having paid a high price for it, and being quite unable to find any
one willing to take his bargain off his hands without a
considerable loss, yet still clinging to the belief that at some
future day he should obtain a sum for it that would repay him, not
only for his past outlay, but also the interest upon the capital
locked up in his new acquisition, contented himself with letting
the ground temporarily to some market-gardeners, at a yearly rental
of 500 francs. And so, as we have said, the iron gate leading into
the kitchen-garden had been closed up and left to the rust, which
bade fair before long to eat off its hinges, while to prevent the
ignoble glances of the diggers and delvers of the ground from
presuming to sully the aristocratic enclosure belonging to the
mansion, the gate had been boarded up to a height of six feet.
True, the planks were not so closely adjusted but that a hasty peep
might be obtained through their interstices; but the strict decorum
and rigid propriety of the inhabitants of the house left no grounds
for apprehending that advantage would be taken of that
circumstance.
Horticulture seemed, however, to have been abandoned in the
deserted kitchen-garden; and where cabbages, carrots, radishes,
pease, and melons had once flourished, a scanty crop of lucerne
alone bore evidence of its being deemed worthy of cultivation. A
small, low door gave egress from the walled space we have been
describing into the projected street, the ground having been
abandoned as unproductive by its various renters, and had now
fallen so completely in general estimation as to return not even
the one-half per cent it had originally paid. Towards the house the
chestnut-trees we have before mentioned rose high above the wall,
without in any way affecting the growth of other luxuriant shrubs
and flowers that eagerly dressed forward to fill up the vacant
spaces, as though asserting their right to enjoy the boon of light
and air. At one corner, where the foliage became so thick as almostand air. At one corner, where the foliage became so thick as almost
to shut out day, a large stone bench and sundry rustic seats
indicated that this sheltered spot was either in general favor or
particular use by some inhabitant of the house, which was faintly
discernible through the dense mass of verdure that partially
concealed it, though situated but a hundred paces off.
Whoever had selected this retired portion of the grounds as the
boundary of a walk, or as a place for meditation, was abundantly
justified in the choice by the absence of all glare, the cool,
refreshing shade, the screen it afforded from the scorching rays of
the sun, that found no entrance there even during the burning days
of hottest summer, the incessant and melodious warbling of birds,
and the entire removal from either the noise of the street or the
bustle of the mansion. On the evening of one of the warmest days
spring had yet bestowed on the inhabitants of Paris, might be seen
negligently thrown upon the stone bench, a book, a parasol, and a
work-basket, from which hung a partly embroidered cambric
handkerchief, while at a little distance from these articles was a
young woman, standing close to the iron gate, endeavoring to
discern something on the other side by means of the openings in the
planks, — the earnestness of her attitude and the fixed gaze with
which she seemed to seek the object of her wishes, proving how much
her feelings were interested in the matter. At that instant the
little side-gate leading from the waste ground to the street was
noiselessly opened, and a tall, powerful young man appeared. He was
dressed in a common gray blouse and velvet cap, but his carefully
arranged hair, beard and mustache, all of the richest and glossiest
black, ill accorded with his plebeian attire. After casting a rapid
glance around him, in order to assure himself that he was
unobserved, he entered by the small gate, and, carefully closing
and securing it after him, proceeded with a hurried step towards
the barrier.and securing it after him, proceeded with a hurried step towards
the barrier.
At the sight of him she expected, though probably not in such a
costume, the young woman started in terror, and was about to make a
hasty retreat. But the eye of love had already seen, even through
the narrow chinks of the wooden palisades, the movement of the
white robe, and observed the fluttering of the blue sash. Pressing
his lips close to the planks, he exclaimed, "Don't be alarmed,
Valentine — it is I!" Again the timid girl found courage to return
to the gate, saying, as she did so, "And why do you come so late
to-day? It is almost dinner-time, and I had to use no little
diplomacy to get rid of my watchful mother-in-law, my too-devoted
maid, and my troublesome brother, who is always teasing me about
coming to work at my embroidery, which I am in a fair way never to
get done. So pray excuse yourself as well as you can for having
made me wait, and, after that, tell me why I see you in a dress so
singular that at first I did not recognize you."
"Dearest Valentine," said the young man, "the difference between
our respective stations makes me fear to offend you by speaking of
my love, but yet I cannot find myself in your presence without
longing to pour forth my soul, and tell you how fondly I adore you.
If it be but to carry away with me the recollection of such sweet
moments, I could even thank you for chiding me, for it leaves me a
gleam of hope, that if you did not expect me (and that indeed would
be worse than vanity to suppose), at least I was in your thoughts.
You asked me the cause of my being late, and why I come disguised.
I will candidly explain the reason of both, and I trust to your
goodness to pardon me. I have chosen a trade."
"A trade? Oh, Maximilian, how can you jest at a time when we
have such deep cause for uneasiness?"
"Heaven keep me from jesting with that which is far dearer to me
than life itself! But listen to me, Valentine, and I will tell you
all about it. I became weary of ranging fields and scaling walls,