“How many persons were in it?” asked Calyste.
“My, nephew, what mischief is in you now?” said his Aunt Zephirine.
“Let the boy amuse himself, sister,” cried the baron. “Yesterday he was dull as an owl; to-day he is gay as a lark.”
“Did you tell him that our dear Charlotte was to arrive to-day?” said Zephirine, turning to her sister-in-law.
“I thought perhaps he was going to meet her,” said Mademoiselle du Guenic, slyly.
“If Charlotte is to stay three months with her aunt, he will have plenty of opportunities to see her,” said his mother.
“Mademoiselle de Pen-Hoel wants me to marry Charlotte, to save me from perdition,” said Calyste, laughing. “I was on the mall when she and the Chevalier du Halga were talking about it. She can’t see that it would be greater perdition for me to marry at my age--”
“It is written above,” said the old maid, interrupting Calyste, “that I shall not die tranquil or happy. I wanted to see our family continued, and some, at least, of the estates brought back; but it is not to be. What can you, my fine nephew, put in the scale against such duties? Is it that actress at Les Touches?”
“What?” said the baron; “how can Mademoiselle des Touches hinder Calyste’s marriage, when it becomes necessary for us to make it? I shall go and see her.”
“I assure you, father,” said Calyste, “that Felicite will never be an obstacle to my marriage.”
“Where are you going, chevalier?” said his father.
“Ha, ha! and when is the marriage to be?” said the baron, believing that Calyste was really in a hurry to see Charlotte de Kergarouet. “It is high time I was a grandfather. Spare the horses,” he continued, as he went on the portico with Fanny to see Calyste mount; “remember that they have more than thirty miles to go.”
Calyste started with a tender farewell to his mother.
“Dear treasure!” she said, as she saw him lower his head to ride through the gateway.
“God keep him!” replied the baron; “for we cannot replace him.”
“My nephew does not love Charlotte enough to ride to Saint-Nazaire after her,” said the old blind woman to Mariotte, who was clearing the breakfast-table.
“No; but a fine lady, a marquise, has come to Les Touches, and I’ll warrant he’s after her; that’s the way at his age,” said Mariotte.