It was necessary, however, to provide for the consequences of this
disappearance, and the gossip which would inevitably result in
connection with it. Well, after a good deal of hesitation, I confided
the whole matter to my uncle.
"You old stupid!" said he to me, "why, I have known all about your
little love-knot for the last six months!"
"What! do you mean to say you knew that Kondjé-Gul?--"
"Lord bless you! Don't you suppose that I heard enough from Mohammed to
make me keep my eyes open?"
After I had come to a complete understanding with my uncle, I made my
own arrangements. I was expected to dinner at Kondjé's that day. I found
her quite sad; and on the pretext of giving her some distraction, I
ordered the carriage at about half-past eight, as if for a drive to the
Bois. We started off.
As soon as we were alone, she said to me: "Good gracious, André! whatever has been passing between you and my
mother? I am worried to death. She has been talking again to me about my
departure with her, and Fanny believes that she is making her
preparations for it already.--She is going to carry me away."
"All right, never mind her!" I answered with a laugh; "you're out of
danger already."
"How so?"
"I'm taking you away! You won't go back to the house, for we are off to
Fontainebleau, where we shall both of us remain in concealment, while
watching events."
Need I describe to you her joy? In the Champs Elysées we got out, as if
in order to walk, and I sent back the carriage. An hour after this, a
cab set us down at the railway station!
We spent a delightful week in the forest, playing truant. Fanny, who is
a reliable girl, has joined us here. We really had a narrow escape; for
it seems that Madame Murrah had, the very day we made our flight, got
everything planned for leaving the day after. When she found in the
morning that Kondjé-Gul was gone, she nearly had a fit. Kiusko came to
the house, being sent for at once; all of which pretty clearly
indicates an understanding between them. The Circassian of course rushed
after me to the Rue de Varennes, noisily demanding her daughter. So my
aunt got to know all about it! My uncle, whom I had taken into my
confidence, put them at once completely off the scent, by replying that
I had started for Spain.