27For some days M. Mascarin had not shown himself at the office, andBeaumarchef was terribly harassed with inquiries regarding his absentmaster. Mascarin, on the day after the evening on which Tantaine hadmet Caroline Schimmel at the Grand Turk, was carefully shut up in hisprivate room; his face and eyes were red and inflamed, and heoccasionally sipped a glass of some cooling beverage which stoodbefore him, and his compressed lips and corrugated brow showed howdeeply he was meditating. Suddenly the door opened, and Dr. Hortebiseentered the room.
"Well!" exclaimed Mascarin, "have you seen the Mussidans, as I toldyou to do.""Certainly," answered Hortebise briskly; "I saw the Countess, and toldher how pressing the holders of her letters were growing, and urged onher the necessity for immediate action. She told me that both she andher husband had determined to yield, and that Sabine, though evidentlybroken-hearted, would not oppose the marriage.""Good," said Mascarin; "and now, if Croisenois only follows out theorders that I have given him, the marriage will take place without theknowledge of either De Breulh or Andre. Then we need fear them nolonger. The prospectus of the new Company is ready, and can be issuedalmost immediately; but we meet to-day to discuss not that matter, butthe more important one of the heir to the Champdoce title."A timid knock at the door announced the arrival of Paul who came inhesitatingly, as if doubtful what sort of a reception he mightreceive; but Mascarin gave him the warmest possible welcome.
"Permit me," said he, "to offer you my congratulations on having wonthe affections of so estimable and wealthy a young lady asMademoiselle Flavia. I may tell you that a friend of mine has informedme of the very flattering terms in which her father, M. Rigal, spokeof you, and I can assure you that if our mutual friend Dr. Hortebisewere to go to the banker with an offer of marriage on your part, youhave no cause to dread a refusal."Paul blushed with pleasure, and as he was stammering out a few words,the door opened for the third time, and Catenac made his appearance.
To cover the lateness of his arrival, he had clothed his face insmiles, and advanced with outstretched hands toward his confederates;but Mascarin's look and manner were so menacing, that he recoiled afew steps and gazed on him with an expression of the utmost wonder andsurprise.
"What is the meaning of this reception?" asked he.
"Can you not guess?" returned Mascarin, his manner growing more andmore threatening. "I have sounded the lowest depths of your infamy. Iwas sure the other day that you meant to turn traitor, but you sworeto the contrary, and you--""On my honor--""It is useless. One word from Perpignan set us on the right track.
Were you or were you not ignorant that the Duke de Champdoce had acertain way of recognizing his son, and that was by a certainineffaceable scar?""It had escaped my memory----"The words faded from his lips, for even his great self-command failedhim under Mascarin's disdainful glance.
"Let me tell you what I think of you," said the latter. "I knew thatyou were a coward and a traitor. Even convicts keep faith with eachother, and I had not thought you so utterly infamous.""Then why have you forced me to act contrary to my wishes?"This reply exasperated Mascarin so much that he grasped Catenac by thethroat, and shook him violently.
"I made use of you, you viper," said he, "because I had placed you insuch a position that you could not harm us. And now you will serve mebecause I will show you that I can take everything from you--name,money, liberty, and /life/. All depends upon our success. If we fail,you fall into an abyss of the depth and horrors of which you can haveno conception. I knew with whom I had to deal, and took my measuresaccordingly. The most crushing proofs of your crime are in the handsof a person who has precise orders how to act. When I give the signal,he moves; and when he moves, you are utterly lost."There was something so threatening in the silence that followed thisspeech that Paul grew faint with apprehension.
"And," went on Mascarin, "it would be an evil day for you if anythingwere to happen to Hortebise, Paul, or myself; for if one of us were todie suddenly, your fate would be sealed. You cannot say that you havenot been warned."Catenac stood with his head bent upon his breast, rooted to the groundwith terror. He felt that he was bound, and gagged, and fettered handand foot. Mascarin swallowed some of the cooling draught that stoodbefore him, and tranquilly commenced,--"Suppose, Catenac, that I were to tell you that I know far more of theChampdoce matter than you do; for, after all, your knowledge is onlyderived from what the Duke has told you. You think that you have hitupon the truth; you were never more mistaken in your life. I, perhapsyou are unaware, have been many years engaged in this matter. Perhapsyou would like to know how I first thought of the affair. Do youremember that solicitor who had an office near the Law Courts, and dida great deal of blackmail business? If you do, you must remember thathe got two years' hard labor.""Yes, I remember the man," returned Catenac in a humble voice.
"He used," continued Mascarin, "to buy up waste paper, and searchthrough the piles he had collected for any matters that might beconcealed in the heterogeneous mass. And many things he must havefound. In what sensational case have not letters played a prominentpart? What man is there who has not at one time or other regrettedthat he has ............