I had not long to wait for that matter. Two days after, while I was in
my room, I saw a carriage drive up. Its only occupant was a lady, who
seemed to me to be very handsome and very elegantly dressed. On the box,
by the coachman's side, sat a lady's maid; behind were two men-servants
of superior style in their travelling livery. The carriage stopped. At
the sound of the wheels on the gravel, my uncle's window opened.
"Hoi! is that you?" he shouted. "How are you, my dear!"
"How are you, captain!" replied the lady. "You see you have not been
forgotten, you ungrateful wretch!"
"Thanks for that. Nor am I any more forgetful on my side."
"That's all right," replied the lady; "but why don't you come down and
give me a hand? You're very gallant!"
"Well, my dear, I'm coming as fast as I can!" said my uncle.
I must confess I still remained somewhat puzzled at the sight of this
fair traveller, whose appearance did not recall to me any of my aunts.
Could Barbassou-Pasha have contracted another marriage since the date of
his will? Out of delicacy I kept out of the way, in order not to disturb
their affectionate greetings, but as my uncle passed my door on his way
out, he said to me, "André, aren't you coming?" I followed him. We arrived just as the lady
was stepping briskly up the doorsteps.
"Too late, captain!" she said, "I could not stay there, penned up in
that carriage."
This reproach did not prevent them from shaking hands very heartily.
Then as I came up, my uncle said in his quick way, "Kiss your aunt Eudoxia!"
At this injunction I forthwith embraced my aunt, and I must admit that
as I kissed her I could not repress a smile, recollecting this
sacramental phrase of my uncle's.
"My goodness! is that André?" she exclaimed, "Oh! excuse me, sir," she
continued rapidly; "this familiar name slipped from my tongue, at
remembrance of the bonny boy of old times."
"Pray take it for granted, madam!" I answered.
"Then don't call me madam!"
"What does that matter, my aunt; to obey you I shall be delighted to
return to old times."
"Very well then, my nephew," she added; "see that my servants are
looked after, and then let us come in!"
All this was said in that free-and-easy tone which denotes aristocratic
breeding, and with so much of the assurance of a woman accustomed to the
best society, that I was for a moment almost taken aback by it. My early
impressions of her had only left in my mind confused recollections of an
amiable and fascinating young woman (so far as I could judge at that
age), and now my aunt suddenly appeared in a character which I had not
at all anticipated. Assuredly I should never have recognised her,
although time had not at all impaired the beauty of her face.