Chapter 45 - Page 2

jeweller. -- 'Oh, we shall have the pleasure of waiting
upon you,' answered La Carconte, with an eager attention she
was not accustomed to manifest even to guests who paid for
what they took.

"From time to time Caderousse darted on his wife keen,
searching glances, but rapid as the lightning flash. The
storm still continued. 'There, there,' said La Carconte; 'do
you hear that? upon my word, you did well to come back.' --
'Nevertheless,' replied the jeweller, 'if by the time I have
finished my supper the tempest has at all abated, I shall
make another start.' -- 'It's the mistral,' said Caderousse,
'and it will be sure to last till to-morrow morning.' He
sighed heavily. -- 'Well,' said the jeweller, as he placed
himself at table, 'all I can say is, so much the worse for
those who are abroad.' -- 'Yes,' chimed in La Carconte,
'they will have a wretched night of it.'

"The jeweller began eating his supper, and the woman, who
was ordinarily so querulous and indifferent to all who
approached her, was suddenly transformed into the most
smiling and attentive hostess. Had the unhappy man on whom
she lavished her assiduities been previously acquainted with
her, so sudden an alteration might well have excited
suspicion in his mind, or at least have greatly astonished
him. Caderousse, meanwhile, continued to pace the room in
gloomy silence, sedulously avoiding the sight of his guest;
but as soon as the stranger had completed his repast, the
agitated inn-keeper went eagerly to the door and opened it.
'I believe the storm is over,' said he. But as if to
contradict his statement, at that instant a violent clap of
thunder seemed to shake the house to its very foundation,
while a sudden gust of wind, mingled with rain, extinguished
the lamp he held in his hand. Trembling and awe-struck,
Caderousse hastily shut the door and returned to his guest,
while La Carconte lighted a candle by the smouldering ashes
that glimmered on the hearth. 'You must be tired,' said she
to the jeweller; 'I have spread a pair of white sheets on
your bed; go up when you are ready, and sleep well.'

"Joannes stayed for a while to see whether the storm seemed
to abate in its fury, but a brief space of time sufficed to
assure him that, instead of diminishing, the violence of the
rain and thunder momentarily increased; resigning himself,
therefore, to what seemed inevitable, he bade his host
good-night, and mounted the stairs. He passed over my head
and I heard the flooring creak beneath his footsteps. The
quick, eager glance of La Carconte followed him as he
ascended, while Caderousse, on the contrary, turned his
back, and seemed most anxiously to avoid even glancing at
him.

"All these