the princess de montpensier-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


which　underlay　the　Princess's　words。　He　answered　her　most
respectfully；　〃I　confess；　Madame；　that　it　was　wrong　of　me　not　to
reject　the　possible　honour　of　becoming　the　King's　brother…in…law；
rather　than　allow　you　to　suspect　for　a　moment　that　I　could　desire
any　heart　but　yours；　but　if　you　will　be　patient　enough　to　hear　me
I　am　sure　I　can　fully　justify　my　behaviour。〃　　The　Princess　made
no　reply；　but　she　did　not　go　away　and　the　Duc；　seeing　that　she
was　prepared　to　listen　to　him；　told　her　that　although　he　had　made
no　effort　to　attract　the　attention　of　Madame；　she　had
nevertheless　honoured　him　with　her　interest：　as　he　was　not
enamoured　of　her　he　had　responded　very　coolly　to　this　honour
until　she　gave　him　to　believe　that　she　might　marry　him。　The
realisation　of　the　grandeur　to　which　such　a　marriage　would　raise
him　had　obliged　him　to　take　a　little　more　trouble。　This　situation
had　aroused　the　suspicions　of　the　King　and　the　Duc　d'Anjou；　but
the　opposition　of　neither　of　then　would　have　any　effect　on　his
course　of　action；　however　if　this　displeased　her　he　would　abandon
all　such　notions　and　never　think　of　them　again。

This　sacrifice　which　the　Duc　was　prepared　to　make　caused　the
Princess　to　forget　all　the　anger　she　had　shown。　She　changed　the
subject　and　began　to　speak　of　the　indiscretion　displayed　by
Madame　in　making　the　first　advances　and　of　the　considerable
advantages　which　he　would　gain　if　he　married　her。　In　the　end；
without　saying　anything　kind　to　the　Duc　de　Guise；　she　made　him
recall　a　thousand　things　he　had　found　so　pleasing　in　Mlle。　de
Mezieres。　Although　they　had　not　had　private　conversation　for　a
long　time；　they　found　themselves　attuned　to　one　another；　and
their　thoughts　went　along　a　track　which　they　both　had　travelled
in　the　past。　At　the　end　of　this　agreeable　meeting　the　Duc　was
left　in　a　state　of　considerable　happiness；　and　the　Princess　was
not　a　little　moved　to　think　that　he　truly　loved　her。　However；　in
the　privacy　of　her　room　she　became　ashamed　of　the　ease　with　which
she　had　accepted　the　Duc's　excuses　and　reflected　on　the　trouble
into　which　she　might　be　plunged　if　she　engaged　in　something　she
had　always　regarded　with　distaste　and　on　the　frightening　misery
which　a　jealous　husband　might　inflict　on　her。　These　thoughts　made
her　adopt　new　resolves；　but　they　disappeared　the　next　day　on　the
sight　of　the　Duc　de　Guise。

The　new　alliance　between　their　families　gave　the　Duc　many
opportunities　to　speak　to　her。　He　gave　her　an　exact　account　of
all　that　passed　between　Madame　and　himself。　He　had　difficulty　in
allaying　the　jealousy　to　which　the　beauty　of　Madame　gave　rise　and
any　number　of　promises　failed　to　reassure　her。　This　jealousy
enabled　the　Princess　to　defend　the　remains　of　her　heart　against
the　advances　of　the　Duc；　who　already　had　won　the　greater　part　of
it。

The　marriage　of　the　King　to　the　daughter　of　the　Emperor
Maximilian　filled　the　Court　with　fetes　and　celebrations。　The　King
put　on　a　ballet　in　which　Madame　and　all　the　princesses　were　to
dance；　among　them　only　the　Princess　de　Montpensier　could　rival
Madame　in　beauty。　The　Duc　d'Anjou　and　four　others　were　to　make　an
appearance　as　Moors；　their　costumes　would　all　be　identical；　as
was　usual　in　this　sort　of　performance。　On　the　first　occasion　on
which　the　ballet　was　presented；　the　Duc　de　Guise；　before　the
dance　began　and　before　he　had　donned　his　mask；　said　a　few　words
to　the　Princess　as　he　went　past　her。　She　saw　clearly　that　the
Prince　her　husband　had　noticed　this；　which　made　her　feel　uneasy。
A　little　later；　seeing　the　Duc　d'Anjou　in　his　mask　and　Moorish
costume；　who　was　coming　to　speak　to　her；　she　mistook　him　for　the
Duc　de　Guise　and　said　to　him　〃Do　not　have　eyes　for　anyone　but
Madame　this　evening：　I　shall　not　be　in　the　least　jealous。　I　am
ordering　you。　I　am　being　watched。　Do　not　come　near　me　again。〃　　As
soon　as　she　had　said　this　she　moved　away。

The　Duc　d'Anjou　stood　there　thunderstruck。　He　saw　that　he　had　a
successful　rival：　the　reference　to　Madame　made　it　obvious　that
this　was　the　Duc　de　Guise；　and　left　him　in　no　doubt　that　his
sister　was　to　play　second　fiddle　to　the　Princess　de　Montpensier。
Jealousy；　frustration　and　rage　joining　to　the　dislike　which　he
already　had　for　the　Duc　roused　him　to　a　violent　fury；　and　he
would　have　given　there　and　then　some　bloody　mark　of　his　temper
had　not　that　dissimulation　which　came　naturally　to　him　prevented
him　from　attacking　the　Duc　de　Guise　in　the　present　circumstances。
He　did　not；　however；　refrain　from　the　pleasure　of　disclosing　his
knowledge　of　this　secret　affair。　He　approached　the　Duc　de　Guise
as　they　left　the　salon　where　they　had　been　dancing　and　said　to
him　〃To　presume　to　raise　your　eyes　towards　my　sister；　as　well　as
stealing　the　affection　of　the　woman　I　love　is　altogether　too
much。　The　presence　of　the　King　prevents　me　from　taking　any　action
just　now；　but　remember　that　the　loss　of　your　life　may　be；　one
day；　the　least　thing　with　which　I　shall　punish　your
impertinence。〃

The　pride　of　the　Duc　de　Guise　was　not　accustomed　to　submit　tamely
to　such　threats；　but　he　was　unable　to　reply　because　at　that
moment　the　King　called　both　of　them　to　his　side。　He　did　not
forget；　however；　and　tried　all　his　life　to　exact　revenge。

From　that　evening　the　Duc　d'Anjou　endeavoured　an　all　sorts　of
ways　to　turn　the　King　against　the　Duc　de　Guise。　He　persuaded　the
King　that　Madame　would　never　agree　to　her　proposed　marriage　to
the　King　of　Navarre　as　long　as　the　Duc　de　Guise　was　allowed　to
have　any　contact　with　her；　and　that　it　was　unacceptable　that　a
subject；　for　his　own　vain　purposes；　should　place　an　obstacle　in
the　way　of　what　could　bring　peace　to　France。　The　King　already
disliked　the　Duc　de　Guise　and　this　speech　inflamed　his　dislike　so
much　that　the　next　day　when　the　Duc　presented　himself　to　join　the
ball　at　the　Queen's　apartments；　he　stood　in　the　doorway　and　asked
him　brusquely　where　he　was　going。　The　Duc；　without　showing　any
surprise　answered　that　he　had　come　to　offer　his　most　humble
services；　to　which　the　King　replied　that　he　had　no　need　of　any
services　which　the　Duc　might　provide；　and　turned　away　without　any
other　acknowledgement。　The　Duc　was　not　deterred　from　entering　the
room；　his　feelings　incensed　both　against　the　King　and　the　Duc
d'Anjou。　His　natural　pride　led　him；　as　an　act　of　defiance；　to　pay
more　attention　to　Madame　than　usual；　and　what　the　Duc　d'Anjou　had
told　him　prevented　him　from　looking　in　the　direction　of　the
Princess　de　Montpensier。

The　Duc　d'Anjou　watched　both　of　them　with　close　attention。　The
Princess's　expression；　in　spite　of　herself；　showed　some　chagrin
when　the　Duc　de　Guise　spoke　with　Madame。　The　Duc　d'Anjou　who
realised　from　what　she　had　said　to　him；　when　she　mistook　him　for
the　Duc　de　Guise；　that　she　was　jealous；　hoped　to　cause　trouble。
He　drew　close　to　her　and　said；　〃It　is　in　your　interest　and　not　in
mine　that　I　must　tell　you　that　the　Duc　de　Guise　does　not　deserve
the　choice　you　have　made　of　him　in　preference　to　me；　a　choice
which　you　cannot　deny　and　of　which　I　am　well　aware；　he　is
deceiving　you　madame；　and　betraying　you　for　my　sister　as　he
betrayed　her　for　you。　He　is　a　man　moved　only　by　ambition；　but
since　he　has　the　good　fortune　to　please　you；　that　is　enough；　I
shall　not　attempt　to　stand　in　the　way　of　a　felicity　which　without
doubt　I　merit　more　than　he。　It　would　be　undignified　for　me　to
persist　in　trying　to　gain　the　heart　which　is　already　possessed　by
another。　It　is　bad　enough　to　have　attracted　only　your
indifference　and　I　would　not　like　to　have　this　replaced　by
dislike　by　wearying　you　with　endless　protestations　of　unwelcome
devotion。〃

The　Duc　d'Anjou　who　was　genuinely　touched　by　love　and　sadness；
was　hardly　able　to　complete　this　speech；　and　although　he　had
begun　in　a　spirit　of　spite　and　vengeance；　he　was　so　overcome　when
he　thought　of　the　Princess's　beauty　and　of　what　he　was　losing　by
giving　up　all　hope　of　being　her　lover。　that　without　waiting　for
her　reply　he　left　the　ball；　saying　that　he　felt　unwell；　and　went
home　to　nurse　his　grief。

The　Princess　de　Montpensier　stayed　there；　upset　and　worried　as
one　might　imagine。　To　see　her　reputation　and　her　secret　in　the
hands　of　a　suitor　whom　she　had　rejected　and　to　learn　from　him
that　she　was　being　deceived　by　her　lover　were　not　things　which
would　put　her　in　the　right　frame　of　mind　for　a　place　dedicated　to
enjoyment；　she　had；　however；　to　remain　where　she　was　and　later　go
to　supper　in　the　company　of　the　Duchess　de　Montpensier；　her
mother…in…law。

The　Duc　de　Guise　who　had　followed　them　to　his　sister's　house；　was
dying　to　tell　her　what　the　Duc　d'Anjou　had　said　the　day　before；
but　to　his　astonishment　when　he　did　have　the　opportunity　to　speak
to　her；　he　was　overwhelmed　by　reproaches　which　were　tumbled　out
in　such　angry　profusion　that　all　he　could　gather　was　that　he　was
accused　of　infidelity　and　treachery。　Dismayed　at　finding　himself
in　this　unhappy　situation　when　he　had　hoped　for　consolation；　and
being　so　much　in　love　with　the　Princess　that　he　could　not　bear　to
be　unsure　if　he　was　loved　in　return；　he　took　a　sudden　decision。
〃I　shall　lay　your　doubts　at　rest；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　going　to　do
what　all　the　royal　power　could　not　make　me　do。　It　will　cost　me　my
fortune　but　that　is