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Authors: Alexandre Dumas
Tags: Historical, Classics
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Farewell, happiness ! henceforth only a baseless vision henceforth only a remembrance, ever burning in my imagination, ever present to my heart ! “
Gilbert endeavored to rush from the pavilion, but the baron, on entering, had closed the doors of the corridor
MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN. 4Q
after him. Not calculating on this interruption, he was some moments before he could open them.
Just as he entered Nicole’s apartment, Nicole reached the pavilion. The young man heard the gravel of the garden walk grinding under her steps. He had only time to conceal himself in the shade, in order to let the young girl pass him ; for, after crossing the antechamber, the door of which she locked, she flew along the corridor as light as a bird.
Gilbert gained the antechamber and attempted to es-cape into the garden, but Nicole, while running on and crying, ” I am coming, mademoiselle ! I am coming ! I am just closing the door ! ” had closed it indeed, and not only closed it and double-locked it, but in her confusion had put the key into her pocket.
Gilbert tried in vain to open the door. Then he had recourse to the windows, but they were barred, and after five minutes’ investigation, he saw that it was impossible to escape.
The young man crouched into a corner, fortifying himself with the firm resolve to make Nicole open the door for Mm.
As for the latter, when she had given the plausible ex-cuse for her absence, that she had gone to close the windows of the greenhouse lest the night air might injure her young lady’s flowers, she finished undressing Andre, and assisted her to bed.
There was atremulousnessin Nicole’s voice, an unsteadiness in her hands, and an eagerness in all her attentions, which were very unusual, and indicated some extraordinary emotion. But from the calm and lofty sphere in which Andre’s thoughts revolved, she rarely looked down upon the lower earth, and when she did so, the inferior beings whom she saw seemed like atoms in her eyes. She, therefore, perceived nothing. Meanwhile, Gilbert was boiling with impatience, since he found the retreat thus cut off. He now longed only for liberty.
Andre dismissed Nicole after a short chat, in which the latter exhibited all the wheedling manner of a remorseful waiting-maid.
3 DUMAS VOL. VII.
50 MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN.
Before retiring, she turned back her mistress’s coverlet, lowered the lamp, sweetened the warm drink which was standing in a silver goblet upon an alabaster night-lamp, wished her mistress good night in her sweetest voice, and left the room on tiptoe. As she came out she closed the glass door. Then, humming gaily as if her mind was perfectly tranquil, she crossed the antechamber and advanced toward the door leading into the garden.
Gilbert guessed Nicole’s intention, and for a moment he asked himself if he should not, in place of making himself known, slip out suddenly, taking advantage of the opportunity to escape when the door should be opened. But in that case he would be seen without being recognized, and he would be taken for a robber. Nicole would cry for help, he would not have time to reach the cord, and even if he should reach it he would be seen in his aerial flight, his retreat discovered, and himself made the object of the Taverneys’ displeasure, which could not fail to be deep and lasting, considering the feeling toward him by the head of the family.
True, he might expose Nicole, and procure her dismissal ; but of what use would that be to him ? He would, in that case, nave done evil without reaping any corresponding advantage ; in short, from pure revenge ; and Gilbert was not so feeble-minded as to feel satisfied when he was revenged. Useless revenge was to him worse than a bad action, it was folly.
As Nicole approached the door where Gilbert was in waiting, he suddenly emerged from the shadow in which he was concealed, and appeared to the young girl in the full rays of the moonlight, which was streaming through the
Gilbert endeavored to rush from the pavilion, but the baron, on entering, had closed the doors of the corridor
MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN. 4Q
after him. Not calculating on this interruption, he was some moments before he could open them.
Just as he entered Nicole’s apartment, Nicole reached the pavilion. The young man heard the gravel of the garden walk grinding under her steps. He had only time to conceal himself in the shade, in order to let the young girl pass him ; for, after crossing the antechamber, the door of which she locked, she flew along the corridor as light as a bird.
Gilbert gained the antechamber and attempted to es-cape into the garden, but Nicole, while running on and crying, ” I am coming, mademoiselle ! I am coming ! I am just closing the door ! ” had closed it indeed, and not only closed it and double-locked it, but in her confusion had put the key into her pocket.
Gilbert tried in vain to open the door. Then he had recourse to the windows, but they were barred, and after five minutes’ investigation, he saw that it was impossible to escape.
The young man crouched into a corner, fortifying himself with the firm resolve to make Nicole open the door for Mm.
As for the latter, when she had given the plausible ex-cuse for her absence, that she had gone to close the windows of the greenhouse lest the night air might injure her young lady’s flowers, she finished undressing Andre, and assisted her to bed.
There was atremulousnessin Nicole’s voice, an unsteadiness in her hands, and an eagerness in all her attentions, which were very unusual, and indicated some extraordinary emotion. But from the calm and lofty sphere in which Andre’s thoughts revolved, she rarely looked down upon the lower earth, and when she did so, the inferior beings whom she saw seemed like atoms in her eyes. She, therefore, perceived nothing. Meanwhile, Gilbert was boiling with impatience, since he found the retreat thus cut off. He now longed only for liberty.
Andre dismissed Nicole after a short chat, in which the latter exhibited all the wheedling manner of a remorseful waiting-maid.
3 DUMAS VOL. VII.
50 MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN.
Before retiring, she turned back her mistress’s coverlet, lowered the lamp, sweetened the warm drink which was standing in a silver goblet upon an alabaster night-lamp, wished her mistress good night in her sweetest voice, and left the room on tiptoe. As she came out she closed the glass door. Then, humming gaily as if her mind was perfectly tranquil, she crossed the antechamber and advanced toward the door leading into the garden.
Gilbert guessed Nicole’s intention, and for a moment he asked himself if he should not, in place of making himself known, slip out suddenly, taking advantage of the opportunity to escape when the door should be opened. But in that case he would be seen without being recognized, and he would be taken for a robber. Nicole would cry for help, he would not have time to reach the cord, and even if he should reach it he would be seen in his aerial flight, his retreat discovered, and himself made the object of the Taverneys’ displeasure, which could not fail to be deep and lasting, considering the feeling toward him by the head of the family.
True, he might expose Nicole, and procure her dismissal ; but of what use would that be to him ? He would, in that case, nave done evil without reaping any corresponding advantage ; in short, from pure revenge ; and Gilbert was not so feeble-minded as to feel satisfied when he was revenged. Useless revenge was to him worse than a bad action, it was folly.
As Nicole approached the door where Gilbert was in waiting, he suddenly emerged from the shadow in which he was concealed, and appeared to the young girl in the full rays of the moonlight, which was streaming through the
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