the chouans-第24节

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〃Our　souls　might　have　understood　each　other；〃　she　said　in　a　grave　voice。　〃But　I　have　no　right　to　exact　your　confidence。　You　will　never　know　the　extent　of　your　obligations　to　me；　I　shall　not　explain　them。〃

They　walked　a　few　steps　in　silence。

〃My　life　does　interest　you；〃　said　the　young　man。

〃Monsieur；　I　implore　you；　tell　me　your　name　or　else　be　silent。　You　are　a　child；〃　she　added；　with　an　impatient　movement　of　her　shoulders；　〃and　I　feel　a　pity　for　you。〃

The　obstinacy　with　which　she　insisted　on　knowing　his　name　made　the　pretended　sailor　hesitate　between　prudence　and　love。　The　vexation　of　a　desired　woman　is　powerfully　attractive；　her　anger；　like　her　submission；　is　imperious；　many　are　the　fibres　she　touches　in　a　man's　heart；　penetrating　and　subjugating　it。　Was　this　scene　only　another　aspect　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　coquetry？　In　spite　of　his　sudden　passion　the　unnamed　lover　had　the　strength　to　distrust　a　woman　thus　bent　on　forcing　from　him　a　secret　of　life　and　death。

〃Why　has　my　rash　indiscretion；　which　sought　to　give　a　future　to　our　present　meeting；　destroyed　the　happiness　of　it？〃　he　said；　taking　her　hand；　which　she　left　in　his　unconsciously。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　who　seemed　to　be　in　real　distress；　was　silent。

〃How　have　I　displeased　you？〃　he　said。　〃What　can　I　do　to　soothe　you？〃

〃Tell　me　your　name。〃

He　made　no　reply；　and　they　walked　some　distance　in　silence。　Suddenly　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　stopped　short；　like　one　who　has　come　to　some　serious　determination。

〃Monsieur　le　Marquis　de　Montauran；〃　she　said；　with　dignity；　but　without　being　able　to　conceal　entirely　the　nervous　trembling　of　her　features；　〃I　desire　to　do　you　a　great　service；　whatever　it　may　cost　me。　We　part　here。　The　coach　and　its　escort　are　necessary　for　your　protection；　and　you　must　continue　your　journey　in　it。　Fear　nothing　from　the　Republicans；　they　are　men　of　honor；　and　I　shall　give　the　adjutant　certain　orders　which　he　will　faithfully　execute。　As　for　me；　I　shall　return　on　foot　to　Alencon　with　my　maid；　and　take　a　few　of　the　soldiers　with　me。　Listen　to　what　I　say；　for　your　life　depends　on　it。　If；　before　you　reach　a　place　of　safety；　you　meet　that　odious　man　you　saw　in　my　company　at　the　inn；　escape　at　once；　for　he　will　instantly　betray　you。　As　for　me；〃　she　paused；　〃as　for　me；　I　fling　myself　back　into　the　miseries　of　life。　Farewell；　monsieur；　may　you　be　happy；　farewell。〃

She　made　a　sign　to　Captain　Merle；　who　was　just　then　reaching　the　brow　of　the　hill　behind　her。　The　marquis　was　taken　unawares　by　her　sudden　action。

〃Stop！〃　he　cried；　in　a　tone　of　despair　that　was　well　acted。

This　singular　caprice　of　a　girl　for　whom　he　would　at　that　instant　have　thrown　away　his　life　so　surprised　him　that　he　invented；　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　a　fatal　fiction　by　which　to　hide　his　name　and　satisfy　the　curiosity　of　his　companion。

〃You　have　almost　guessed　the　truth；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　an　/emigre/；　condemned　to　death；　and　my　name　is　Vicomte　de　Bauvan。　Love　of　my　country　has　brought　me　back　to　France　to　join　my　brother。　I　hope　to　be　taken　off　the　list　of　/emigres/　through　the　influence　of　Madame　de　Beauharnais；　now　the　wife　of　the　First　Consul；　but　if　I　fail　in　this；　I　mean　to　die　on　the　soil　of　my　native　land；　fighting　beside　my　friend　Montauran。　I　am　now　on　my　way　secretly；　by　means　of　a　passport　he　has　sent　me；　to　learn　if　any　of　my　property　in　Brittany　is　still　unconfiscated。〃

While　the　young　man　spoke　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　examined　him　with　a　penetrating　eye。　She　tried　at　first　to　doubt　his　words；　but　being　by　nature　confiding　and　trustful；　she　slowly　regained　an　expression　of　serenity；　and　said　eagerly；　〃Monsieur；　are　you　telling　me　the　exact　truth？〃

〃Yes；　the　exact　truth；〃　replied　the　young　man；　who　seemed　to　have　no　conscience　in　his　dealings　with　women。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　gave　a　deep　sigh；　like　a　person　who　returns　to　life。

〃Ah！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　am　very　happy。〃

〃Then　you　hate　that　poor　Montauran？〃

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　could　not　make　you　understand　my　meaning。　I　was　not　willing　that　/you/　should　meet　the　dangers　from　which　I　will　try　to　protect　him；since　he　is　your　friend。〃

〃Who　told　you　that　Montauran　was　in　danger？〃

〃Ah；　monsieur；　even　if　I　had　not　come　from　Paris；　where　his　enterprise　is　the　one　thing　talked　of；　the　commandant　at　Alencon　said　enough　to　show　his　danger。〃

〃Then　let　me　ask　you　how　you　expect　to　save　him　from　it。〃

〃Suppose　I　do　not　choose　to　answer；〃　she　replied；　with　the　haughty　air　that　women　often　assume　to　hide　an　emotion。　〃What　right　have　you　to　know　my　secrets？〃

〃The　right　of　a　man　who　loves　you。〃

〃Already？〃　she　said。　〃No；　you　do　not　love　me。　I　am　only　an　object　of　passing　gallantry　to　you；that　is　all。　I　am　clear…sighted；　did　I　not　penetrate　your　disguise　at　once？　A　woman　who　knows　anything　of　good　society　could　not　be　misled；　in　these　days；　by　a　pupil　of　the　Polytechnique　who　uses　choice　language；　and　conceals　as　little　as　you　do　the　manners　of　a　/grand　seigneur/　under　the　mask　of　a　Republican。　There　is　a　trifle　of　powder　left　in　your　hair；　and　a　fragrance　of　nobility　clings　to　you　which　a　woman　of　the　world　cannot　fail　to　detect。　Therefore；　fearing　that　the　man　whom　you　saw　accompanying　me；　who　has　all　the　shrewdness　of　a　woman；　might　make　the　same　discovery；　I　sent　him　away。　Monsieur；　let　me　tell　you　that　a　true　Republican　officer　just　from　the　Polytechnique　would　not　have　made　love　to　me　as　you　have　done；　and　would　not　have　taken　me　for　a　pretty　adventuress。　Allow　me；　Monsieur　de　Bauvan；　to　preach　you　a　little　sermon　from　a　woman's　point　of　view。　Are　you　too　juvenile　to　know　that　of　all　the　creatures　of　my　sex　the　most　difficult　to　subdue　is　that　same　adventuress；she　whose　price　is　ticketed　and　who　is　weary　of　pleasure。　That　sort　of　woman　requires；　they　tell　me；　constant　seduction；　she　yields　only　to　her　own　caprices；　any　attempt　to　please　her　argues；　I　should　suppose；　great　conceit　on　the　part　of　a　man。　But　let　us　put　aside　that　class　of　women；　among　whom　you　have　been　good　enough　to　rank　me；　you　ought　to　understand　that　a　young　woman；　handsome；　brilliant；　and　of　noble　birth　（for；　I　suppose；　you　will　grant　me　those　advantages）；　does　not　sell　herself；　and　can　only　be　won　by　the　man　who　loves　her　in　one　way。　You　understand　me？　If　she　loves　him　and　is　willing　to　commit　a　folly；　she　must　be　justified　by　great　and　heroic　reasons。　Forgive　me　this　logic；　rare　in　my　sex；　but　for　the　sake　of　your　happiness；and　my　own；〃　she　added；　dropping　her　head；　〃I　will　not　allow　either　of　us　to　deceive　the　other；　nor　will　I　permit　you　to　think　that　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　angel　or　devil；　maid　or　wife；　is　capable　of　being　seduced　by　commonplace　gallantry。〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　marquis；　whose　surprise；　though　he　concealed　it；　was　extreme；　and　who　at　once　became　a　man　of　the　great　world；　〃I　entreat　you　to　believe　that　I　take　you　to　be　a　very　noble　person；　full　of　the　highest　sentiments；　ora　charming　girl；　as　you　please。〃

〃I　don't　ask　all　that；〃　she　said；　laughing。　〃Allow　me　to　keep　my　incognito。　My　mask　is　better　than　yours；　and　it　pleases　me　to　wear　it；　if　only　to　discover　whether　those　who　talk　to　me　of　love　are　sincere。　Therefore；　beware　of　me！　Monsieur；〃　she　cried；　catching　his　arm　vehemently；　〃listen　to　me；　if　you　were　able　to　prove　that　your　love　is　true；　nothing；　no　human　power；　could　part　us。　Yes；　I　would　fain　unite　myself　to　the　noble　destiny　of　some　great　man；　and　marry　a　vast　ambition；　glorious　hopes！　Noble　hearts　are　never　faithless；　for　constancy　is　in　their　fibre；　I　should　be　forever　loved；　forever　happy；　I　would　make　my　body　a　stepping…stone　by　which　to　raise　the　man　who　loved　me；　I　would　sacrifice　all　things　to　him；　bear　all　things　from　him；　and　love　him　forever；even　if　he　ceased　to　love　me。　I　have　never　before　dared　to　confess　to　another　heart　the　secrets　of　mine；　nor　the　passionate　enthusiasms　which　exhaust　me；　but　I　tell　you　something　of　them　now　because；　as　soon　as　I　have　seen　you　in　safety；　we　shall　part　forever。〃

〃Part？　never！〃　he　cried；　electrified　by　the　tones　of　that　vigorous　soul　which　seemed　to　be　fighting　against　some　overwhelming　thought。

〃Are　you　free？〃　she　said；　with　a　haughty　glance　which　subdued　him。

〃Free！　yes；　except　for　the　sentence　of　death　which　hangs　over　me。〃

She　added　presently；　in　a　voice　full　of　bitter　feeling：　〃If　all　this　were　not　a　dream；　a　glorious　life　might　indeed　be　ours。　But　I　have　been　talking　folly；　let　us　beware　of　committing　any。　When　I　think　of　all　you　would　have　to　be　before　you　could　rate　me　at　my　proper　value　I　doubt　everything〃

〃I　doubt　nothing　if　you　will　only　grant　me〃

〃Hush！〃　she　cried；　hearing　a　note　of　true　passion　in　his　voice；　〃the　open　air　is　decidedly　disagreeing　with　us；　let　us　return　to　the　coach。〃

That　vehicle　soon　came　up；　they　took　their　places　and　drove　on　several　miles　in　total　silence。　Both　had　matter　for　reflection；　but　henceforth　their　eyes　no　longer　feared　to　meet。　Each　now　seemed　to　have　an　equal　interest　in　observing　the　other；　and　in　mutually　hiding　important　secrets；　but　for　all　that　they　were　drawn　together　by　one　and　the　same　impulse；　which　now；　as　a　result　of　this　interview；　assumed　the　dimensions　of　a　passion。　They　recognized　in　each　other　qualities　which　promised　to　heighten　all　the