In me you have a son, a
man who will owe his happiness to you. Great heavens! what have I done
to deserve so true a friend?"
"You won a triumph for the Chapter," said the Vicar-General, smiling.
"Now, as to all this, be as secret as the tomb. We are nothing, we
have done nothing. If we were known to have meddled in election
matters, we should be eaten up alive by the Puritans of the Left--who
do worse--and blamed by some of our own party, who want everything.
Madame de Chavoncourt has no suspicion of my share in all this. I have
confided in no one but Madame de Watteville, whom we may trust as we
trust ourselves."
"I will bring the Duchess to you to be blessed!" cried Savarus.
After seeing out the old priest, Albert went to bed in the swaddling
clothes of power.
* * * * *
Next evening, as may well be supposed, by nine o'clock Madame la
Baronne de Watteville's rooms were crowded by the aristocracy of
Besancon in convocation extraordinary. They were discussing the
exceptional step of going to the poll, to oblige the daughter of the
Rupts. It was known that the former Master of Appeals, the secretary
of one of the most faithful ministers under the Elder Branch, was to
be presented that evening. Madame de Chavoncourt was there with her
second daughter Sidonie, exquisitely dressed, while her elder sister,
secure of her lover, had not indulged in any of the arts of the
toilet.
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