"Christina!" exclaimed Barbassou-Pasha, "why, she's gone back!"
"Dear me! I thought she wanted to settle in Paris?"
His eye lightened up with a sly look.
"Oh, yes! She would have liked to do so very well," he replied. "In
fact, we made the round of the upholsterers' shops,--and she fancied, up
to the last moment, that it was all settled. But I had made up my mind,
and I sent her back to Jean Bonaffé."
"The deuce you did!" I said, quite astonished at the news.
Then my uncle just closed one of his eyes, and looked at me out of the
other, as he added-"You see, I was not sorry to return that rascal the little trick he
played me before!"
And, with that, Barbassou-Pasha began to whistle a hunting song, with
all the calm complacency of an honest soul on satisfactory terms with
his neighbour. I accompanied him whistling the bass, and we got on very
well together that time.
I believe that after this explanation, you will at once renew the esteem
which you used to accord to my uncle, and will join me in a sincere
expression of regret for having suspected him for one moment in this
matter:--in which, in reality, he had merely played the part of an
avenging deity, punishing sinners with remorse by recalling to them the
blisses of their lost Paradise. And I am ready to testify that he has
spared no expense; for during the last three weeks he has had from me
more than twenty thousand francs in pocket-money. I warrant you he has
given his fair friend a jolly time of it, purposely holding the golden
cup to her faithless lips, and letting them taste of all the
pleasures---The severe lesson of an abrupt return to her husband, Jean Bonaffé,
after the awakening of such delightful anticipations, will certainly
impress the guilty one, and engrave in her heart a keen remorse for her
past misconduct.