juana-第7节

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evening　prayers；　suddenly　the　noise　of　a　carriage　drawn　by　several

horses　resounded　in　the　street；　loud　and　hasty　raps　echoed　from　the

shop　where　the　servant　hurried　to　open　the　door；　and　into　that

venerable　salon　rushed　a　woman；　magnificently　dressed　in　spite　of　the

mud　upon　the　wheels　of　her　travelling…carriage；　which　had　just　crossed

Italy；　France；　and　Spain。　It　was；　of　course；　the　Marana；the　Marana

who；　in　spite　of　her　thirty…six　years；　was　still　in　all　the　glory　of

her　ravishing　beauty；　the　Marana　who；　being　at　that　time　the　mistress

of　a　king；　had　left　Naples；　the　fetes；　the　skies　of　Naples；　the　climax

of　her　life　of　luxury；　on　hearing　from　her　royal　lover　of　the　events

in　Spain　and　the　siege　of　Tarragona。



〃Tarragona！　I　must　get　to　Tarragona　before　the　town　is　taken！〃　she

cried。　〃Ten　days　to　reach　Tarragona！〃



Then　without　caring　for　crown　or　court；　she　arrived　in　Tarragona；

furnished　with　an　almost　imperial　safe…conduct；　furnished　too　with

gold　which　enabled　her　to　cross　France　with　the　velocity　of　a　rocket。



〃My　daughter！　my　daughter！〃　cried　the　Marana。



At　this　voice；　and　the　abrupt　invasion　of　their　solitude；　the　prayer…

book　fell　from　the　hands　of　the　old　couple。



〃She　is　there；〃　replied　the　merchant；　calmly；　after　a　pause　during

which　he　recovered　from　the　emotion　caused　by　the　abrupt　entrance；　and

the　look　and　voice　of　the　mother。　〃She　is　there；〃　he　repeated；

pointing　to　the　door　of　the　little　chamber。



〃Yes；　but　has　any　harm　come　to　her；　is　she　still〃



〃Perfectly　well；〃　said　Dona　Lagounia。



〃O　God！　send　me　to　hell　if　it　so　pleases　thee！〃　cried　the　Marana；

dropping；　exhausted　and　half　dead；　into　a　chair。



The　flush　in　her　cheeks；　due　to　anxiety；　paled　suddenly；　she　had

strength　to　endure　suffering；　but　none　to　bear　this　joy。　Joy　was　more

violent　in　her　soul　than　suffering；　for　it　contained　the　echoes　of　her

pain　and　the　agonies　of　its　own　emotion。



〃But；〃　she　said；　〃how　have　you　kept　her　safe？　Tarragona　is　taken。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Perez；　〃but　since　you　see　me　living　why　do　you　ask　that

question？　Should　I　not　have　died　before　harm　could　have　come　to

Juana？〃



At　that　answer；　the　Marana　seized　the　calloused　hand　of　the　old　man；

and　kissed　it；　wetting　it　with　the　tears　that　flowed　from　her　eyes

she　who　never　wept！　those　tears　were　all　she　had　most　precious　under

heaven。



〃My　good　Perez！〃　she　said　at　last。　〃But　have　you　had　no　soldiers

quartered　in　your　house？〃



〃Only　one；〃　replied　the　Spaniard。　〃Fortunately　for　us　the　most　loyal

of　men；　a　Spaniard　by　birth；　but　now　an　Italian　who　hates　Bonaparte；　a

married　man。　He　is　ill；　and　gets　up　late　and　goes　to　bed　early。〃



〃An　Italian！　What　is　his　name？〃



〃Montefiore。〃



〃Can　it　be　the　Marquis　de　Montefiore〃



〃Yes；　Senora；　he　himself。〃



〃Has　he　seen　Juana？〃



〃No；〃　said　Dona　Lagounia。



〃You　are　mistaken；　wife；〃　said　Perez。　〃The　marquis　must　have　seen　her

for　a　moment；　a　short　moment；　it　is　true；　but　I　think　he　looked　at　her

that　evening　she　came　in　here　during　supper。〃



〃Ah；　let　me　see　my　daughter！〃



〃Nothing　easier；〃　said　Perez；　〃she　is　now　asleep。　If　she　has　left　the

key　in　the　lock　we　must　waken　her。〃



As　he　rose　to　take　the　duplicate　key　of　Juana's　door　his　eyes　fell　by

chance　on　the　circular　gleam　of　light　upon　the　black　wall　of　the　inner

courtyard。　Within　that　circle　he　saw　the　shadow　of　a　group　such　as

Canova　alone　has　attempted　to　render。　The　Spaniard　turned　back。



〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　said　to　the　Marana；　〃where　to　find　the　key。〃



〃You　are　very　pale；〃　she　said。



〃And　I　will　show　you　why；〃　he　cried；　seizing　his　dagger　and　rapping

its　hilt　violently　on　Juana's　door　as　he　shouted；



〃Open！　open！　open！　Juana！〃



Juana　did　not　open；　for　she　needed　time　to　conceal　Montefiore。　She

knew　nothing　of　what　was　passing　in　the　salon；　the　double　portieres　of

thick　tapestry　deadened　all　sounds。



〃Madame；　I　lied　to　you　in　saying　I　could　not　find　the　key。　Here　it

is；〃　added　Perez；　taking　it　from　a　sideboard。　〃But　it　is　useless。

Juana's　key　is　in　the　lock；　her　door　is　barricaded。　We　have　been

deceived；　my　wife！〃　he　added；　turning　to　Dona　Lagounia。　〃There　is　a

man　in　Juana's　room。〃



〃Impossible！　By　my　eternal　salvation　I　say　it　is　impossible！〃　said　his

wife。



〃Do　not　swear；　Dona　Lagounia。　Our　honor　is　dead；　and　this　woman〃　He

pointed　to　the　Marana；　who　had　risen　and　was　standing　motionless；

blasted　by　his　words；　〃this　woman　has　the　right　to　despise　us。　She

saved　our　life；　our　fortune；　and　our　honor；　and　we　have　saved　nothing

for　her　but　her　moneyJuana！〃　he　cried　again；　〃open；　or　I　will　burst

in　your　door。〃



His　voice；　rising　in　violence；　echoed　through　the　garrets　in　the　roof。

He　was　cold　and　calm。　The　life　of　Montefiore　was　in　his　hands；　he

would　wash　away　his　remorse　in　the　blood　of　that　Italian。



〃Out；　out；　out！　out；　all　of　you！〃　cried　the　Marana；　springing　like　a

tigress　on　the　dagger；　which　she　wrenched　from　the　hand　of　the

astonished　Perez。　〃Out；　Perez；〃　she　continued　more　calmly；　〃out；　you

and　your　wife　and　servants！　There　will　be　murder　here。　You　might　be

shot　by　the　French。　Have　nothing　to　do　with　this；　it　is　my　affair；

mine　only。　Between　my　daughter　and　me　there　is　none　but　God。　As　for

the　man；　he　belongs　to　ME。　The　whole　earth　could　not　tear　him　from　my

grasp。　Go；　go！　I　forgive　you。　I　see　plainly　that　the　girl　is　a　Marana。

You；　your　religion；　your　virtue；　were　too　weak　to　fight　against　my

blood。〃



She　gave　a　dreadful　sigh；　turning　her　dry　eyes　on　them。　She　had　lost

all；　but　she　knew　how　to　suffer；a　true　courtesan。



The　door　opened。　The　Marana　forgot　all　else；　and　Perez；　making　a　sign

to　his　wife；　remained　at　his　post。　With　his　old　invincible　Spanish

honor　he　was　determined　to　share　the　vengeance　of　the　betrayed　mother。

Juana；　all　in　white；　and　softly　lighted　by　the　wax　candles；　was

standing　calmly　in　the　centre　of　her　chamber。



〃What　do　you　want　with　me？〃　she　said。



The　Marana　could　not　repress　a　passing　shudder。



〃Perez；〃　she　asked；　〃has　this　room　another　issue？〃



Perez　made　a　negative　gesture；　confiding　in　that　gesture；　the　mother

entered　the　room。



〃Juana；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　your　mother；　your　judge；　you　have　placed

yourself　in　the　only　situation　in　which　I　could　reveal　myself　to　you。

You　have　come　down　to　me；　you；　whom　I　thought　in　heaven。　Ah！　you　have

fallen　low　indeed。　You　have　a　lover　in　this　room。〃



〃Madame；　there　is　and　can　be　no　one　but　my　husband；〃　answered　the

girl。　〃I　am　the　Marquise　de　Montefiore。〃



〃Then　there　are　two；〃　said　Perez；　in　a　grave　voice。　〃He　told　me　he　was

married。〃



〃Montefiore；　my　love！〃　cried　the　girl；　tearing　aside　the　curtain　and

revealing　the　officer。　〃Come！　they　are　slandering　you。〃



The　Italian　appeared；　pale　and　speechless；　he　saw　the　dagger　in　the

Marana's　hand；　and　he　knew　her　well。　With　one　bound　he　sprang　from　the

room；　crying　out　in　a　thundering　voice；



〃Help！　help！　they　are　murdering　a　Frenchman。　Soldiers　of　the　6th　of

the　line；　rush　for　Captain　Diard！　Help；　help！〃



Perez　had　gripped　the　man　and　was　trying　to　gag　him　with　his　large

hand；　but　the　Marana　stopped　him；　saying；



〃Bind　him　fast；　but　let　him　shout。　Open　the　doors；　leave　them　open；

and　go；　go；　as　I　told　you；　go；　all　of　you。As　for　you；〃　she　said；

addressing　Montefiore；　〃shout；　call　for　help　if　you　choose；　by　the

time　your　soldiers　get　here　this　blade　will　be　in　your　heart。　Are　you

married？　Answer。〃



Montefiore；　who　had　fallen　on　the　threshold　of　the　door；　scarcely　a

step　from　Juana；　saw　nothing　but　the　blade　of　the　dagger；　the　gleam　of

which　blinded　him。



〃Has　he　deceived　me？〃　said　Juana；　slowly。　〃He　told　me　he　was　free。〃



〃He　told　me　that　he　was　married；〃　repeated　Perez；　in　his　solemn　voice。




〃Holy　Virgin！〃　murmured　Dona　Lagounia。



〃Answer；　soul　of　corruption；〃　said　the　Marana；　in　a　low　voice；　bending

to　the　ear　of　the　marquis。



〃Your　daughter〃　began　Montefiore。



〃The　daughter　that　was　mine　is　dead　or　dying；〃　interrupted　the　Marana。

〃I　have　no　daughter；　do　not　utter　that　word。　Answer；　are　you　married？〃



〃No；　madame；〃　said　Montefiore；　at　last；　striving　to　gain　time；　〃I

desire　to　marry　your　daughter。〃



〃My　noble　Montefiore！〃　said　Juana；　drawing　a　deep　breath。



〃Then　why　did　you　attempt　to　fly　and　cry　for　help？〃　asked　Perez。



Terrible；　revealing　light！



Juana　said　nothing；　but　she　wrung　her　hands　and　went　to　her　arm…chair

and　sat　down。



At　that　moment　a　tumult　rose　in　the　street　which　was　plainly　heard　in

the　silence　of　the　room。　A　soldier　of　the　6th；　hearing　Montefiore's

cry　for　help；　had　summoned　Diard。　The　quartermaster；　who　was

fortunately　in　his　bivouac；　came；　accompanied　by　friends。



〃Why　did　I　fly？〃　said　Montefiore；　hearing　the　voice　of　his　friend。

〃Because　I　told　you　the　truth；　I　am　marriedDiard！　Diard！〃　he　shouted

in　a　piercing　voice。



But；　at　a　word　from