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〃Make yourself at home；〃 answered the poet。
Butscha； pursued by the laughter of the three servants of the
establishment； gained the kiosk by walking over the flower…beds and
round the vases with the perverse grace of an insect describing its
interminable zig…zags as it tries to get out of a closed window。 When
he had clambered into the kiosk； and the servants had retired； he sat
down on a wooden bench and wallowed in the delights of his triumph。 He
had completely fooled a great man； he had not only torn off his mask；
but he had made him untie the strings himself； and he laughed like an
author over his own play；that is to say； with a true sense of the
immense value of his 〃vis comica。〃
〃Men are tops！〃 he cried； 〃you've only to find the twine to wind 'em
up with。 But I'm like my fellows；〃 he added； presently。 〃I should
faint away if any one came and said to me 'Mademoiselle Modeste has
been thrown from her horse； and has broken her leg。'〃
CHAPTER XXIV
THE POET FEELS THAT HE IS LOVED TOO WELL
An hour later； Modeste； charmingly equipped in a bottle…green
cassimere habit； a small hat with a green veil； buckskin gloves； and
velvet boots which met the lace frills of her drawers； and mounted on
an elegantly caparisoned little horse； was exhibiting to her father
and the Duc d'Herouville the beautiful present she had just received；
she was evidently delighted with an attention of a kind that
particularly flatters women。
〃Did it come from you； Monsieur le duc？〃 she said； holding the
sparkling handle toward him。 〃There was a card with it； saying； 'Guess
if you can；' and some asterisks。 Francoise and Dumay credit Butscha
with this charming surprise； but my dear Butscha is not rich enough to
buy such rubies。 And as for papa （to whom I said； as I remember； on
Sunday evening； that I had no whip）； he sent to Rouen for this one；〃
pointing to a whip in her father's hand； with a top like a cone of
turquoise； a fashion then in vogue which has since become vulgar。
〃I would give ten years of my old age； mademoiselle； to have the right
to offer you that beautiful jewel；〃 said the duke； courteously。
〃Ah； here comes the audacious giver！〃 cried Modeste； as Canalis rode
up。 〃It is only a poet who knows where to find such choice things。
Monsieur；〃 she said to Melchior； 〃my father will scold you； and say
that you justify those who accuse you of extravagance。〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Canalis； with apparent simplicity； 〃so that is why La
Briere rode at full gallop from Havre to Paris？〃
〃Does your secretary take such liberties？〃 said Modeste； turning pale；
and throwing the whip to Francoise with an impetuosity that expressed
scorn。 〃Give me your whip； papa。〃
〃Poor Ernest； who lies there on his bed half…dead with fatigue！〃 said
Canalis； overtaking the girl； who had already started at a gallop。
〃You are pitiless； mademoiselle。 'I have' （the poor fellow said to me）
'only this one chance to remain in her memory。'〃
〃And should you think well of a woman who could take presents from
half the parish？〃 said Modeste。
She was surprised to receive no answer to this inquiry； and attributed
the poet's inattention to the noise of the horse's feet。
〃How you delight in tormenting those who love you；〃 said the duke。
〃Your nobility of soul and your pride are so inconsistent with your
faults that I begin to suspect you calumniate yourself； and do those
naughty things on purpose。〃
〃Ah！ have you only just found that out； Monsieur le duc？〃 she
exclaimed； laughing。 〃You have the sagacity of a husband。〃
They rode half a mile in silence。 Modeste was a good deal astonished
not to receive the fire of the poet's eyes。 The evening before； as she
was pointing out to him an admirable effect of setting sunlight across
the water； she had said； remarking his inattention； 〃Well； don't you
see it？〃to which he replied； 〃I can see only your hand〃； but now his
admiration for the beauties of nature seemed a little too intense to
be natural。
〃Does Monsieur de La Briere know how to ride？〃 she asked； for the
purpose of teasing him。
〃Not very well； but he gets along；〃 answered the poet； cold as
Gobenheim before the colonel's return。
At a cross…road； which Monsieur Mignon made them take through a lovely
valley to reach a height overlooking the Seine； Canalis let Modeste
and the duke pass him； and then reined up to join the colonel。
〃Monsieur le comte；〃 he said； 〃you are an open…hearted soldier； and I
know you will regard my frankness as a title to your esteem。 When
proposals of marriage； with all their brutal；or； if you please； too
civilizeddiscussions； are carried on by third parties； it is an
injury to all。 We are both gentlemen； and both discreet； and you； like
myself； have passed beyond the age of surprises。 Let us therefore
speak as intimates。 I will set you the example。 I am twenty…nine years
old； without landed estates； and full of ambition。 Mademoiselle
Modeste； as you must have perceived； pleases me extremely。 Now； in
spite of the little defects which your dear girl likes to assume〃
〃not counting those she really possesses；〃 said the colonel；
smiling；
〃I should gladly make her my wife； and I believe I could render her
happy。 The question of money is of the utmost importance to my future；
which hangs to…day in the balance。 All young girls expect to be loved
WHETHER OR NOfortune or no fortune。 But you are not the man to marry
your dear Modeste without a 'dot；' and my situation does not allow me
to make a marriage of what is called love unless with a woman who has
a fortune at least equal to mine。 I have； from my emoluments and
sinecures； from the Academy and from my works； about thirty thousand
francs a year； a large income for a bachelor。 If my wife brought me as
much more； I should still be in about the same condition that I am
now。 Shall you give Mademoiselle a million？〃
〃Ah； monsieur； we have not reached that point as yet；〃 said the
colonel； Jesuitically。
〃Then suppose；〃 said Canalis； quickly； 〃that we go no further； we will
let the matter drop。 You shall have no cause to complain of me；
Monsieur le comte； the world shall consider me among the unfortunate
suitors of your charming daughter。 Give me your word of honor to say
nothing on the subject to any one； not even to Mademoiselle Modeste；
because；〃 he added； throwing a word of promise to the ear； 〃my
circumstances may so change that I can ask you for her without 'dot。'〃
〃I promise you that；〃 said the colonel。 〃You know； monsieur； with what
assurance the public； both in Paris and the provinces； talk of
fortunes that they make and unmake。 People exaggerate both happiness
and unhappiness； we are never so fortunate nor so unfortunate as
people say we are。 There is nothing sure and certain in business
except investments in land。 I am awaiting the accounts of my agents
with very great impatience。 The sale of my merchandise and m