第339章

PIERRE SIMON.

Marshal Pierre Simon, Duke de Ligny, was a man of tall stature, plainly dressed in a blue frock-coat, buttoned up to the throat, with a red ribbon tied to the top buttonhole.You could not have wished to see a more frank, honest, and chivalrous cast of countenance than the marshal's.He had a broad forehead, an aquiline nose, a well formed chin, and a complexion bronzed by exposure to the Indian sun.His hair, cut very short, was inclined to gray about the temples; but his eyebrows were still as black as his large, hanging moustache.His walk was free and bold, and his decided movements showed his military impetuosity.A

man of the people, a man of war and action, the frank cordiality of his address invited friendliness and sympathy.As enlightened as he was intrepid as generous as he was sincere, his manly, plebeian pride was the most remarkable part of his character.As others are proud of their high birth, so was he of his obscure origin, because it was ennobled by the fine qualities of his father, the rigid republican, the intelligent and laborious artisan, who, for the space of forty years, had been the example and the glory of his fellow-workmen.In accepting with gratitude the aristocratic title which the Emperor had bestowed upon him, Pierre Simon acted with that delicacy which receives from a friendly hand a perfectly useless gift, and estimates it according to the intention of the giver.The religious veneration of Pierre Simon for the Emperor had never been blind; in proportion as his devotion and love for his idol were instructive and necessary, his admiration was serious, and founded upon reason.Far from resembling those swashbucklers who love fighting for its own sake, Marshal Simon not only admired his hero as the greatest captain in the world, but he admired him, above all, because he knew that the Emperor had only accepted war in the hope of one day being able to dictate universal peace; for if peace obtained by glory and strength is great, fruitful, and magnificent, peace yielded by weakness and cowardice is sterile, disastrous, and dishonoring.The son of a workman, Pierre Simon still further admired the Emperor, because that imperial parvenu had always known how to make that popular heart beat nobly, and, remembering the people, from the masses of whom he first arose, had invited them fraternally to share in regal and aristocratic pomp.

When Marshal Simon entered the room, his countenance was much agitated.

At sight of Dagobert, a flash of joy illumined his features; he rushed towards the soldier, extending his arms, and exclaimed, "My friend! my old friend!"

Dagobert answered this affectionate salute with silent emotion.Then the marshal, disengaging himself from his arms, and fixing his moist eyes upon him, said to him in so agitated a voice that his lips trembled, "Well, didst arrive in time for the 13th of February?"

"Yes, general; but everything is postponed for four months."

"And--my wife?--my child?" At this question Dagobert shuddered, hung down his head, and was silent.

"They are not, then, here?" asked Simon, with more surprise than uneasiness."They told me they were not at your house, but that I should find you here--and I came immediately.Are they not with you?"

"General," said Dagobert, becoming deadly pale; "general--" Drying the drops of cold sweat that stood upon his forehead, he was unable to articulate a word, for his voice was checked in his parched throat.

"You frighten me!" exclaimed Pierre Simon, becoming pale as the soldier, and seizing him by the arm.

At this, Adrienne advanced, with a countenance full of grief and sympathy; seeing the cruel embarrassment of Dagobert, she wished to come to his assistance, and she said to Pierre Simon, in a mild but agitated voice, "Marshal, I am Mdlle.de Cardoville--a relation of your dear children."

Pierre Simon turned around suddenly, as much struck with the dazzling beauty of Adrienne as with the words she had just pronounced.He stammered out in his surprise, "You, madame--a relation--of my children!"

He laid a stress on the last words, and looked at Dagobert in a kind of stupor.

"Yes, marshal your children," hastily replied Adrienne; "and the love of those charming twin sisters--"

"Twin sisters!" cried Pierre Simon, interrupting Mdlle.de Cardoville, with an outburst of joy impossible to describe."Two daughters instead of one! Oh! what happiness for their mother! Pardon me, madame, for being so impolite," he continued; "and so little grateful for what you tell me.But you will understand it; I have been seventeen years without seeing my wife; I come, and I find three loved beings, instead of two.

Thanks, madame: would I could express all the gratitude I owe you! You are our relation; this is no doubt your house; my wife and children are with you.Is it so? You think that my sudden appearance might be prejudicial to them? I will wait--but madame, you, that I am certain are good as fair--pity my impatience--will make haste to prepare them to receive me--"

More and more agitated, Dagobert avoided the marshal's gaze, and trembled like a leaf.Adrienne cast down her eyes without answering.Her heart sunk within her, at thought of dealing the terrible blow to Marshal Simon.

The latter, astonished at this silence, looking at Adrienne, then at the soldier, became first uneasy, and at last alarmed."Dagobert!" he exclaimed, "something is concealed from me!"

"General!" stammered the soldier, "I assure you--I--I--."

"Madame!" cried Pierre Simon, "I conjure you, in pity, speak to me frankly!--my anxiety is horrible.My first fears return upon me.What is it? Are my wife and daughters ill? Are they in danger? Oh! speak!

speak!"

"Your daughters, marshal," said Adrienne "have been rather unwell, since their long journey--but they are in no danger."

"Oh, heaven! it is my wife!"