The Crystal City Under the Sea Read Online Free PDF Page B

pretension to be called a mansion, but which was of the simple and beautiful proportions of a comfortable modern dwelling, the older people were chatting round a tea-table. The mistress of the house, with her sweet face, and beautiful white hair, was occupied m paying hospitable attention to the wants of everybody. Madame Caoudal was radiant. She had her René with her, the object of her continual thoughts, her pride, her hope, the only one spared to her of all those dearest to her, By a happy chance the cruel extremes of mourning and of joy had been spared her motherly heart. No one had been in a hurry to impart to the poor widow the death of her only son; so that she heard, at the same time, of his accident and of the unexpected turn of fortune which restored him to her. Even with this happy denouements she had been much shaken, and her young favourite and counsellor, Hélène, had much difficulty in cheering and comforting her. The tearful mother had exclaimed against the cruel sea, which had robbed her of so much, and which would hardly let her keep her only son. But Hélène had hastened to point out to her that René was, after all, safe and sound, and, for that matter, to die in bed is less glorious than at sea (witness those neighbours of theirs upon whom their roof had suddenly fallen one night), and that it was all the greater pleasure to see him again after his terrible adventure. Whether her reasoning was bad or good, it succeeded in raising her aunt’s spirits; and, moreover, when she saw her René again, the best and handsomest son in the world, according to the excellent woman, she forgot her troubles. Tall, athletic, with a proud poise of the head, a martial bearing, frank and commanding eyes, his movements supple and graceful, Ren^ Caoudal was, in truth, a fine young sailor; one to satisfy the most exacting motherly pride. He returned, it is true, somewhat thin and pale, but that did not make him the less interesting to the young folks assembled to do him honour. On the contrary, among the tennis players, there was a remarkably increased assiduity in according him a gracious welcome. But apart from the ordinary courtesy due from him to all the guests as son of the house, not one of them could natter herself that she received particular attention from him. In vain the freshest of toilets had been put in requisition; in vain the most nattering words and. rippling laughter had been discharged at him; they read in his preoccupied look, his voice, his gestures, in his manner altogether, a sort of absent-mindedness.
    “He isn’t like the René that he used to be,” said little Félicie Arglade, between two blows of her racquet. “He is changed somehow on the voyage! He has no eyes or ears for any one but Hélène.”
    “After such terrible dangers,” put in Doctor Patrice, quietly, “with whom should he wish to talk but his cousin, his old playmate?”
    “For my part, I have never believed in these marriages between cousins,” said Félicie, in a still quieter voice.
    “But why are you in such a hurry to marry them?” inquired Mademoiselle Luzan, a tall, fair; sweet looking girl with a grave expression. “If I know Hélène, M. Caoudal is the last person in the world it would enter her head to marry.”
    “Why are they always whispering in corners:hen?” retorted Félicie, somewhat softened.
    “They are not whispering!” protested Mademoielle Luzan; “they are chatting confidentially.And what is there remarkable in

    The cousins.

    that? Do you not know that M. Caoudal has just narrowly escaped death? Wouldn’t you, if you were Hélène, be anxious to know every detail of his adventure?”
    In reality, without any one being able to accuse them of whispering, as Félicie said, it was evident that Hélène and René had plenty to say to each other; and it was not, in truth, surprising that those who were not in their confidence should infer something strange. And how came it that Madame Caoudal, who