A Comedy of Terrors

XVIII.

A TERRIBLE PROPOSAL.

OF course such a plan as the one which Grimes had been thus evolving from his profound meditations could not be kept secret from one who was to play so important a part in it as Carrol; and to tell him the plan meant a general narration of all the events of the day, including his meeting with Mrs. Lovell, and her appeal to him for help. There was a strong repugnance in the breast of Grimes against any such disclosure, and his native delicacy revolted against breathing into another ear the story of his reviving tenderness ; but it had to be done. After a faint attempt to discuss the subject in a commonplace manner, he gave it up and launched forth into an enthusiastic description of Mrs. Lovell’s candor, her gentleness, her beauty, and her trustful disposition, from which Carrol was able to gather a very correct idea of the state of mind into which his friend had passed. But all this was of far inferior interest to Carrol compared with the one striking fact that Grimes had accompanied Mrs. Lovell to her lodgings, that he knew her address, and that the clew to Maud which he had thought lost was once more recovered. He asked eagerly after their address, and Grimes told him ; after which he relapsed into his former silence.

Grimes looked at him attentively for a few moments, and then exclaimed in a cordial tone of approbation, “ Wal now, I must say I like that. That has the right ring. You talk like a man. I was afraid that the very mention of the ladies would act on you like a red rag on a bull. But you take the mention calmly, and even show a gentlemanly interest in them. Carrol, my boy, by those words, you’ve taken a tremendous load off my mind, and saved me about ten hours of solid talk. So you ’re all right, are you ? If so, I say, three cheers.”

“ O well,” said Carrol, “ the fact is, I begin to think I was unjust to — to her — and that there was —a —a mistake — ”

He would have said more, for he now felt keenly how ungenerous and how base his suspicions had been, and he also felt most profoundly the perfect truth and constancy of Maud. Yet he could not tell any more than this, certainly not to Grimes ; so he held his tongue.

“ All right, my boy,” said Grimes, cheerily. “ You’ve come round at last; I don’t care how, so long as you’ve come. And now I want to tell you about a plan I’ve been concocting for the escape of the ladies from this prison. They ’re frightened, no doubt. They want to get away, ere it be eternally too late ; and as they’ve appealed to me, why it stands to reason that I must be up and doin’, and help them somehow, and for that matter so must you. You acknowledge that yourself, don’t you ? ”

“ Yes,” said Carrol.

“ Wal,” said Grimes, “ ordinary means of escape are of no use at all. Paris is a bottle corked up tight. You can’t get out nohow, that is by any common way ; you’ve got to try somethin’ extraordinary. You ’re aware, perhaps, that no human being can pass from this village to the world outside, or come from that world to us. For between us and them there is a great gulf fixed. Are you aware of that? ”

“ Of course ! Everybody knows that Paris is blockaded perfectly, and has been for no end of a time.”

“Wal, there again you excite my gratitude, for you save me from a two or three hours’ talk in the way of explanation. And now let me ask you this. You know there is one way of escape, don’t you ? ”

“One way?” asked Carrol, doubtfully.

“ Yes, by doin’ the American eagle, and soarin’ aloft to the everlastin’ stars ; in plain language, by takin’ to a balloon àla Gambetta.”

“ A balloon ! ” exclaimed Carrol, in amazement, — “a balloon ! ”

“ Yes,” said Grimes. “ And now I want to ask you one question. Are you man enough to try it ? ”

“ Good heavens, man alive ! ” cried Carrol; “ what are you talking about ? Do you mean to say that the ladies will be willing to go in a balloon ? ”

“ Wal, I don’t know yet, for I hain’t mentioned the subject to them ; but Mrs. Lovell’s remarks indicated a state of desperation that was equal to a desperate undertakin', and so I should n’t wonder a bit if I might succeed in persuadin’ her to trust herself to the unfathomable tracts of ether. O, could I fly, I ’d fly with thee ! as the poet says. But never mind what the poet says ; what I want to know is, will you go? Will you take Miss Heathcote in one balloon, together with an aerial navigator, while I take Mrs. Lovell in my own personal, particular, and individual car ? ”

“ I ? why, of course,” said Carrol ; “but then, how under heaven do you expect ever to get the ladies to consent to such a journey ? ”

Upon this Grimes began to explain to Carrol the grounds of his hope, and the plan that he had made, and the way in which he expected to carry it out, and many other things which are unnecessary to report just here.

This conversation with Grimes lasted far into the night, and gave to Carrol the material for agitated thought during the wakeful hours that intervened till morning. The knowledge of Maud’s whereabouts opened up to him once more the chance of communicating with her ; and now that he was aware of the truth of the case, now that he had seen her tearful eyes, her pleading face, and her tremulous lips, since he had heard her low, sweet voice, as she told her simple and touching story, there had arisen in his heart a strong yearning after her which was intolerable and irresistible. Should he yield to his feelings ? Should he seek her out?

“But, alas!” he thought, “why should I go ? and for what end, and with what hope ? She can never be mine. She does not know it, but there lies between us an unfathomable gulf, over which we cannot pass to join each other. I am a murderer! She will know all some day, soon enough too. Can I go to tell her that ? Impossible. Can I go carrying with me this secret ? I cannot. I can neither keep my secret in the presence of her pleading eyes, nor have I the heart to tell her that which would mar her hopes and throw a blight over her young life. She will learn it all herself, and then she will understand me and do me justice. As to this flight, if she is willing to go, I shall rejoice to go with her, and trust myself to circumstances. But till then I must struggle against my desires and keep away from her.”

Grimes was naturally prompt, and so on the following day he set forth to call on Mrs. Lovell. He had been somewhat troubled in his mind as to the propriety of mentioning Carrol’s name. With him it was a difficult question. For Grimes, it must be remembered, had only heard Carrol’s first account of his rejection by Maud. Carrol’s long tirades against her had deepened the impression which that story had produced, and he very naturally concluded that the rejection of Carrol’s proposal had been done by Maud quite deliberately and seriously. He was aware of Carrol’s love for her, he remembered the bitterness of his grief over his rejection, and he knew how unfortunate the consequences had been for his friend in many ways. He never had been able to sympathize with Carrol’s harsher views of her motives and her character; but some impression had been made upon him by denunciations so persistent ; and he had come to feel as much dislike for Maud as it was possible for a chivalrous man to entertain towards a beautiful girl. His idea was that Maud had flirted with Carrol, and had encouraged him without any intentions of accepting him ; and as her own affections had not been enlisted, she had not made sufficient allowance for him. He thought her nature was somewhat cold and callous, and that her rejection of Carrol was owing rather to indifference or to vanity than to anything like downright cruelty.

With such views of Maud’s character, he naturally concluded that Carrol would not be a very agreeable companion to her ; and, except in a very great emergency, he supposed that she would refuse to go with him altogether. Now a refusal on her part would spoil his little plan, and he was anxious that nothing should be added to the ordinary unpleasantness of a balloon voyage to make it more disagreeable than it was in itself. And so Mr. Grimes very sagely concluded that it would be best not to mention Carrol’s name at all, but to allude to him merely as “a friend.” He thought that if Carrol could only be with Maud under unusual and somewhat serious circumstances, her hard and callous heart might possibly be softened and she might relent.

On seeing him, Mrs. Lovell’s face lighted up with a glow of genuine pleasure, and she greeted him with a cordiality that was very flattering indeed.

“Wal,” said Grimes, “and how are you ? Pooty well ? ”

“ O thanks ; but how very, very good this is of you,” said Mrs Lovell ; “ and so thoughtful, too, you know. I was afraid you’d forget all about me.”

And with these words she seated herself, while Grimes did the same, looking at her admiringly all the time.

“ Fine weather we ’re havin’ to-day,” said he, “especially after the rain yesterday.”

“It really is quite delightful,” said Mrs. Lovell, “ though I have not been out yet.”

“ But it did rain tremendous yesterday, did n’t it now ! ” persisted Grimes, who had a distressing way of prosing about the weather, when Mrs. Lovell was crazy to have him talk of other things.

“ O yes, I dare say,” said she ; “ but have you heard yet of any way of getting away from this dreadful place ? I ’m really very, very anxious, do you know. It’s very silly, but really one can’t help being a coward, and I’m sure there’s every reason to be alarmed. Why, I heard guns yesterday,—positively guns. But that ’s not the worst.”

“ Wal,” said Grimes, “ that’s the very thing I’ve come for ; that is, next to havin’ the pleasure of seein’ you, and — and — ”

He stopped and his face grew very red.

“ O, how good of you ! ” said Mrs. Lovell. “And have you heard of anything ? ”

“ Yes, ’m,” said Grimes. “I have.”

“ O, what is it ? ” cried Mrs. Lovell, eagerly.

“Wal,” said Grimes, “I’ve got a plan that I think’s goin’ to work, if you ’ll only fall in with it.”

“ A plan ? ” said Mrs. Lovell, eagerly ; “ O, what is it? But how really nice, and clever, and kind, and all that ! But what is the plan, Mr. Grimes ?”

“ Wal,” said Grimes, “ I don’t know exactly how it ’ll strike you, and I ’m a little mite afraid that you mayn’t altogether like the looks of it.”

“ O, I ’m sure I ’ll be perfectly charmed ! I’m sureyou would n’t think of any plan which would not be perfectly agreeable, Mr. Grimes.”

“Wal, I hope you’ll like it,” said Grimes, slowly and thoughtfully, “ but I don’t know about it just yet; you see the bother of it is, in the first place we ’ve got to divide ourselves.”

“ Divide ourselves ? ”

“ Yes, that is to say, you’ve got to separate yourself from your sister, and I don’t know how you ’ll like that.”

“ Separate ? what, from Maudie ? ” exclaimed Mrs. Lovell; “what, leave Maudie ? ” “ O, she ’ll be all right. There ’s a friend of mine that’s goin’ too, and he ’ll put her through.”

“Maudie ! but I can’t separate from Maudie,” said Mrs. Lovell, sadly. “ I really can’t. Poor, dear Maudie! What would become of her if she went away by herself? ”

“O, wal now,” said Grimes, “there ain’t the least mite of danger. My friend would die rather than have her run any risk. He’s a man of honor, an American, and a gentleman. He’s goin’ off himself, and I spoke to him about this matter. It was the only thing I could think of. I’d trust him as I would myself. Miss Heathcote could go with him, and I thought that I might take charge of you. We’ve got to divide in some fashion, and that seemed to me to be the best way. But, if you feel anxious about Miss Heathcote, why I ’d agree to take charge of her, and you could go with my friend.”

This last offer was an act of immense self-sacrifice on the part of Grimes, and it was made in a very doleful tone of voice.

“ O, I don’t know,” said Mrs. Lovell, slowly, " that it is altogether necessary to do that; in fact, the trouble is about Maudie being separated from me. Could n’t we manage in any way to go together, Mr. Grimes ? It would be so very, very sad to be separated. Couldn’t that be avoided in any way, Mr. Grimes ? ”

And Mrs. Lovell turned to Grimes with an appealing look that was really most pathetic.

Grimes hesitated, and all his plan was once more revolved in his mind.

“ No, ’m,” said he at length, with much decision, — “ no, ’m. I don’t exactly see how I could manage to fix it that way.”

Mrs. Lovell sighed.

“ I ’m sure,” said she, “ I don’t believe that poor Maudie would ever consent, but then she is sometimes very, very set, and I really don’t know but that she might be brave enough. But how I could ever bear

to have her leave me I really do not know.”

“Wal,” said Grimes, who felt it to be his duty to disarm her fears as far as possible and to soothe her natural anxiety, — “ wal, after all, you know, it won’t be for long. It ’ll only be for a few days at the most. You ’ll then be joined again and meet to part no more.”

Mrs. Lovell shook her head sadly and solemnly.

“ Wal, the fact of the matter is, ’m,” said Grimes, “ it can’t be managed, as I can see ; for, you see, it won’t hold more ’n two.”

“ It?” repeated Mrs. Lovell. “ What do you mean by it ? Is it a carriage ? Why, I ’m sure I can sit anywhere, so long as I have Maudie, and know that she is safe. Or is it a horse ? Are we to go on horseback ? And why can’t we go together ? I’m sure I don’t see why we can’t go together, Mr. Grimes. Why, I’d be willing to ride behind Maudie, or even to walk so long as I had her with me.’’

“ Wal, ’m, the fact of the business is, it ain’t a carriage, nor a horse, nor is it any kind of land conveyance, or water conveyance either. You see, our position is a little peculiar, and to escape from Paris requires very peculiar contrivances. Now, ’m, my plan had reference to a — a balloon.”

At this Mrs. Lovell started and regarded Grimes in unspeakable amazement.

“ A what! ” she said ; “ a balloon ? ”

“ Yes, ’m,” said Grimes firmly, for he felt that the time had come to grapple with this subject, and that the question must be decided at once.

“ A balloon ? ” repeated Mrs. Lovell. “ You can’t really mean what you say. A balloon ? O Mr. Grimes ! and I thought all the time that you were my friend.”

“ A balloon ? ” said Grimes, who felt wounded by this implied reproach. “ A balloon ? Why not ? Why, ’m, a balloon is the safest and the easiest mode of travel that has ever been invented. I ’m aware,” he continued with engaging candor, “that there does exist a kind of prejudice against balloons, but I assure you that it’s quite unfounded. You only get into your balloon, let the wind be fair, and the weather any ways moderate, and let a cool head have the navigation of her, and I ’ll bet any money that you go by that balloon easier, pleasanter, quicker, safer, and altogether happier than by any mode of conveyance known to mortal man. Now, I know this to be the case as sure ’s my name ’s Grimes. Fact, ’m.”

“ A balloon ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Lovell, upon whom Grimes’s remarks had made not the least impression, but who still clung to her prejudices against that mode of travel with unfaltering pertinacity, — “a balloon? Why, Mr. Grimes, you cannot possibly be in earnest. Why, it’s downright insanity. A balloon ? Why, can you possibly suppose that I could have the rashness to venture into a balloon ? Why, I ’m sure I’d just as soon think of allowing myself to be fired from a cannon. And is that all that you can do for me ? O dear! Then I’m afraid that our case is indeed hopeless, and that nothing remains but to face the worst.”

Mrs. Lovell spoke in a despairing tone which deeply affected her hearer. Grimes sat looking quite crushed, with an expression on his face which was made up of deep disappointment and equally deep remorse. But he struggled gallantly against both of these feelings, and at length found voice to speak.

“ Wal, now, really, ’m, it strikes me that you ’re puttin’ it a little too strong altogether. When you speak of despair, and facin’ the worst, you see there is a remedy. After all, balloonin’ ain’t so bad as despair. Lots of people are leavin’ Paris all the time by this mode of conveyance. There ain’t a single fault you can find with it, except that you can’t guide them very straight. That might be an objection if you wanted to go to some place in particular. But you see you don’t want that. You simply want to get out of Paris, no matter where you go. Now a balloon will do just exactly that for you. It ’ll take you far enough away from here to put you out of reach of battle and murder and sudden death ; and plague, pestilence, and famine ; and sieges, blockades, and bombardments. Now, if a balloon ’ll do just what you want to be done, and no more, I don’t see why you should find fault with it because it don’t do what you don’t want it to do, and what it don’t pretend to do.”

To this Mrs. Lovell opposed the danger of such a mode of travel. Whereupon Grimes hastened to explain that there was no danger at all. Upon this a long conversation followed, in which Grimes endeavored to prove that a balloon was not only free from danger, but actually safer than terra firma. These arguments, however, made but little impression upon Mrs, Lovell, who found herself quite unable to overcome her fears.

The end of it was that Grimes, as he rose to go, informed her that he would call again in two days, and exhorted her to think over his plan. If she could bring herself to accept it, he would be ready to leave at once; if not, then it would be necessary for her to remain in Paris during the siege.

And so he departed, leaving Mrs. Lovell in a state of mind bordering on despair.

XIX.

THREATS CUT SHORT.

THE desire which Mrs. Lovell had expressed for escape was certainly no weaker than it had been, nor had her sense of present danger in any way lessened. This sense of danger arose from various causes which must have fully revealed themselves. One class of dangers were those which were connected with the siege, involving plague, pestilence, famine, battle, murder, sudden death, explosions, bombardments, and red-hot shot, with other things of a similar character ; all of which usually go to make up a first-class siege. The other class of dangers were those which arose from the vindictive menace of Du Potiron, and his possible powers for carrying his threats into execution. What these might be she could not exactly know, and these dangers, therefore, became all the more terrible from being mysterious ; but among the most prominent of those evils which might be impending from this quarter, her fancy suggested arrests, imprisonment, separation from Maud, trial, condemnation, and, to crown all, the guillotine.

Such fancies as these, whatever might be their cause, were certainly not adapted to promote peace of mind or serenity of soul. Yet such was the structure of Mrs. Lovell’s character, that she did not allow any unusual depression of spirit to appear. Her chief desire was to keep these troubles secret from Maud, for it will be seen by this time that one of Mrs. Lovell’s strongest characteristics was a most devoted and self-sacrificing affection for her younger sister. For this reason she had not told her anything about the particulars of Du Potiron’s later visits, so that Maud was in complete ignorance of that person’s plans and threats.

The next day came, and brought a new trouble to the afflicted lady. This new trouble came in the visible form of Madame Guimarin, who waited on Mrs. Lovell and requested a private interview. With some surprise Mrs. Lovell granted the request, and Madame Guimarin, prepared to make known the object of her call.

With many apologies and much circumlocution she mentioned the fact that she would be compelled to give up her house and seek a new home for herself. She assigned as the cause of this decision, first, the absence of lodgers; secondly, her own ill-health and nervousness ; and, thirdly, a dismal apprehension which she had of some mysterious danger which was impending. On being questioned still more closely as to the nature of this danger, it came out that Du Potiron had been tampering with her, and had managed to work upon her fears to such an extent that her only idea now was of instant flight. She had no confidence in anything. Paris was without law, order, or anything else. The whole city might rise any day from its present deceitful quiet, and the whole population might prepare at a moment’s warning to cut one another’s throats. Madame Guimarin had gone through 1848, and the coup d'étal; and the Red Spectre was to her a very real and a very terrific apparition indeed. The good lady also warned Mrs. Lovell to seek the protection of some friends if she had any, and not live in this way apart and by herself; for she had good reason to believe that Du Potiron was preparing some very unpleasant combination against her ; and she had equally good reason to fear that Du Potiron’s influence in certain quarters was strong enough to enable him to carry it into execution.

All of this sank deep into Mrs. Lovell’s soul and intensified her despondency. She now knew of nothing else that could be done except to seek once more the aid of Grimes. She could not remain in her present lodgings much longer. Madame Guimarin had named a week as the longest possible time that her exhausted nature could bear the terrible strain of her present position ; and Mrs. Lovell saw that she would have to seek a new home somewhere within that time. Madame Guimarin mentioned one or two eligible places that were still accessible, but Mrs. Lovell concluded to wait and ask the advice of Grimes.

On the following day Grimes was to come again, and in her distress she looked forward to his appearance with an impatience that was quite unusual with her. At length a visitor was announced and she hurried to meet him.

To her intense annoyance she found the visitor to be, not Grimes, but the irrepressible Du Potiron. The annoyance which she felt was plainly visible in her face and manner as her eyes rested on him, and she did not make any effort whatever to conceal it. But Du Potiron took no notice of it whatever, and whether he saw it or not could not be detected from his manner. His manner, indeed, was in every respect the exact counterpart of what it had been on his former visit: that is to say, first, as she entered he advanced to meet her with outstretched hands, eager eye, and enthusiastic smile; then on reaching her he stopped, laid one hand impressively on his heart, and made a most elaborate bow.

“ Madame,” said he, “ I again haf ze honneur of to presenter mes respects, and to lay mes compliments at your feets.”

“ Really, sir,” said Mrs. Lovell, “ I think I have a right to call this a most unwarrantable intrusion, after what has already passed between us. I thought, after what I said the other day, that you would not call here again.”

“ Mille pardons, madame,” said Du Potiron, in a very obsequious tone. “I haf not ze presumption to hope zat I sail be more agreable to you zan before, an’ I must explain zat I haf arrive zis time to see ze charmant Mo, to whom I wish you to be kind enough to convey ze assurance of my consideration distingué!, and inform her zat I wait to see her.”

“ If you have come again to see Miss Heathcote,” said Mrs. Lovell, “I can only say that it is quite useless, for she positively will not see you.”

Du Potiron smiled, and waved his hand deprecatingly.

“ Mais, madame, will you not haf consideration ? Conceive what ees my chagrin. Moreovaire I haf rights, zey must not be despise and disregard.”

“ You have no rights whatever, sir, as I have already explained. What you base your very impertinent claim on is a letter which was never intended for you.”

“ Pardon, madame, it was addresse to me, in response to a letter sent by me to Mo. What more would you haf? Mo haf nevaire taken back her acceptance. Mo still claims me and holds me. She nevaire make any explanation of what you haf call ze meestake. So where was ze meestake?”

“You are mistaken. Miss Heathcote wrote you in Montreal, explaining it all; and it’s very strange that you never got it.”

Du Potiron at this shrugged his shoulders in incredulity.

“ Très bien, madame,” said he, dropping the tone of obsequious politeness which he had chosen to make use of thus far, and adopting one of insolent rudeness; “aha, you haf said sufficient, and now eet ees my turn. I haf sometin' to say to you. Listen. I say I sail see Mo and you must send for her.”

“ That is absurd,” said Mrs. Lovell, quietly.

“ Absurd ! trts bien 1 You sail see, madame. I haf sometin for you zat sail make you comprehend me better, and become more complaisant zan you haf been. I haf come zis day as a friend for ze last time ; and if you are unraisonable, I sall come again with means zat sail make you surrendre.”

“ I have already mentioned,” said Mrs. Lovell, with unalterable coolness, “the fact that I neither believe in your power to injure me, nor fear it.”

“ You do not ? Aha ! très bien ! then you sall see it. Aha, yes, you sall see it. You sall be brought before ze sovereign peuple. You sall be arrest. You sail be prisoner. You sall be punish.”

“ Who is to do all this, pray ? ”

“ Who — moi — I — myself; in ze name of l’humanité.”

“That is quite absurd,” said Mrs. Lovell. “ I live quietly here ; I never harmed the sovereign people, and they don’t even know of my existence. So how they can arrest me, and punish me for doing nothing, is a statement which I confess I am quite unable to make out.”

“You not comprehend?” said Du Potiron. “ Aha — très bien, zen I sall make zat you sail comprehend ze realité. Look at me,” he continued, slapping his chest vigorously and elevating his eyebrows, “do you see me ? Who am I ? Moi ! I am a

power. I haf command, influence, autorité. The tyrant ees overtrown,” — and he made a flourish with his right hand, — “ ze peuple haf triumph ! ” — a flourish with both hands,—“they rise ! ” — a stamp of his foot, — “I rise ! ”— violent slapping of the chest, “I haf command!” — another violent slapping, — “I am obey!”—a dark frown and both hands clutching each other convulsively, — “I harangue ze peuple!” — another flourish with the right, — “I indicate zeir enemies ! ” — a flourish with the left, — “I anform zem of ze spies, ze myriad spies zat fill Paris ! ” — hoarse intonations with clasped hands, — “ ze spies zat Bismarck employ to efifecter ze destruction of la France!” — eyes rolled up and hands crossed over breast, — “ zat is my work ! ”—a wild outcry, and hands flung forward, — “ to labor for ma patrie ! ” — two or three steps backward, — “and save it from ze insidious spy!” — a groan. “ Trés bien,” — a smack of the lips, accompanied with a wild glare at Mrs. Lovell and followed by the stamp of both feet, — “and now do you comprehend ? Hah ? ” — a wild gesture with clenched fists, — “do you comprehend ze danjaire zat impends ? Hah?” — another fist flung out,— “ who is ze next spy to denounce ? Hah ? ” — a step forward with both fists flung forth, — “ who is ze spy secret and mystérieuse zat conceal herself here in zis rue, in zis house ? Hah ? ” — A gasp.

— “ Eef I denounce you, how sail you save yourself? Hah ? ” — Another gasp.

— “ Eef I denounce you as a spy, what sail you become in deux or tree day? Hah ? ” — A yell of maniacal derision, accompanied by snorts, stampings of both feet, and clappings of his hands.

— “ And zis is what you sall haf! I sall show no mercy! ” — A gasp. — “I sall be inexorable ! ” — A howl. — “You sall be prisoner!” — slappings of the breast, gorilla fashion, — “and Mo — Mo le charmante — le tendre — Mo ! ” Here his eyes were raised in ecstasy to the ceiling, and the sentence died away in an inarticulate murmur.

So Du Potiron raved to this extent and still further. He had full swing. He let himself loose. He got the one idea in his head, and let his fancy play freely round it. He was excited as a Frenchman only can be, and acted as an excited Frenchman only can.

As for Mrs. Lovell she had never been called on before to behold an excited Frenchman, and the sight of Du Potiron naturally created some surprise. She was not what is called a brave woman, nor did she ever dream of laying any claim to such a character ; but on the present occasion she did not show the slightest fear. It may have been because in the appearance of Du Potiron there was less of the terrible than there was of that other quality which lies closely associated with it, — the grotesque, — bearing to it the same relation which the ridiculous bears to the sublime. Mrs. Lovell might therefore have been amused at the pranks which Du Potiron was thus playing before high heaven, had there not been various serious thoughts in her mind which checked all tendencies to mirthfulness.

Mrs. Lovell therefore stood looking at Du Potiron, neither smiling with mirth nor trembling with terror, but regarding him with cold curiosity and mild wonder. She appeared perfectly cool and self-possessed ; and it seemed as though the spectacle of this coolness only served to increase the excitement of the visitor. In this position then these two were, Mrs. Lovell cool, calm, collected; Du Potiron lashing himself into greater fury, gesticulating, howling, menacing, taunting, interrogating, denouncing, advancing, retreating, shaking his fists, and going through all those performances which have already been so minutely reported. Now at this very moment and in the very crisis of this scene another person quietly made his appearance, entering the room behind Du Potiron, in such a way that he was not seen by that excitable and too impetuous person. The new-comer was the visitor whom Mrs. Lovell had been expecting impatiently for two long days, for whose appearance she had looked so eagerly, and who, had he tried, could not possibly have chosen a better period for acting the deus ex machina, and thus winning the everlasting gratitude of Mrs. Lovell, than this very moment which chance had thus opened to him.

The new-comer was Mr. Grimes.

At the sight of him Mrs. Lovell’s heart gave a wild bound, and she felt as if she could have flung herself at his feet in joy and gratitude. Du Potiron’s back was turned toward him, so that he did not see Grimes, nor did he see the change in Mrs. Lovell’s face ; for just at that moment he had thrown his eyes, his fists, and his soul toward the ceiling, and was in the midst of an eloquent invocation of the goddess of Liberty and the genius of France. After which he once more resumed his strain of menace.

Grimes stood and looked around with an air of surprise; he returned Mrs. Lovell’s glance with a benevolent smile that would have done honor to that lady’s guardian angel, and then stood listening. He did not see Du Potiron’s face and so did not know at first who this eccentric being might be, but finally, after a few moments’ listening, he grasped the situation, and made up his mind as to his own course. Du Potiron was just showing Mrs. Lovell how inevitable her doom was, and how dark it would be, when at that moment Grimes walked toward him and laid a heavy hand on his shoulder.

“ Yes,” said he, somewhat dryly,

“ all that’s very well; but, my friend, you’ve got me to reckon with, and it strikes me that you’ve left that fact out of the account.”

At this Du Potiron started as if he had been shot, and whirling round found himself face to face with Grimes.

For reasons that have already been explained, it is sufficiently evident that the man who now confronted Du Potiron was one of the very last whom he would have wished to see, and he stood staring at the new-comer in dumb bewilderment.

As for Grimes, he too was utterly amazed at seeing Du Potiron, but not at all disconcerted. After the first surprise his glance of astonished recognition was succeeded by an expression of grim satisfaction, of a nature that was not by any means calculated to reassure Du Potiron.

“So it’s you, is it?” said Grimes, slowly and with a sardonic smile. “ I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of meetin’ with one another since we parted in Montreal. I’ve got somethin’ to say to you, and if you’ll be kind enough to step this way, I ’ll take it as a favor. Allow me.”

And with these words Grimes grasped Du Potiron by the collar, inserting his hand in no gentle manner down his neck, and forcing Du Potiron’s head back in a particularly unpleasant way.

“ I won’t detain you long,” said Grimes; “and this lady will excuse us for a moment.”

Du Potiron struggled and gasped, but to no purpose. Grimes walked solemnly to the door with a slow, steady step, like Fate dragging his helpless prey after him. Arriving outside, he dragged him along the halt till he reached the top of the stairway. Then he stopped ; and, still holding him by the collar, he stood in front of him and glared upon him like some avenging power.

“ So, this is the way you pass your time, is it?” he cried, shaking Du Potiron with one hand till he trembled all over, and holding his clenched fist close to his face. “ So, you can’t find any better employment for your time, can’t you, than to come here and bully an unprotected female. You miserably, skinny, lean, lantern-jawed, frogeatin’ Frenchman you ! What do you think of yourself now ? Hey ? You did n’t reckon on my bein’ round, did you ? Rather think not. Don’t you feel that you ’re a poor, lost, guilty sinner by nature and by practice ? Look me in the face, you miserable Parley Voo, and tell me what you mean by this.”

All this time Du Potiron had been kicking, struggling, and cursing ; but kicks, struggles, and sibilant French curses, with the accompaniment of rolling guttural r’s, availed nothing to save him from the grasp of Grimes. At this last appeal he gasped forth something about “Vengeance — you sall soffaire — République — citizens of Paris,” and other incoherences.

“ So that’s all you’ve got to say, is it ? Well now, listen to me,” said Grimes, fiercely. “If you ever dare to show so much as the tip of your infernal nose in this place again, I ’ll kill you ! Do you hear that ? I ’ll kill you ! And now go.”

Saying this, Grimes pushed Du Potiron forward toward the stairs and gave him a kick. Du Potiron went sprawling down and fell heavily in a confused heap at the bottom.

Grimes then turned back and walked toward Mrs. Lovell’s apartments.

XX.

DRIVEN TO EXTREMITIES.

WHEN Grimes came back, he found Mrs. Lovell still there. She was very much excited and began to pour forth a torrent of grateful words. She told him how much she had suffered from the impertinent intrusions of Du Potiron, and how he had threatened her. In her explanation she did not allude to Maud, nor make any reference to Du Potiron’s claim on her, for she thought it unnecessary. Grimes, however, had heard Carrol’s story, and knew that Du Potiron claimed to be her accepted lover. The presence of the Frenchman in Paris was rather a puzzle to him at first ; but as he now recalled the fright of Carrol on board the steamer, he perceived that his own surmises at that time were correct, and that Du Potiron had actually crossed the ocean with them ; though how he had managed to conceal himself was a mystery. To Grimes it now seemed as if Mrs. Lovell was fighting off the Frenchman from Maud ; for of Maud’s own state of mind about the matter he, of course, knew nothing.

Mrs. Lovell all the while evinced much agitation, and this grew stronger and stronger as she went on. It was the result of her intense excitement. After all, that interview with Du Potiron had been a sore trial, and the very calmness which she had maintained cost her no small struggle. Now that it was over, a reaction took place, and her nervous excitement grew worse and worse, until at length, in spite of her efforts, she burst into tears.

At this Grimes was overwhelmed. The sight of Du Potiron had created an excitement in his soul, but the sensation was of an entirely pleasing description. This spectacle of Mrs. Lovell in distress, shedding tears before him, — actually weeping, — created intense excitement, but of a kind that was altogether painful. He looked at her for a few moments in dumb despair, and a flush passed over his face. Then he started up from the chair on which he had been sitting and wandered in an aimless way about the room. Then he came back to her and implored her not to cry. Then he resumed his wandering career. At length, in the darkest hour of his despair, a bright thought came to him, illuminating all his soul. He at once acted upon it. The thought was in the highest degree natural. The thought had reference to that panacea for all woes which he himself always carried about his person ; that generous spirit which he kept imprisoned in his flask, and which was even now in his pocket all ready to exert its benign influence over any sorrowing soul that might stand in need of it ; in short, whiskey : so Grimes tore his whiskey-flask from his pocket and unscrewed the stopper, and took the cup from the bottom of the flask and poured out the whiskey till that cup was full and running over. The fumes of the strong liquid arose and filled the room and penetrated to the very soul of Mrs. Lovell, as it wandered far away in the regions of sorrow and tears. It startled her. She opened her eyes amid her tears and stared at Grimes.

He was before her on one knee, with his eyes fixed compassionately upon her, a flask in one hand, a cup full of whiskey in the other. This he was offering her with a mixture of helplessness and anxiety that was most affecting. Now Mrs. Lovell was deeply agitated, painfully so in fact, nerves upset, and all that sort of thing, as was natural, being a lady of delicate frame and slender build ; Mrs. Lovell, I repeat, was excessively agitated, and no end of direful forebodings at that time filled her heart, increasing that agitation ; but at the same time the spectacle which Grimes thus presented as he held forth the proffered whiskey, together with the fact itself of whiskey of all liquors being offered to her, was so novel and so droll, that it produced a complete bouleversement of feeling. Terror vanished. Panic fled. Fear was forgotten. A long peal of merry laughter, on the healthy side of the hysterical, burst from her, and the refreshing effect of that laughter was such that it restored her to herself.

She declined the whiskey, and declared herself quite well again. It was the excitement, she said, of the late scene with that insane Frenchman, coming as it did upon other exciting scenes.

“ And O,” she went on, “ this awful, awful place ! I showed no fear, Mr. Grimes, no, not the slightest; but now, when I think of those dreadful Reds, and this man with his threats, I declare I dare not stay in Paris a moment longer. But how can I escape ? O, what a fearful position ! In prison here and exposed to danger. What can I do ? He may have influence, as he says. Paris is always moved by the basest of the population. Robespierre was a miserable charlatan, yet he ruled Paris, and France too. People that in other places would only be despised become great men in this miserable city. Charlatans and knaves do what they please here. And how do I know but that by to-morrow Du Potiron himself may be governor of Paris ? ”

“ That ’s very true,” said Grimes, as he solemnly returned his whiskey-flask to his pocket. “It’s gospel truth, every word of it. The monkey and the tiger go together to make up the Parisian. I am Du Potiron’s master today, but he may be mine to-morrow. There’s no safety, as you say, ma’am, in this here infernal hole ; and what you’ve got to do is this, you’ve got to fly.”

“ To fly ? O, how glad I would be if I only could ! ” said Mrs. Lovell, in despairing tones.

“ Wal, ’m,” said Grimes, “that is the very thing I came to see you about today. I want to persuade you to fly, — to fly really, and literally, — to fly in the air, in a balloon. ‘ Fly with me,’ is a poetic invitation which you find in some song or other, but I now say it to you in sober prose.”

“ But O, Mr. Grimes, the frightful danger!”

“ Danger ? why there ain’t any danger at all. The balloon affords the easiest mode of travel known to man.”

“ Easy ! ”

“ Yes, easy. Why, only think, yon step into your car. The balloon rises, you don’t feel any motion at all. The earth seems to sink away from beneath. Then it glides past you. You seem to be perfectly still. If you look clown, you see the country sliding away, while you are motionless. If you are afraid to look down, you simply shut your eyes, and may imagine yourself to be in your easy-chair. You feel no motion, you don’t even feel any wind. In this easy and agreeable manner you are carried away from this miserable place ; and when you have gone far enough, you descend as gently as a flake of snow, and find yourself in Bordeaux, or Havre, or perhaps London. Easy ? Why, it’s luxurious. There ain’t any such travellin’ as this in all the world. Why, you’d never dream of objectin’, if you knew all about it as I do.”

“ But what makes people so afraid about balloons if they ’re so easy ? ” asked Mrs. Lovell.

“ Ignorance, ma’am,” replied Grimes coolly, “ mere ignorance. You see, the balloon can’t be utilized for ordinary purposes of travel, because it’s generally at the mercy of the wind. But for purposes of escape it’s invaluable. You get into your balloon on a calm day, and sit quiet, and in the course of a few hours you find yourself far away from all danger, safe and sound, free as a bird possessed of all the inalienable rights of man, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Mrs. Lovell listened eagerly to this, and in spite of herself was favorably affected by the confident tone of Grimes, and the pleasing picture which he drew of balloon travelling.

“But poor Maudie ! How can I be separated from her ? ”

“ Why, ma’am, I assure you she ’ll be as safe as you. My friend that I told you of ’ll take care of her ; and I assure you he ’ll answer with his life for her safety, just as I will for yours.”

“ But who is he ? ” said Mrs. Lovell. “ I cannot bear to separate from Maud ; but to hand her over to the care of a stranger is really too dreadful.”

“ Wal, as to that, my friend ain’t exactly a stranger — ”

“ Is n’t he ? Well, that is more encouraging. Who is he ? Do we know him ? Does Maudie know him ? Is he a friend of yours ? Who can he be ? It can’t be Mr. Carrol.”

Mrs. Lovell made this suggestion in the most natural way in the world, for the simple reason that Carrol was the only one that she could think of who was at once an acquaintance of herself and of Grimes. She knew also that Carrol had crossed the ocean and supposed that he might have accompanied Grimes ever since.

As for Grimes, he had not intended to mention Carrol for reasons already stated ; but since Mrs. Lovell had asked him directly, he saw no particular reason for concealment, . and so he at once informed her that Carrol was the man.

This information excited in Mrs. Lovell’s mind thoughts of an important character. The fact that Carrol was here ready to take charge of Maud was in a certain sense very reassuring. If she could bring herself to attempt such a flight, she certainly could not hope to find a better companion for Maud than he would be. She understood the difficulty that had arisen perfectly ; and though she had not heard of their recent meeting, she felt sure that the difficulty was a trifling one which could easily be explained. She sympathized deeply with Maud in the sorrow that she had suffered on account of the misunderstanding with Carrol, and longed to have it all cleared up. This seemed to her to be a way to such an explanation. If a balloon voyage could indeed be ventured on, then Maud might have a chance to explain or to come to an explanation, and the result could not be other than satisfactory to all concernedOne objection still remained, and that was that it was by no means in accordance with les convenances of society for a young girl like Maud to be committed to the care of a young man, but the natural answer to this was that in desperate emergencies les convenances must give way ; and if one is flying for one’s life from pressing danger, one must not be too particular about the road.

The result was that Mrs. Lovell began to look more favorably upon the plan of Grimes.

“ I do assure you, ma’am,” said Grimes with unchanged solemnity, — “ I do assure you, and declare to you, that you are not safe here. A balloon ? why, you’d be safer almost in a skyrocket than you are here. Paris is more like a lunatic asylum than anything else that I know of. Everybody is ravin’ mad, and you never can tell on one day what they’re goin’ to do on the next. Paris altogether beats me, and the more I see of the place and the people the more I feel dumbfounded. Now, if I ’d only myself to consider, I ’d hang on here, and see them put this siege through, for I’ve never been at a siege before ; but as it is, I give up this fancy as an idle piece of curiosity, and I feel that the highest and proudest dooty of my life is to devote myself to the rescue of you ladies ; which same, I’m free to say, my friend Carrol feels similar to me, and is likewise ready to be up and doin’. All that I want is your frank, and cordial consent. I don’t want you to be timid about it ; I want you to feel that the thing is safe and easy.”

To this Mrs. Lovell had many things to say, all of which tended toward assuring herself further as to the safety of balloon travelling. Here Grimes came out strong. He explained the whole principle of the balloon. He gave a full, lucid, and luminous description of its construction. He described most minutely the improvements that had been made with the rationale of each. He gave much information about the past history of balloon voyages, and indulged in some speculations as to the future prospects of aerostation. To all of which Mrs. Lovell listened patiently and attentively, willing to believe the best, and to be convinced.

“ Your decision,” concluded Grimes, “ must be made at once. The danger is pressin’ and the balloons are ready. A favorable spell of weather has arrived. Now is the accepted time. We can start off at once, and remember that in a brief period of time you will soar aloft beyond these transitory troubles, and find yourself in the midst of a celestial calm. No matter where the wind may blow us, there we may go, and we will find safety and peace. But to do this we must leave at once. In fact, I may as well say that I’ve actually engaged the balloons. They ’re mine. We’ve got to go, and that’s the long and the short of it. They ’re fine machines, not too large. Comfortable even to luxury, and fitted in every way to carry Grimes and his fortunes.”

Some further conversation followed ; but the end of it was, that Mrs. Lovell found her last objection answered and her last scruple removed by the eloquent, the cogent, and the resistless pleadings of Grimes ; and, with this understanding, he took his departure.

Hitherto Mrs. Lovell had kept all her troubles and her plans a profound secret from Maud ; but now, of course, it was necessary to make her acquainted with her latest decision. The best way to act seemed to her to give a full, complete, and candid narrative of all the events of the past few weeks, so that Maud might understand the state of affairs, and comprehend in the fullest manner the position in which they were. After all, it was Maud who was chiefly concerned; it was for her that Mrs. Lovell incurred the danger that she dreaded, and consequently she had the best possible means of influencing her by a simple representation of the facts of the case.

She therefore told Maud about the various visits of Du Potiron, his impertinent assertions of a right to call on her, his insolent demands, and his violent threats. She informed her of her own encounter with Grimes on the Champs Elysées, and her appeal to him for help. She enlarged upon her own anxieties and terrors, and explained why she had not mentioned this before. She told her of Madame Guimarin’s decision, and portrayed in glowing colors the utter misery and hopelessness of their situation. She then related the scene that had just occurred, where the violence of Du Potiron had been arrested by the appearance of Grimes. After these preliminaries she described the full danger of their life in Paris as it was now revealed to her own mind, and the possible fulfilment of the threats of Du Potiron. All these things served as an excellent introduction to the plan of Grimes, and the novel way of escape which he had proposed; when she reached this subject she endeavored to disarm the possible prejudices of Maud by resorting to the rose-colored descriptions which Grimes had given of aerial navigation. Plagiarizing from him, and quoting him, she presented the subject of balloon travelling in the most attractive manner possible, and thus by easy gradation she reached the particular part of her subject about which she felt the most anxiety. This was their separation, and the association of Carrol with Maud.

Mrs. Lovell did not feel sure how Maud would take this, for she did not know exactly the present state of her mind with regard to Carrol. She at first alluded to him in general terms, and at length ventured to mention his name. Having done so, she quoted Grimes as to Carrol’s eagerness to assist, and readiness to answer for her safety with his life; and concluded with an earnest admonition to Maud not to allow herself to be swayed by prejudices of any kind, but to snatch this opportunity of escape from danger.

To all this Maud listened without one single word. The whole thing came to her like a thunder-clap, but she was in such a depressed state of mind that her dull feelings were not much aroused. She was, in fact, in a mood to acquiesce with perfect indifference in any proposal which might be made, and consequently listened without emotion. But at length, when Carrol’s name was mentioned, she experienced an instantaneous change. At once all her indifference vanished. A flush passed over her pale face, her dull eyes brightened, she listened with intense absorption to everything that Mrs. Lovell had to say, and the eagerness which she evinced showed that she was not at all inclined to offer any objections.

In fact, to all those things which had terrified Mrs. Lovell, Maud was utterly indifferent. The threats of Du Potiron, the dangers of Paris life, the perils of balloon voyaging, all these were things of small moment to her. But the mention of Carrol was another matter. The fact that he had shown an interest in her, that he was capable of something like devotion to her, that he had volunteered an act of devotion, — all these things roused her. She did not stop to try to reconcile this professed devotion with the apparent indifference which he had manifested in their last interview ; she was not sufficiently exigeant to raise objections on the ground of his not calling ; the fact of his offer was enough ; and the idea of his association with her in an attempt to rescue her, made even a balloon seem attractive. To be taken by Carrol on that adventurous flight seemed to her the most sweet and blessed of conceivable things ; and while Mrs. Lovell was wondering how Maud would receive such a startling proposal, that proposal was already accepted in the mind of Maud, and regarded with joy, as something which might alleviate her sorrows, by putting her once more in communication with Carrol.

And so it was that Maud’s answer came clear and unmistakable and most satisfactory.

“ O Georgie, what an awful time you must have had ! I had no idea of it at all. What made you so close? Of course I ’ll do anything that you want me to; and as to balloons, do you know I think it would be rather nice ? I do, really.”

James DeMille.