slight shrug of his shoulders. He then motioned to his wife to take
leave. "Now sir," said Madame de Villefort, "I must bid you
farewell. Would you like me to send Edward to you for a short
time?"
It had been agreed that the old man should express his
approbation by closing his eyes, his refusal by winking them
several times, and if he had some desire or feeling to express, he
raised them to heaven. If he wanted Valentine, he closed his right
eye only, and if Barrois, the left. At Madame de Villefort's
proposition he instantly winked his eyes. Provoked by a complete
refusal, she bit her lip and said, "Then shall I send Valentine to
you?" The old man closed his eyes eagerly, thereby intimating that
such was his wish. M. and Madame de Villefort bowed and left the
room, giving orders that Valentine should be summoned to her
grandfather's presence, and feeling sure that she would have much
to do to restore calmness to the perturbed spirit of the invalid.
Valentine, with a color still heightened by emotion, entered the
room just after her parents had quitted it. One look was sufficient
to tell her that her grandfather was suffering, and that there was
much on his mind which he was wishing to communicate to her. "Dear
grandpapa," cried she, "what has happened? They have vexed you, and
you are angry?" The paralytic closed his eyes in token of assent.
"Who has displeased you? Is it my father?"
"No."
"Madame de Villefort?"
"No."
"Me?" The former sign was repeated. "Are you displeased with
me?" cried Valentine in astonishment. M. Noirtier again closed his
eyes. "And what have I done, dear grandpapa, that you should be
angry with me?" cried Valentine.
There was no answer, and she continued. "I have not seen you all
day. Has any one been speaking to you against me?"
"Yes," said the old man's look, with eagerness.
"Let me think a moment. I do assure you, grandpapa — Ah — M. and
Madame de Villefort have just left this room, have they not?"
"Yes."
"And it was they who told you something which made you angry?"Yes."
"And it was they who told you something which made you angry?
What was it then? May I go and ask them, that I may have the
opportunity of making my peace with you?"
"No, no," said Noirtier's look.
"Ah, you frighten me. What can they have said?" and she again
tried to think what it could be.
"Ah, I know," said she, lowering her voice and going close to
the old man. "They have been speaking of my marriage, — have they
not?"
"Yes," replied the angry look.
"I understand; you are displeased at the silence I have
preserved on the subject. The reason of it was, that they had
insisted on my keeping the matter a secret, and begged me not to
tell you anything of it. They did not even acquaint me with their
intentions, and I only discovered them by chance, that is why I
have been so reserved with you, dear grandpapa. Pray forgive me."
But there was no look calculated to reassure her; all it seemed to
say was, "It is not only your reserve which afflicts me."
"What is it, then?" asked the young girl. "Perhaps you think I
shall abandon you, dear grandpapa, and that I shall forget you when
I am married?"
"No."
"They told you, then, that M. d'Epinay consented to our all
living together?"
"Yes."
"Then why are you still vexed and grieved?" The old man's eyes
beamed with an expression of gentle affection. "Yes, I understand,"
said Valentine; "it is because you love me." The old man assented.
"And you are afraid I shall be unhappy?"
"Yes."
"You do not like M. Franz?" The eyes repeated several times,
"No, no, no."
"Then you are vexed with the engagement?"
"Yes."
"Well, listen," said Valentine, throwing herself on her knees,
and putting her arm round her grandfather's neck, "I am vexed, too,
for I do not love M. Franz d'Epinay." An expression of intense joy
illumined the old man's eyes. "When I wished to retire into a
convent, you remember how angry you were with me?" A tear trembled
in the eye of the invalid. "Well," continued Valentine, "the reason
of my proposing it was that I might escape this hateful marriage,of my proposing it was that I might escape this hateful marriage,
which drives me to despair." Noirtier's breathing came thick and
short. "Then the idea of this marriage really grieves you too? Ah,
if you could but help me — if we could both together defeat their
plan! But you are unable to oppose them, — you, whose mind is so
quick, and whose will is so firm are nevertheless, as weak and
unequal to the contest as I am myself. Alas, you, who would have
been such a powerful protector to me in the days of your health and
strength, can now only sympathize in my joys and sorrows, without
being able to take any active part in them. However, this is much,
and calls for gratitude and heaven has not taken away all my
blessings when it leaves me your sympathy and kindness."
At these words there appeared in Noirtier's eye an expression of
such deep meaning that the young girl thought she could read these
words there: "You are mistaken; I can still do much for you."
"Do you think you can help me, dear grandpapa?" said
Valentine.
"Yes." Noirtier raised his eyes, it was the sign agreed on
between him and Valentine when he wanted anything.
"What is it you want, dear grandpapa?" said Valentine, and she
endeavored to recall to mind all the things which he would be
likely to need; and as the ideas presented themselves to her mind,
she repeated them aloud, then, — finding that all her efforts
elicited nothing but a constant "No," — she said, "Come, since this
plan does not answer, I will have recourse to another." She then
recited all the letters of the alphabet from A down to N. When she
arrived at that letter the paralytic made her understand that she
had spoken the initial letter of the thing he wanted. "Ah," said
Valentine, "the thing you desire begins with the letter N; it is
with N that we have to do, then. Well, let me see, what can you
want that begins with N? Na — Ne — Ni — No" —
"Yes, yes, yes," said the old man's eye.
"Ah, it is No, then?"
"Yes." Valentine fetched a dictionary, which she placed on a