on
the subject of Agricola and Dagobert, being absolutely ignorant of the
issue of the struggle in which her intended liberators had been engaged
with the people of the asylum and convent. She had in vain questioned
her keepers on the subject; they had remained perfectly mute. These new
incidents had augmented the bitter resentment of Adrienne against the
Princess de Saint Dizier, Father d'Aigrigny, and their creatures. The
slight paleness of Mdlle. de Cardoville's charming face, and her fine
eyes a little drooping, betrayed her recent sufferings; seated before
a little table, with her forehead resting upon one of her hands, half
veiled by the long curls of her golden hair, she was turning over the
leaves of a book. Suddenly, the door opened, and M. Baleinier entered.
The doctor, a Jesuit, in lay attire, a docile and passive instrument
of the will of his Order, was only half in the confidence of Father
d'Aigrigny and the Princess de Saint-Dizier. He was ignorant of the
object of the imprisonment of Mdlle. de Cardoville; he was ignorant also
of the sudden change which had taken place in the relative position
of Father d'Aigrigny and Rodin, after the reading of the testament
of Marius de Rennepont. The doctor had, only the day before, received
orders from Father d'Aigrigny (now acting under the directions of Rodin)
to confine Mdlle. de Cardoville still more strictly, to act towards her
with redoubled severity, and to endeavor to force her, it will be seen
by what expedients, to renounce the judicial proceedings, which she
promised herself to take hereafter against her persecutors. At sight of
the doctor, Mdlle. de Cardoville could not hide the aversion and disdain
with which this man inspired her. M. Baleinier, on the contrary, always
smiling, always courteous, approached Adrienne with perfect ease and
confidence, stopped a few steps from her, as if to study her features
more attentively, and then added like a man who is satisfied with the
observations he had made: "Come! the unfortunate events of the night
before last have had a less injurious influence than I feared. There is
some improvement; the complexion is less flushed, the look calmer,
the eyes still somewhat too bright, but no longer shining with such
unnatural fire. You are getting on so well! Now the cure must be
prolonged--for this unfortunate night affair threw you into a state
of excitement, that was only the more dangerous from your not being
conscious of i