he wrote, and sent his letters by a confidential messenger; he did that at least.
human
I told you, my lady, that while my poor mistress lived in these rooms she never received or wrote a letter.
gpt
If that is so, his letters to her must have been intercepted.
human
There were no letters,
gpt
There were, said Adelaide, smiling a reproof to Mother Denise.
human
I know the ways of men better than you do.
gpt
By whom, my lady, do you suppose these imaginary letters were intercepted?
human
By her husband, of course, you dear, simple soul!
gpt
Mr. Almer could not have been guilty of such an act.
human
Dionetta, she exclaimed,
gpt
She might do worse, my lady,
human
Indeed she might. I am thinking of something. On the night you were aroused from your sleep, and heard the sound of a man falling to the ground----
gpt
I only fancied it was a man, my lady; we never learnt the truth.
human
It was a man, and he climbed the wall. And he chose a dark and stormy night for his adventure. He was a brave fellow. I quite admire him.
gpt
Admire a thief!
human
My dear old soul, you _must_ know it was not a thief. The house was not robbed, was it?
gpt
No, my lady, nothing was taken; but what is the use of speaking of it?
human
When once I get an idea into my head, said Adelaide,
gpt
No, my lady, it was never discovered. He was a villain, whoever he was, to poison our dogs.
human
That was a small matter. What is the life of a dog--of a thousand dogs--when a man is in love?
gpt
My lady! cried Mother Denise.
human
What is it you are saying?
gpt
Nothing will deter him, continued Adelaide, with an intense enjoyment of the old woman's uneasiness,
human
Do you really believe, my lady, she asked in trembling tones,
gpt
I certainly believe it; it was the daring of a lover, not of a thief. Were any traces of blood discovered in the grounds?
human
None were discovered; but if blood was spilt, the rain would have washed it away.
gpt
Or it could have been wiped away in the dark night!
human
Is it possible, said Mother Denise under her breath,
gpt
The most probable occurrence in the world, said Adelaide, with a pleasant smile.
human
What should have made your old master so anxious that you should not speak of the sounds you heard? He had a motive, depend upon it.
gpt
My lady, this is very painful to me. Will you allow me to go?
human
Certainly; do not let me detain you a moment. I cannot express to you the obligations you have laid me under by relating the history of this house and family. There is nothing more to do in these rooms, I believe. How very, very pretty they look! We must do everything in our power to make the place pleasant to the young master who is coming. But I think I can promise he will be happy here.
gpt
Mark my words, Martin, she said to her husband,
human
Ha, ha! chuckled the old man slyly.
gpt
You're jealous, Denise, you're jealous! She is the pleasantest lady, and the sweetest spoken, and the most generous, and the handsomest, for twenty miles round. The whole village is in love with her.
human
And you as well as the rest, I suppose,
gpt
I don't say that--I don't say that, piped Martin, with a childish laugh.
human
Never kiss and tell, Denise, never kiss and tell! If I was young and straight----
gpt
But you're old and crooked, retorted Mother Denise,
human
The sweetest and the handsomest! he chuckled, as he hobbled away, at the rate of half a mile an hour.
gpt
I'd walk twenty mile to serve her--twenty mile--twenty mile!
human
And this is actually the room, said Adelaide, walking about it,