Pride: One of the Seven Cardinal Sins

But as the old officer, not sharing this hope, shook his head, the notary, turning to Ernestine and Olivier, asked:

"This provision is perfectly satisfactory to you, mademoiselle, and to you, monsieur?"

"Whatever is satisfactory to M. Olivier is satisfactory to me," replied Mlle. de Beaumesnil.

"I think the arrangement perfect," answered Olivier, gaily; "and I assure you that never in your life did you insert in any contract a clause that is less likely to excite controversy than this."

"We will now proceed with the signing of the contracts," said the notary, gravely, rising as he spoke.

Madame de Senneterre, having taken advantage of the general movement, to approach M. de la Rochaiguë, now said, like one completely bewildered:

"My dear baron, will you be kind enough to tell me what all this means?"

"What, madame la duchesse?"

"Why, all this mystery that is going on here."

"It is one that brought me nearly to the verge of madness a few days ago, madame la duchesse."

"But does M. Olivier really believe that Mlle. de Beaumesnil is a poor little embroideress?"

"Yes, madame."

"But why did he refuse the offer you made him?"

"Because he loved another, madame."

"And that other?"

"Was my ward."

"What ward?"

"Why, Mlle. de Beaumesnil," replied the baron, with a sort of ferocious joy, delighted to subject another person to the same torture to which the marquis had subjected him.

"Is it possible that you are trying to amuse yourself at my expense, M. le baron?" demanded the duchess, arrogantly.

"Madame la duchesse cannot suppose that I am capable of forgetting myself to such an extent as that."

"Then what does all this mystery mean? And why was it necessary that M. Olivier should be made to repeat that he had refused Mlle. de Beaumesnil's hand, though he is about to sign his marriage contract with her? and – "

"I promised M. de Maillefort I would keep his secret, so you must apply to him, madame la duchesse. He hasn't his equal for solving enigmas."

Despairing of obtaining any satisfaction from the baron, Madame de Senneterre approached M. de Maillefort, and asked:

"Well, marquis, may I know the object – "

"In five minutes you shall know all, my dear duchess," replied the hunchback.

Then he turned, apparently to give some final instructions to the notary.

CHAPTER XXXII

CONCLUSION

As the little party approached the table where the two contracts lay, Mlle. de Beaumesnil said to Herminie, in subdued tones, but evidently with no little anxiety:

"Alas! the decisive moment has come! What will M. Olivier think? What will he do? If I had committed some terrible crime and it was about to be made public, I could not feel more anxious."

"Courage, Ernestine. You can leave everything to M. de Maillefort without the slightest fear."

If Ernestine experienced dire misgivings in regard to Olivier's scruples, the hunchback was no less uneasy in regard to those of Herminie, who was still ignorant that she had figured in the marriage contract as the adopted daughter of the Marquis de Maillefort, Prince Duc de Haut-Martel.

So it was with considerable inward perturbation that the hunchback now approached the young girl and said:

"You are to sign first, my child."

The notary presented a pen; the girl took it, and, with a hand trembling with joyful emotion, signed, "Herminie."

"Well, my child, why do you stop there?" asked M. de Maillefort, as he saw her about to return the pen to the notary.

And as his protégée turned and looked at him in silent surprise, the hunchback continued:

"Go on, of course, my child, and sign yourself 'Herminie de Maillefort.'"

"Ah, I understand now," Gerald said to his mother, with profound emotion. "M. de Maillefort is the best and most generous of men."

Herminie continued to gaze at the hunchback in speechless astonishment, but at last she said, hesitatingly:

"Why, monsieur, I cannot sign myself 'Herminie de Maillefort.' That name – "

"My child," said the hunchback, in pleading tones, "have you not often told me that you felt a truly filial affection for me?"

"I do, indeed, monsieur."

"And have you not more than once felt that you could best express your gratitude by telling me that I manifested all a father's solicitude for you?"

"Oh, yes, the tenderest, most devoted father's," exclaimed the girl, earnestly.

"Then why should you not take my name?" asked the marquis, with a winning smile. "You have already promised that your son, if you have one, shall bear this name. Besides, are you not by your attachment to me, and by my affection for you, my adopted child? Then why should you not sign this contract as my adopted daughter?"

"I, monsieur?" exclaimed Herminie, unable to believe her own ears. "I your adopted daughter?"

"Yes; think of my audacity. I am famed for it, you know. I even had you so designated in the marriage contract."

"What do you say, monsieur?"

"Tell me," added the hunchback, with tears in his eyes, and in his most persuasive tones, "tell me, do you not think I have justly earned the great happiness of being able to say to every one, 'This is my daughter?' Will you refuse to honour still more, by bearing it, an ever honoured name?"