the princess de montpensier-第6节

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coldly　that　he　would　tell　the　Princess　all　that　the　Duc　wanted　to
convey　and　would　return　with　her　response。　He　then　went　back　to
Champigny　with　his　own　emotions　in　such　a　turmoil　that　he　hardly
knew　what　he　was　doing。　He　thought　of　sending　the　Duc　away
without　saying　anything　to　the　Princess；　but　the　faithfulness
with　which　he　had　promised　to　serve　her　soon　put　an　end　to　that
idea。　He　arrived　without　knowing　what　he　should　do；　and　finding
that　the　Prince　was　out　hunting；　he　went　straight　to　the
Princess's　apartment。　She　saw　that　he　was　distressed　and
dismissed　her　women　in　order　to　find　out　what　troubled　him。　He
told　her；　as　calmly　as　he　could；　that　the　Duc　de　Guise　was　a
league　distant　and　that　he　wanted　passionately　to　see　her。　The
Princess　gave　a　cry　at　this　news　and　her　confusion　was　almost　as
great　as　that　of　the　Comte。　At　first　she　was　full　of　joy　at　the
thought　of　seeing　the　man　she　loved　so　tenderly；　but　when　she
considered　how　much　this　was　against　her　principles；　and　that　she
could　not　see　her　lover　without　introducing　him　into　her　home
during　the　night　and　without　her　husband's　knowledge；　she　found
herself　in　the　utmost　difficulty。　The　Comte　awaited　her　reply　as
if　it　were　a　matter　of　life　or　death。　Realising　that　her　silence
indicated　her　uncertainty；　he　took　the　liberty　of　presenting　to
her　all　the　perils　to　which　she　would　be　exposed　by　such　a
meeting；　and　wishing　to　make　it　clear　that　he　was　not　doing　this
in　his　own　interest；　he　said　that　if；　in　spite　of　all　that　he　had
said　she　was　determined　to　see　the　Duc；　rather　than　see　her　seek
for　aid　from　helpers　less　faithful　than　himself；　he　would　bring
the　Duc　to　her。　〃Yes　Madame〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　go　and　find　the
Duc　and　bring　him　to　your　apartment；　for　it　is　too　dangerous　to
leave　him　　for　long　where　he　is。〃　〃But　how　can　this　be　done？〃
interrupted　the　Princess。　〃Ha！　Madame；〃　cried　the　Comte；　〃it　is
then　decided；　since　you　speak　only　of　the　method。　I　shall　lead
him　through　the　park；　only　order　one　of　your　maids　whom　you　can
trust　to　lower；　exactly　at　midnight；　the　little　drawbridge　which
leads　from　your　antechamber　to　the　flower　garden　and　leave　the
rest　to　me。〃　　Having　said　this　he　rose　and　without　waiting　for
any　further　comment　from　the　Princess；　he　left；　remounted　his
horse　and　went　to　look　for　the　Duc　de　Guise；　who　was　waiting　for
him　with　the　greatest　impatience。

The　Princess　remained　in　such　a　state　of　confusion　that　it　was
some　time　before　she　came　to　her　senses。　Her　first　thought　was　to
send　someone　after　the　Comte　to　tell　him　not　to　bring　the　Duc；
but　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　do　so。　She　then　thought　that
failing　this；　she　had　only　not　to　have　the　drawbridge　lowered；
and　she　believed　that　she　would　continue　with　this　resolve；　but
when　the　hour　of　the　assignation　drew　near　she　was　no　longer　able
to　resist　the　desire　to　see　the　lover　whom　she　longed　for；　and
she　gave　instructions　to　one　of　her　women　on　the　method　by　which
the　Duc　was　to　be　introduced　into　her　apartment。

Meanwhile　the　Duc　and　the　Comte　were　approaching　Champigny；　but
in　very　differing　frames　of　mind。　The　Duc　was　full　of　joy　and　all
the　happiness　of　expectation。　The　Comte　was　in　a　mood　of　despair
and　anger；　which　tempted　him　at　times　to　run　his　sword　through
his　rival。　They　at　last　reached　the　park；　where　they　left　their
horses　in　the　care　of　the　Duc's　squire；　and　passing　through　a　gap
in　the　wall　they　came　to　the　flower　garden。　The　Comte　had　always
retained　some　hope　that　the　Princess　would　come　to　her　senses　and
resolve　not　to　see　the　Duc；　but　when　he　saw　that　the　drawbridge
was　lowered　he　realised　that　his　hope　was　in　vain。　He　was　tempted
to　take　some　desperate　measure；　but　he　was　aware　that　any　noise
would　be　heard　by　the　Prince　de　Montpensier　whose　rooms　looked
out　onto　the　same　flower…garden；　and　that　all　the　subsequent
disorder　would　fall　on　the　head　of　the　one　he　loved　most。　He
calmed　himself　and　led　the　Duc　to　the　presence　of　the　Princess。
Although　the　Princess　signaled　that　she　would　like　him　to　stay　in
the　room　during　the　interview；　he　was　unwilling　to　do　so；　and
retired　to　a　little　passage　which　ran　alongside　the　Princess's
apartment；　a　prey　to　the　saddest　thoughts　which　could　afflict　a
disappointed　lover。

Now；　although　they　had　made　very　little　noise　while　crossing　the
bridge；　the　Prince　de　Montpensier　was　awake　and　heard　it。　He　made
one　of　his　servants　get　up　and　go　to　see　what　it　was。　The　servant
put　his　head　out　of　the　window　and　in　the　darkness　he　could　make
out　that　the　drawbridge　was　lowered。　He　told　his　master　who　then
ordered　him　to　go　into　the　park　and　find　out　what　was　going　on。　A
moment　later　he　got　up　himself；　being　disturbed　by　what　he
thought　he　had　heard；　that　is　footsteps　on　the　bridge　leading　to
his　wife's　quarters。

As　he　was　going　towards　the　little　passage　where　the　Comte　was
waiting；　the　Princess　who　was　somewhat　embarrassed　at　being　alone
with　the　Duc　de　Guise；　asked　the　latter　several　times　to　come
into　the　room。　He　refused　to　do　so　and　as　she　continued　to　press
him　and　as　he　was　furiously　angry　he　answered　her　so　loudly　that
he　was　heard　by　the　Prince　de　Montpensier；　but　so　indistinctly
that　the　Prince　heard　only　a　man's　voice　without　being　able　to
recognise　it　as　that　of　the　Comte。

These　events　would　have　infuriated　a　character　more　placid　and
less　jealous　than　the　Prince　de　Montpensier。　He　hurled　himself
against　the　door；　calling　for　it　to　be　opened；　and　cruelly
surprising　the　Princess；　the　Duc　de　Guise　and　the　Comte　de
Chabannes。　This　last；　hearing　the　Prince's　voice；　saw　immediately
that　it　was　impossible　to　prevent　him　from　believing　that　there
was　someone　in　his　wife's　room；　and　that　he　was　in　such　a　state
that　if　he　found　that　it　was　the　Duc　de　Guise　he　might　kill　him
before　the　eyes　of　the　Princess　and　that　even　her　life　might　be
at　risk。　He　decided；　in　an　act　of　extraordinary　generosity；　to
sacrifice　himself　to　save　a　successful　rival　and　an　ungrateful
mistress。

While　the　Prince　was　battering　on　the　door；　he　went　to　the　Duc；
who　had　no　idea　what　to　do；　put　him　in　the　care　of　the　woman　who
had　arranged　his　entry　by　the　bridge　and　told　her　to　show　him　the
way　out。　Scarcely　had　he　left　when　the　Prince　having　broken　down
the　door　entered　the　room　like　a　man　possessed。　However　when　he
saw　only　the　Comte　de　Chabanne；　motionless；　leaning　on　a　table
with　a　look　of　infinite　sadness　on　his　face；　he　stopped　short。
The　astonishment　of　finding　his　best　friend　alone　at　night　in　his
wife's　room　deprived　him　of　speech。　The　Princess　had　collapsed
onto　some　cushions　and　never　perhaps　has　fate　put　three　people　in
a　more　unhappy　position。　At　last　the　Prince　made　an　attempt　to
make　sense　of　the　chaos　before　his　eyes。　He　addressed　the　Comte
in　a　tone　of　voice　which　still　had　some　friendliness；　〃What　is
this　I　see？〃　he　said。　〃Is　it　possible　that　a　man　I　love　so　dearly
has　chosen　among　all　other　women　to　seduce　my　wife？　And　you
madame；〃　he　said；　turning　to　his　wife；　〃was　it　not　enough　to
deprive　me　of　your　love　and　my　honour　without　depriving　me　of　the
one　man　who　could　have　consoled　me　in　such　circumstances？　Answer
me；　one　of　you；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃and　explain　this　affair；　which
I　cannot　believe　is　what　it　seems。〃　　The　Princess　was　incapable
of　replying　and　the　Comte　opened　his　mouth　once　or　twice　but　was
unable　to　speak。

〃You　see　me　as　a　criminal〃　he　said　at　last；　〃and　unworthy　of　the
friendship　you　have　shown　me；　but　the　situation　is　not　what　you
may　think　it　is。　I　am　more　unhappy　than　you　and　more　despairing。
I　do　not　know　how　to　tell　you　more　than　that。　My　death　would
avenge　you；　and　if　you　were　to　kill　me　now　you　would　be　doing　me
a　favour。〃　These　words；　spoken　with　an　air　of　the　deepest　sorrow；
and　in　a　manner　which　declared　his　innocence　instead　of
enlightening　the　Prince　confirmed　him　in　the　view　that　something
mysterious　was　going　on　which　he　did　not　understand。　His
unhappiness　was　increased　by　this　uncertainty。　〃Kill　me
yourself；〃　he　said；　〃or　give　me　some　explanation　of　your　words
for　I　can　understand　nothing。　You　owe　it　to　my　friendship；　you
owe　it　to　my　restraint；　for　anyone　but　me　would　have　already
taken　your　life　to　avenge　such　an　affront。〃

〃The　appearances　are　wholly　misleading〃　interrupted　the　Comte。
〃Ah！　It　is　too　much。　I　must　be　avenged　and　clear　things　up
later；〃　said　the　Prince；　advancing　towards　the　Comte　like　a　man
carried　away　by　rage。　The　Princess；　fearing　bloodshed　（which　was
not　possible　as　her　husband　did　not　have　a　sword）；　placed　herself
between　the　two　of　them　and　fell　fainting　at　her　husband's　feet。
The　Prince　was　even　more　affected　by　this　than　he　was　by　the
calmness　of　the　Comte　when　he　confronted　him；　and　as　if　he　could
no　longer　bear　the　sight　of　those　two　people　who　had　caused　him
such　distress；　he　turned　away　and　fell　on　his　wife's　bed；
overcome　by　grief。　The　Comte　de　Chabannes；　filled　with　remorse　at
having　abused　the　friendship　of　which　he　had　had　so　many　marks；
and　believing　that　he　could　never　atone　for　what　he　had　done；
left　the　room　abruptly　and　passing　through　the　Princess's
apartment　where　he　found　all　the　doors　open；　he　went　down　to　the
courtyard。　He　had　a　horse　brought