a woman of thirty-第6节

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　this　transparent　dissimulation；　ready　to　her　hand；　the　first　resource　of　an　artless　unhappiness。　Mme。　de　Listomere　appeared　to　be　satisfied　with　Julie's　answers；　but　in　her　secret　heart　she　rejoiced　to　think　that　here　was　a　love　affair　on　hand　to　enliven　her　solitude；　for　that　her　niece　had　some　amusing　flirtation　on　foot　she　was　fully　convinced。

In　the　great　drawing…room；　hung　with　tapestry　framed　in　strips　of　gilding；　young　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　sat　before　a　blazing　fire；　behind　a　Chinese　screen　placed　to　shut　out　the　cold　draughts　from　the　window；　and　her　heavy　mood　scarcely　lightened。　Among　the　old　eighteenth…　century　furniture；　under　the　old　paneled　ceiling；　it　was　not　very　easy　to　be　gay。　Yet　the　young　Parisienne　took　a　sort　of　pleasure　in　this　entrance　upon　a　life　of　complete　solitude　and　in　the　solemn　silence　of　the　old　provincial　house。　She　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the　aunt；　a　stranger；　to　whom　she　had　written　a　bride's　letter　on　her　marriage；　and　then　sat　as　silent　as　if　she　had　been　listening　to　an　opera。　Not　until　two　hours　had　been　spent　in　an　atmosphere　of　quiet　befitting　la　Trappe；　did　she　suddenly　awaken　to　a　sense　of　uncourteous　behavior；　and　bethink　herself　of　the　short　answers　which　she　had　given　her　aunt。　Mme。　de　Listomere；　with　the　gracious　tact　characteristic　of　a　bygone　age；　had　respected　her　niece's　mood。　When　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　became　conscious　of　her　shortcomings；　the　dowager　sat　knitting；　though　as　a　matter　of　fact　she　had　several　times　left　the　room　to　superintend　preparations　in　the　Green　Chamber；　whither　the　Countess'　luggage　had　been　transported；　now；　however；　she　had　returned　to　her　great　armchair；　and　stole　a　glance　from　time　to　time　at　this　young　relative。　Julie　felt　ashamed　of　giving　way　to　irresistible　broodings；　and　tried　to　earn　her　pardon　by　laughing　at　herself。

〃My　dear　child；　/we/　know　the　sorrows　of　widowhood；〃　returned　her　aunt。　But　only　the　eyes　of　forty　years　could　have　distinguished　the　irony　hovering　about　the　old　lady's　mouth。

Next　morning　the　Countess　improved。　She　talked。　Mme。　de　Listomere　no　longer　despaired　of　fathoming　the　new…made　wife；　whom　yesterday　she　had　set　down　as　a　dull；　unsociable　creature；　and　discoursed　on　the　delights　of　the　country；　of　dances；　of　houses　where　they　could　visit。　All　that　day　the　Marquise's　questions　were　so　many　snares；　it　was　the　old　habit　of　the　old　Court；　she　could　not　help　setting　traps　to　discover　her　niece's　character。　For　several　days　Julie；　plied　with　temptations；　steadfastly　declined　to　seek　amusement　abroad；　and　much　as　the　old　lady's　pride　longed　to　exhibit　her　pretty　niece；　she　was　fain　to　renounce　all　hope　of　taking　her　into　society；　for　the　young　Countess　was　still　in　morning　for　her　father；　and　found　in　her　loss　and　her　mourning　dress　a　pretext　for　her　sadness　and　desire　for　seclusion。

By　the　end　of　the　week　the　dowager　admired　Julie's　angelic　sweetness　of　disposition；　her　diffident　charm；　her　indulgent　temper；　and　thenceforward　began　to　take　a　prodigious　interest　in　the　mysterious　sadness　gnawing　at　this　young　heart。　The　Countess　was　one　of　those　women　who　seem　born　to　be　loved　and　to　bring　happiness　with　them。　Mme。　de　Listomere　found　her　niece's　society　grown　so　sweet　and　precious；　that　she　doted　upon　Julie；　and　could　no　longer　think　of　parting　with　her。　A　month　sufficed　to　establish　an　eternal　friendship　between　the　two　ladies。　The　dowager　noticed；　not　without　surprise；　the　changes　that　took　place　in　Mme。　d'Aiglemont；　gradually　her　bright　color　died　away；　and　her　face　became　dead　white。　Yet；　Julie's　spirits　rose　as　the　bloom　faded　from　her　cheeks。　Sometimes　the　dowager's　sallies　provoked　outbursts　of　merriment　or　peals　of　laughter；　promptly　repressed；　however；　by　some　clamorous　thought。

Mme。　de　Listomere　had　guessed　by　this　time　that　it　was　neither　Victor's　absence　nor　a　father's　death　which　threw　a　shadow　over　her　niece's　life；　but　her　mind　was　so　full　of　dark　suspicions；　that　she　found　it　difficult　to　lay　a　finger　upon　the　real　cause　of　the　mischief。　Possibly　truth　is　only　discoverable　by　chance。　A　day　came；　however；　at　length　when　Julie　flashed　out　before　her　aunt's　astonished　eyes　into　a　complete　forgetfulness　of　her　marriage；　she　recovered　the　wild　spirits　of　careless　girlhood。　Mme。　de　Listomere　then　and　there　made　up　her　mind　to　fathom　the　depths　of　this　soul；　for　its　exceeding　simplicity　was　as　inscrutable　as　dissimulation。

Night　was　falling。　The　two　ladies　were　sitting　by　the　window　which　looked　out　upon　the　street；　and　Julie　was　looking　thoughtful　again；　when　some　one　went　by　on　horseback。

〃There　goes　one　of　your　victims；〃　said　the　Marquise。

Mme。　d'Aiglemont　looked　up；　dismay　and　surprise　blended　in　her　face。

〃He　is　a　young　Englishman；　the　Honorable　Arthur　Ormand；　Lord　Grenville's　eldest　son。　His　history　is　interesting。　His　physician　sent　him　to　Montpellier　in　1802；　it　was　hoped　that　in　that　climate　he　might　recover　from　the　lung　complaint　which　was　gaining　ground。　He　was　detained；　like　all　his　fellow…countrymen；　by　Bonaparte　when　war　broke　out。　That　monster　cannot　live　without　fighting。　The　young　Englishman；　by　way　of　amusing　himself；　took　to　studying　his　own　complaint；　which　was　believed　to　be　incurable。　By　degrees　he　acquired　a　liking　for　anatomy　and　physic；　and　took　quite　a　craze　for　that　kind　of　thing；　a　most　extraordinary　taste　in　a　man　of　quality；　though　the　Regent　certainly　amused　himself　with　chemistry！　In　short；　Monsieur　Arthur　made　astonishing　progress　in　his　studies；　his　health　did　the　same　under　the　faculty　of　Montpellier；　he　consoled　his　captivity；　and　at　the　same　time　his　cure　was　thoroughly　completed。　They　say　that　he　spent　two　whole　years　in　a　cowshed；　living　on　cresses　and　the　milk　of　a　cow　brought　from　Switzerland；　breathing　as　seldom　as　he　could；　and　never　speaking　a　word。　Since　he　come　to　Tours　he　has　lived　quite　alone；　he　is　as　proud　as　a　peacock；　but　you　have　certainly　made　a　conquest　of　him；　for　probably　it　is　not　on　my　account　that　he　has　ridden　under　the　window　twice　every　day　since　you　have　been　here。He　has　certainly　fallen　in　love　with　you。〃

That　last　phrase　roused　the　Countess　like　magic。　Her　involuntary　start　and　smile　took　the　Marquise　by　surprise。　So　far　from　showing　a　sign　of　the　instinctive　satisfaction　felt　by　the　most　strait…laced　of　women　when　she　learns　that　she　has　destroyed　the　peace　of　mind　of　some　male　victim；　there　was　a　hard；　haggard　expression　in　Julie's　facea　look　of　repulsion　amounting　almost　to　loathing。

A　woman　who　loves　will　put　the　whole　world　under　the　ban　of　Love's　empire　for　the　sake　of　the　one　whom　she　loves；　but　such　a　woman　can　laugh　and　jest；　and　Julie　at　that　moment　looked　as　if　the　memory　of　some　recently　escaped　peril　was　too　sharp　and　fresh　not　to　bring　with　it　a　quick　sensation　of　pain。　Her　aunt；　by　this　time　convinced　that　Julie　did　not　love　her　nephew；　was　stupefied　by　the　discovery　that　she　loved　nobody　else。　She　shuddered　lest　a　further　discovery　should　show　her　Julie's　heart　disenchanted；　lest　the　experience　of　a　day；　or　perhaps　of　a　night；　should　have　revealed　to　a　young　wife　the　full　extent　of　Victor's　emptiness。

〃If　she　has　found　him　out；　there　is　an　end　of　it；〃　thought　the　dowager。　〃My　nephew　will　soon　be　made　to　feel　the　inconveniences　of　wedded　life。〃

The　Marquise　now　proposed　to　convert　Julie　to　the　monarchical　doctrines　of　the　times　of　Louis　Quinze；　but　a　few　hours　later　she　discovered；　or；　more　properly　speaking；　guessed；　the　not　uncommon　state　of　affairs；　and　the　real　cause　of　her　niece's　low　spirits。

Julie　turned　thoughtful　on　a　sudden；　and　went　to　her　room　earlier　than　usual。　When　her　maid　left　her　for　the　night；　she　still　sat　by　the　fire　in　the　yellow　velvet　depths　of　a　great　chair；　an　old…world　piece　of　furniture　as　well　suited　for　sorrow　as　for　happy　people。　Tears　flowed；　followed　by　sighs　and　meditation。　After　a　while　she　drew　a　little　table　to　her；　sought　writing　materials；　and　began　to　write。　The　hours　went　by　swiftly。　Julie's　confidences　made　to　the　sheet　of　paper　seemed　to　cost　her　dear；　every　sentence　set　her　dreaming；　and　at　last　she　suddenly　burst　into　tears。　The　clocks　were　striking　two。　Her　head；　grown　heavy　as　a　dying　woman's；　was　bowed　over　her　breast。　When　she　raised　it；　her　aunt　appeared　before　her　as　suddenly　as　if　she　had　stepped　out　of　the　background　of　tapestry　upon　the　walls。

〃What　can　be　the　matter　with　you；　child？〃　asked　the　Marquise。　〃Why　are　you　sitting　up　so　late？　And　why；　in　the　first　place；　are　you　crying　alone；　at　your　age？〃

Without　further　ceremony　she　sat　down　beside　her　niece；　her　eyes　the　while　devouring　the　unfinished　letter。

〃Were　you　writing　to　your　husband？〃

〃Do　I　know　where　he　is？〃　returned　the　Countess。

Her　aunt　thereupon　took　up　the　sheet　and　proceeded　to　read　it。　She　had　brought　her　spectacles；　the　deed　was　premeditated。　The　innocent　writer　of　the　letter　allowed　her　to　take　it　without　the　slightest　remark。　It　was　neither　lack　of　dignity　nor　consciousness　of　secret　guilt　which　left　her　thus　without　energy。　Her　aunt　had　come　in　upon　her　at　a　crisis。　She　was　helpless；　right　or　wrong；　reticence　and　confidence；　like　all　things　else；　were　matters　of　indifference。　Like　some　young　maid　who　had　heaped　scorn　upon　her　lover；　and　feels　so　lonely　and　sad　when　evening　comes