Andre…Louis； and drove away。
CHAPTER IV
AT MEUDON
Later in the week he received a visit from Le Chapelier just before
noon。
〃I have news for you； Andre。 Your godfather is at Meudon。 He
arrived there two days ago。 Had you heard？〃
〃But no。 How should I hear？ Why is he at Meudon？〃 He was conscious
of a faint excitement； which he could hardly have explained。
〃I don't know。 There have been fresh disturbances in Brittany。 It
may be due to that。〃
〃And so he has come for shelter to his brother？〃 asked Andre…Louis。
〃To his brother's house； yes； but not to his brother。 Where do you
live at all； Andre？ Do you never hear any of the news？ Etienne de
Gavrillac emigrated years ago。 He was of the household of M。
d'Artois； and he crossed the frontier with him。 By now； no doubt；
he is in Germany with him； conspiring against France。 For that is
what the emigres are doing。 That Austrian woman at the Tuileries
will end by destroying the monarchy。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Andre…Louis impatiently。 Politics interested him
not at all this morning。 〃But about Gavrillac？〃
〃Why； haven't I told you that Gavrillac is at Meudon； installed in
the house his brother has left？ Dieu de Dieu！ Don't I speak French
or don't you understand the language？ I believe that Rabouillet；
his intendant； is in charge of Gavrillac。 I have brought you the
news the moment I received it。 I thought you would probably wish to
go out to Meudon。〃
〃Of course。 I will go at once … that is； as soon as I can。 I can't
to…day； nor yet to…morrow。 I am too busy here。〃 He waved a hand
towards the inner room； whence proceeded the click…click of blades；
the quick moving of feet； and the voice of the instructor； Le Duc。
〃Well； well； that is your own affair。 You are busy。 I leave you now。
Let us dine this evening at the Caf？de Foy。 Kersain will be of the
party。〃
〃A moment！〃 Andre…Louis' voice arrested him on the threshold。 〃Is
Mlle。 de Kercadiou with her uncle？〃
〃How the devil should I know？ Go and find out。〃
He was gone； and Andre…Louis stood there a moment deep in thought。
Then he turned and went back to resume with his pupil； the Vicomte
de Villeniort； the interrupted exposition of the demi…contre of
Danet； illustrating with a small…sword the advantages to be derived
from its adoption。
Thereafter he fenced with the Vicomte； who was perhaps the ablest
of his pupils at the time； and all the while his thoughts were on
the heights of Meudon； his mind casting up the lessons he had to
give that afternoon and on the morrow； and wondering which of these
he might postpone without deranging the academy。 When having touched
the Vicomte three times in succession； he paused and wrenched himself
back to the present； it was to marvel at the precision to be gained
by purely mechanical action。 Without bestowing a thought upon what
he was doing； his wrist and arm and knees had automatically performed
their work； like the accurate fighting engine into which constant
practice for a year and more had combined them。
Not until Sunday was Andre…Louis able to satisfy a wish which the
impatience of the intervening days had converted into a yearning。
Dressed with more than ordinary care； his head elegantly coiffed
… by one of those hairdressers to the nobility of whom so many
were being thrown out of employment by the stream of emigration
which was now flowing freely … Andre…Louis mounted his hired
carriage； and drove out to Meudon。
The house of the younger Kercadiou no more resembled that of the
head of the family than did his person。 A man of the Court； where
his brother was essentially a man of the soil； an officer of the
household of M。 le Comte d'Artois； he had built for himself and his
family an imposing villa on the heights of Meudon in a miniature
park； conveniently situated for him midway between Versailles and
Paris； and easily accessible from either。 M。 d'Artois … the royal
tennis…player … had been amongst the very first to emigrate。
Together with the Condes； the Contis； the Polignacs； and others of
the Queen's intimate council； old Marshal de Broglie and the Prince
de Lambesc； who realized that their very names had become odious to
the people； he had quitted France immediately after the fall of the
Bastille。 He had gone to play tennis beyond the frontier … and
there consummate the work of ruining the French monarchy upon which
he and those others had been engaged in France。 With him； amongst
several members of his household went Etienne de Kercadiou； and with
Etienne de Kercadiou went his family； a wife and four children。
Thus it was that the Seigneur de Gavrillac； glad to escape from a
province so peculiarly disturbed as that of Brittany … where the
nobles had shown themselves the most intransigent of all France
… had come to occupy in his brother's absence the courtier's
handsome villa at Meudon。
That he was quite happy there is not to be supposed。 A man of his
almost Spartan habits； accustomed to plain fare and self…help； was
a little uneasy in this sybaritic abode； with its soft carpets；
profusion of gilding； and battalion of sleek； silent…footed servants
… for Kercadiou the younger had left his entire household behind。
Time； which at Gavrillac he had kept so fully employed in agrarian
concerns； here hung heavily upon his hands。 In self…defence he
slept a great deal； and but for Aline； who made no attempt to
conceal her delight at this proximity to Paris and the heart of
things； it is possible that he would have beat a retreat almost at
once from surroundings that sorted so ill with his habits。 Later
on； perhaps； he would accustom himself and grow resigned to this
luxurious inactivity。 In the meantime the novelty of it fretted
him； and it was into the presence of a peevish and rather somnolent
M。 de Kercadiou that Andre…Louis was ushered in the early hours of
the afternoon of that Sunday in June。 He was unannounced； as had
ever been the custom at Gavrillac。 This because Benoit； M。 de
Kercadiou's old seneschal； had accompanied his seigneur upon this
soft adventure； and was installed … to the ceaseless and but
half…concealed hilarity of the impertinent valetaille that M。
Etienne had left … as his maitre d'hotel here at Meudon。
Benoit had welcomed M。 Andre with incoherencies of delight； almost
had he gambolled about him like some faithful dog； whilst conducting
him to the salon and the presence of the Lord of Gavrillac； who
would … in the words of Benoit … be ravished to see M。 Andre again。
〃Monseigneur！ Monseigneur！〃 he cried in a quavering voice； entering
a pace or two in advance of the visitor。 〃It is M。 Andre。。。 M。
Andre； your godson； who comes to kiss your hand。 He is here。。。 and
so fine that you would hardly know him。 Here he is； monseigneur！ Is
he not beautiful？〃
And the old servant rubbed his hands in conviction of the delight
that he believed he was conveying to his master。
Andre…Louis crossed the threshold of that great room； soft…carpeted
to the foot； dazzling to the eye。 It was immensely lofty； and its
festooned ceiling was carried on fluted pillars with gilded capitals。
The door by which he entered； and the windows that opened upon the
garden； were of an enormous height … almost； indeed； the full height
of the room itself。 It was a room overwhelmingly gilded； with an
abundance of ormolu encrustations on the furniture； in which it
nowise differed from what was customary in the dwellings of people
of birth and wealth。 Never； indeed； was there a time in which so
much gold was employed decoratively as in this age when coined gold
was almost unprocurable； and paper money had been put into
circulation to supply the lack。 It was a saying of Andre…Louis'
that if these people could only have been induced to put the paper
on their walls and the gold into their pockets； the finances of the
kingdom might soon have been in better case。
The Seigneur … furbished and beruffled to harmonize with his
surroundings … had risen； startled by this exuberant invasion on
the part of Benoit； who had been almost as forlorn as himself since
their coming to Meudon。
〃What is it？ Eh？〃 His pale； short…sighted eyes peered at the
visitor。 〃Andre！〃 said he； between surprise and sternness； and the
colour deepened in his great pink face。
Benoit； with his back to his master； deliberately winked and grinned
at Andre…Louis to encourage him not to be put off by any apparent
hostility on the part of his godfather。 That done； the intelligent
old fellow discreetly effaced himself。
〃What do you want here？〃 growled M。 de Kercadiou。
〃No more than to kiss your hand； as Benoit has told you； monsieur my
godfather；〃 said Andre…Louis submissively； bowing his sleek black head。
〃You have contrived without kissing it for two years。〃
〃Do not； monsieur； reproach me with my misfortune。〃
The little man stood very stiffly erect； his disproportionately large
head thrown back； his pale prominent eyes very stern。
〃Did you think to make your outrageous offence any better by vanishing
in that heartless manner； by leaving us without knowledge of whether
you were alive or dead？〃
〃At first it was dangerous … dangerous to my life … to disclose my
whereabouts。 Then for a time I was in need； almost destitute； and
my pride forbade me； after what I had done and the view you must
take of it； to appeal to you for help。 Later。。。 〃
〃Destitute？〃 The Seigneur interrupted。 For a moment his lip
trembled。 Then he steadied himself； and the frown deepened as he
surveyed this very changed and elegant godson of his； noted the
quiet richness of his apparel； the paste buckles and red heels to
his shoes； the sword hilted in mother…o'…pearl and silver； and the
carefully dressed hair that he had always seen hanging in wisps
about his face。 〃At least you do not look destitute now；〃 he
sneered。
〃I am not。 I have prospered since。 In that； monsieur； I differ
from the ordinary prodigal； who returns only when he needs
assistance。 I return solely because I love you； monsieur … to tell
you so。 I have come at the very first moment after hearing of your
presence here。〃 He advanced。 〃Monsieur my godfather！〃 he sa