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〃As the old gentleman did not mean to stay； he was not asked for it。
The servant； by his orders no doubt； pretended not to speak French。〃
〃And the letter which came so late to Abbe de Grancey？〃 said Rosalie。
〃It was Monsieur Girardet； no doubt； who ought to have delivered it；
but Jerome says that poor Monsieur Girardet； who was much attached to
lawyer Savaron； was as much upset as he was。 So he who came so
mysteriously； as Mademoiselle Galard says； is gone away just as
mysteriously。〃
After hearing this narrative； Mademoiselle de Watteville fell into a
brooding and absent mood； which everybody could see。 It is useless to
say anything of the commotion that arose in Besancon on the
disappearance of Monsieur Savaron。 It was understood that the Prefect
had obliged him with the greatest readiness by giving him at once a
passport across the frontier； for he was thus quit of his only
opponent。 Next day Monsieur de Chavoncourt was carried to the top by a
majority of a hundred and forty votes。
〃Jack is gone by the way he came；〃 said an elector on hearing of
Albert Savaron's flight。
This event lent weight to the prevailing prejudice at Besancon against
strangers； indeed； two years previously they had received confirmation
from the affair of the Republican newspaper。 Ten days later Albert de
Savarus was never spoken of again。 Only three personsGirardet the
attorney； the Vicar…General； and Rosaliewere seriously affected by
his disappearance。 Girardet knew that the white…haired stranger was
Prince Soderini； for he had seen his card； and he told the Vicar…
General； but Rosalie； better informed than either of them； had known
for three months past that the Duc d'Argaiolo was dead。
In the month of April 1836 no one had had any news from or of Albert
de Savarus。 Jerome and Mariette were to be married； but the Baroness
confidentially desired her maid to wait till her daughter was married；
saying that the two weddings might take place at the same time。
〃It is time that Rosalie should be married；〃 said the Baroness one day
to Monsieur de Watteville。 〃She is nineteen； and she is fearfully
altered in these last months。〃
〃I do not know what ails her；〃 said the Baron。
〃When fathers do not know what ails their daughters； mothers can
guess；〃 said the Baroness； 〃we must get her married。〃
〃I am quite willing；〃 said the Baron。 〃I shall give her les Rouxey now
that the Court has settled our quarrel with the authorities of Riceys
by fixing the boundary line at three hundred feet up the side of the
Dent de Vilard。 I am having a trench made to collect all the water and
carry it into the lake。 The village did not appeal； so the decision is
final。〃
〃It has never occurred to you；〃 said Madame de Watteville； 〃that this
decision cost me thirty thousand francs handed over to Chantonnit。
That peasant would take nothing else； he sold us peace。If you give
away les Rouxey； you will have nothing left；〃 said the Baroness。
〃I do not need much；〃 said the Baron； 〃I am breaking up。〃
〃You eat like an ogre！〃
〃Just so。 But however much I may eat； I feel my legs get weaker and
weaker〃
〃It is from working the lathe；〃 said his wife。
〃I do not know；〃 said he。
〃We will marry Rosalie to Monsieur de Soulas； if you give her les
Rouxey； keep the life interest。 I will give them fifteen thousand
francs a year in the funds。 Our children can live here； I do not see
that they are much to be pitied。〃
〃No。 I shall give them les Rouxey out and out。 Rosalie is fond of les
Rouxey。〃
〃You are a queer man with your daughter！ It does not occur to you to
ask me if I am fond of les Rouxey。〃
Rosalie； at once sent for； was informed that she was to marry Monsieur
de Soulas one day early in the month of May。
〃I am very much obliged to you； mother； and to you too； father； for
having thought of settling me； but I do not mean to marry； I am very
happy with you。〃
〃Mere speeches！〃 said the Baroness。 〃You are not in love with Monsieur
de Soulas； that is all。〃
〃If you insist on the plain truth； I will never marry Monsieur de
Soulas〃
〃Oh！ the /never/ of a girl of nineteen！〃 retorted her mother； with a
bitter smile。
〃The /never/ of Mademoiselle de Watteville；〃 said Rosalie with firm
decision。 〃My father； I imagine； has no intention of making me marry
against my wishes？〃
〃No； indeed no！〃 said the poor Baron； looking affectionately at his
daughter。
〃Very well！〃 said the Baroness； sternly controlling the rage of a
bigot startled at finding herself unexpectedly defied； 〃you yourself；
Monsieur de Watteville； may take the responsibility of settling your
daughter。 Consider well； mademoiselle； for if you do not marry to my
mind you will get nothing out of me！〃
The quarrel thus begun between Madame de Watteville and her husband；
who took his daughter's part； went so far that Rosalie and her father
were obliged to spend the summer at les Rouxey； life at the Hotel de
Rupt was unendurable。 It thus became known in Besancon that
Mademoiselle de Watteville had positively refused the Comte de Soulas。
After their marriage Mariette and Jerome came to les Rouxey to succeed
to Modinier in due time。 The Baron restored and repaired the house to
suit his daughter's taste。 When she heard that these improvements had
cost about sixty thousand francs； and that Rosalie and her father were
building a conservatory； the Baroness understood that there was a
leaven of spite in her daughter。 The Baron purchased various outlying
plots； and a little estate worth thirty thousand francs。 Madame de
Watteville was told that； away from her； Rosalie showed masterly
qualities； that she was taking steps to improve the value of les
Rouxey； that she had treated herself to a riding habit and rode about；
her father； whom she made very happy； who no longer complained of his
health； and who was growing fat； accompanied her in her expeditions。
As the Baroness' name…day grew nearher name was Louisethe Vicar…
General came one day to les Rouxey； deputed； no doubt； by Madame de
Watteville and Monsieur de Soulas； to negotiate a peace between mother
and daughter。
〃That little Rosalie has a head on her shoulders；〃 said the folk of
Besancon。
After handsomely paying up the ninety thousand francs spent on les
Rouxey； the Baroness allowed her husband a thousand francs a month to
live on； she would not put herself in the wrong。 The father and
daughter were perfectly willing to return to Besancon for the 15th of
August； and to remain there till the end of the month。
When； after dinner； the Vicar…General took Mademoiselle de Watteville
apart； to open the question of the marriage； by explaining to her that
it was vain to think any more of Albert； of whom they had had no news
for a year past； he was stopped at once by a sign from Rosalie。 The
strange girl took Monsieur de Grancey by the arm； and led him to a
seat under a clump of rhododendrons； whence there was a view of the
lake。
〃Listen； dear Abbe；〃 said she。 〃You whom I love as much as my father；
for you had an affection for my Albert； I must at last confess that I
committed crimes to become his wife； and he must be my husband。Here；
read this。〃
She held out to him a number of the /Gazette/ which she had in her
apron pocket； pointing out the following paragraph under the date of
Florence； May 25th：
〃The wedding of Monsieur le Duc de Rhetore； eldest son of the Duc
de Chaulieu； the former Ambassador； to Madame la Duchesse
d'Argaiolo； /nee/ Princess Soderini； was solemnized with great
splendor。 Numerous entertainments given in honor of the marriage
are making Florence gay。 The Duchess' fortune is one of the finest
in Italy； for the late Duke left her everything。
〃The woman he loved is married；〃 said she。 〃I divided them。〃
〃You？ How？〃 asked the Abbe。
Rosalie was about to reply； when she was interrupted by a loud cry
from two of the gardeners； following on the sound of a body falling
into the water； she started； and ran off screaming； 〃Oh！ father！〃The
Baron had disappeared。
In trying to reach a piece of granite on which he fancied he saw the
impression of a shell； a circumstance which would have contradicted
some system of geology； Monsieur de Watteville had gone down the
slope； lost his balance； and slipped into the lake； which； of course；
was deepest close under the roadway。 The men had the greatest
difficulty in enabling the Baron to catch hold of a pole pushed down
at the place where the water was bubbling； but at last they pulled him
out； covered with mud； in which he had sunk； he was getting deeper and
deeper in； by dint of struggling。 Monsieur de Watteville had dined
heavily； digestion was in progress； and was thus checked。
When he had been undressed； washed； and put to bed； he was in such
evident danger that two servants at once set out on horseback： one to
ride to Besancon； and the other to fetch the nearest doctor and
surgeon。 When Madame de Watteville arrived； eight hours later； with
the first medical aid from Besancon； they found Monsieur de Watteville
past all hope； in spite of the intelligent treatment of the Rouxey
doctor。 The fright had produced serious effusion on the brain； and the
shock