la mere bauche-第8节

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the　table　at　which　the　priest　stood；　nor　hesitation　in　her　low　voice
as　she　made　the　necessary　answers。　　She　put　her　hand　into　that　of　the
capitaine　when　required　to　do　so；　and　when　the　ring　was　put　on　her
finger　she　shuddered；　but　ever　so　slightly。　　No　one　observed　it　but
La　Mere　Bauche。　　〃In　one　week　she　will　be　used　to　it；　and　then　we
shall　all　be　happy；〃　said　La　Mere　to　herself。　　〃And　I；I　will　be　so
kind　to　her！〃

And　so　the　marriage　was　completed；　and　the　watch　was　at　once　given　to
Marie。　　〃Thank　you；　maman；〃　said　she；　as　the　trinket　was　fastened　to
her　girdle。　　Had　it　been　a　pincushion　that　had　cost　three　sous；　it
would　have　affected　her　as　much。

And　then　there　was　cake　and　wine　and　sweetmeats；　and　after　a　few
minutes　Marie　disappeared。　　For　an　hour　or　so　the　capitaine　was　taken
up　with　the　congratulating　of　his　friends；　and　with　the　efforts
necessary　to　the　wearing　of　his　new　honours　with　an　air　of　ease；　but
after　that　time　he　began　to　be　uneasy　because　his　wife　did　not　come
to　him。　　At　two　or　three　in　the　afternoon　he　went　to　La　Mere　Bauche
to　complain。　　〃This　lackadaisical　nonsense　is　no　good；〃　he　said。　　〃At
any　rate　it　is　too　late　now。　　Marie　had　better　come　down　among　us　and
show　herself　satisfied　with　her　husband。〃

But　Madame　Bauche　took　Marie's　part。　　〃You　must　not　be　too　hard　on
Marie；〃　she　said。　　〃She　has　gone　through　a　good　deal　this　week　past；
and　is　very　young；　whereas；　capitaine；　you　are　not　very　young。〃

The　capitaine　merely　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　In　the　mean　time　Mere
Bauche　went　up　to　visit　her　protegee　in　her　own　room；　and　came　down
with　a　report　that　she　was　suffering　from　a　headache。　　She　could　not
appear　at　dinner；　Madame　Bauche　said；　but　would　make　one　at　the
little　party　which　was　to　be　given　in　the　evening。　　With　this　the
capitaine　was　forced　to　be　content。

The　dinner　therefore　went　on　quietly　without　her；　much　as　it　did　on
other　ordinary　days。　　And　then　there　was　a　little　time　for　vacancy；
during　which　the　gentlemen　drank　their　coffee　and　smoked　their　cigars
at　the　cafe；　talking　over　the　event　that　had　taken　place　that
morning；　and　the　ladies　brushed　their　hair　and　added　some　ribbon　or
some　brooch　to　their　usual　apparel。　　Twice　during　this　time　did
Madame　Bauche　go　up　to　Marie's　room　with　offers　to　assist　her。　　〃Not
yet；　maman；　not　quite　yet；〃　said　Marie　piteously　through　her　tears；
and　then　twice　did　the　green　spectacles　leave　the　room；　covering　eyes
which　also　were　not　dry。　　Ah！　what　had　she　done？　　What　had　she　dared
to　take　upon　herself　to　do？　　She　could　not　undo　it　now。

And　then　it　became　quite　dark　in　the　passages　and　out　of　doors；　and
the　guests　assembled　in　the　salon。　　La　Mere　came　in　and　out　three　or
four　times；　uneasy　in　her　gait　and　unpleasant　in　her　aspect；　and
everybody　began　to　see　that　things　were　wrong。　　〃She　is　ill；　I　am
afraid；〃　said　one。　　〃The　excitement　has　been　too　much；〃　said　a
second；　〃and　he　is　so　old；〃　whispered　a　third。　　And　the　capitaine
stalked　about　erect　on　his　wooden　leg；　taking　snuff；　and　striving　to
look　indifferent；　but　he　also　was　uneasy　in　his　mind。

Presently　La　Mere　came　in　again；　with　a　quicker　step　than　before；　and
whispered　something；　first　to　Adolphe　and　then　to　the　capitaine；
whereupon　they　both　followed　her　out　of　the　room。

〃Not　in　her　chamber；〃　said　Adolphe。

〃Then　she　must　be　in　yours；〃　said　the　capitaine。

〃She　is　in　neither；〃　said　La　Mere　Bauche；　with　her　sternest　voice；
〃nor　is　she　in　the　house！〃

And　now　there　was　no　longer　an　affectation　of　indifference　on　the
part　of　any　of　them。　　They　were　anything　but　indifferent。　　The
capitaine　was　eager　in　his　demands　that　the　matter　should　still　be
kept　secret　from　the　guests。　　She　had　always　been　romantic；　he　said；
and　had　now　gone　out　to　walk　by　the　river　side。　　They　three　and　the
old　bath…man　would　go　out　and　look　for　her。

〃But　it　is　pitch　dark；〃　said　La　Mere　Bauche。

〃We　will　take　lanterns；〃　said　the　capitaine。　　And　so　they　sallied
forth　with　creeping　steps　over　the　gravel；　so　that　they　might　not　be
heard　by　those　within；　and　proceeded　to　search　for　the　young　wife。

〃Marie！　　Marie！〃　said　La　Mere　Bauche；　in　piteous　accents；　〃do　come　to
me；　pray　do！〃

〃Hush！〃　said　the　capitaine。　　〃They'll　hear　you　if　you　call。〃　　He
could　not　endure　that　the　world　should　learn　that　a　marriage　with　him
had　been　so　distasteful　to　Marie　Clavert。

〃Marie；　dear　Marie！〃　called　Madame　Bauche；　louder　than　before；　quite
regardless　of　the　capitaine'　s　feelings；　but　no　Marie　answered。　　In
her　innermost　heart　now　did　La　Mere　Bauche　wish　that　this　cruel
marriage　had　been　left　undone。

Adolphe　was　foremost　with　his　lamp；　but　he　hardly　dared　to　look　in
the　spot　where　he　felt　that　it　was　most　likely　that　she　should　have
taken　refuge。　　How　could　he　meet　her　again；　alone；　in　that　grotto？
Yet　he　alone　of　the　four　was　young。　　It　was　clearly　for　him　to
ascend。　　〃Marie；〃　he　shouted；　〃are　you　there？〃　as　he　slowly　began　the
long　ascent　of　the　steps。

But　he　had　hardly　begun　to　mount　when　a　whirring　sound　struck　his
ear；　and　he　felt　that　the　air　near　him　was　moved；　and　then　there　was
a　crash　upon　the　lower　platform　of　rock；　and　a　moan；　repeated　twice；
but　so　faintly；　and　a　rustle　of　silk；　and　a　slight　struggle　somewhere
as　he　knew　within　twenty　paces　of　him；　and　then　all　was　again　quiet
and　still　in　the　night　air。

〃What　was　that？〃　asked　the　capitaine　in　a　hoarse　voice。　　He　made　his
way　half　across　the　little　garden；　and　he　also　was　within　forty　or
fifty　yards　of　the　flat　rock。　　But　Adolphe　was　unable　to　answer　him。
He　had　fainted　and　the　lamp　had　fallen　from　his　hands　and　rolled　to
the　bottom　of　the　steps。

But　the　capitaine；　though　even　his　heart　was　all　but　quenched　within
him；　had　still　strength　enough　to　make　his　way　up　to　the　rock；　and
there；　holding　the　lantern　above　his　eyes；　he　saw　all　that　was　left
for　him　to　see　of　his　bride。

As　for　La　Mere　Bauche；　she　never　again　sat　at　the　head　of　that
table；never　again　dictated　to　guests；never　again　laid　down　laws
for　the　management　of　any　one。　　A　poor　bedridden　old　woman；　she　lay
there　in　her　house　at　Vernet　for　some　seven　tedious　years；　and　then
was　gathered　to　her　fathers。

As　for　the　capitainebut　what　matters？　　He　was　made　of　sterner
stuff。　　What　matters　either　the　fate　of　such　a　one　as　Adolphe　Bauche？






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