Page:Ten Years Later 2.djvu/33

TEN YEARS LATER. 23 from twelve to fifteen hundred livres i^er an. So that there was nothing left for Malicorne. Ah! yes, we are mistaken; there was left the paternal strong-box. He employed a mode of proceeding upon which he preserved the most pro- found secrecy, and which consisted in advancing to himself, from the coffers of the syndic, half a dozen years, that is to say, fifteen thousand livres, swearing to himself — observe, quite to himself — to repay this deficiency as soon as an opportunity should present itself. The opportunity was expected to be the concession of a good post in the house- hold of Monsieur, when that household would be established at the period of his marriage. This period was arrived, and the household was about to be established. A good post in the family of a prince of the blood, when it is given by the credit and on the recommendation of a friend like the Comte de Guiche, is worth at least twelve thousand livres per an. ; and by the means which M. Malicorne had taken to make his revenues fructify, twelve thousand livres might rise to twenty thousand. Then, when once an incumbent of this post, he would marry Mile, de Montalais. Mile, de Montalais, of a family which the woman's side ennobles, not only would be dowered, but would ennoble Malicorne. But, in order that Mile, de Montalais, who had not a large patrimonial fortune, although an only daughter, should be suitably dowered, it was necessary that she should belong to some great princess as prodigal as the dowager madame was covetous. And in order that the wife should not be on one side while the husband was on the other, a situation which presents serious inconveniences, particularly with characters like those of the future consorts — Malicorne had imagined the idea of making the central point of union the household of Monsieur, the king's brother. Mile, de Montalais would be maid of honor to madame; M. Malicorne would be officer to Monsieur. It is plain the plan was formed by a clear head; it is plain also that it had been bravely executed. Malicorne had asked Manicamp to ask a brevet of maid of honor of the Comte de Guiche; and the Comte de Guiche had asked this brevet of Monsieur, who had signed it without hesitation. The moral plan of Malicorne — for we may well suppose that the combinations of a mind as active as his were not confined to the present, but extended to the future — the moral plan of Malicorne, we say, was this: To obtain en- trance into the household of Mme. Henrietta for a woman devoted to himself, who was intelligent, young, handsome.