the chouans-第45节

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The　commandant　shrugged　his　shoulders　slightly；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　is　forced　to　obey；　whether　he　will　or　no；　the　commands　of　a　pretty　woman；　and　he　returned　in　about　half　an　hour；　followed　by　the　Comte　de　Bauvan。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　feigned　surprise　and　seemed　confused　that　the　count　should　see　her　in　such　a　negligent　attitude；　then；　after　reading　in　his　eyes　that　her　first　effect　was　produced；　she　rose　and　busied　herself　about　her　guests　with　well…bred　courtesy。　There　was　nothing　studied　or　forced　in　her　motions；　smiles；　behavior；　or　voice；　nothing　that　betrayed　premeditation　or　purpose。　All　was　harmonious；　no　part　was　over…acted；　an　observer　could　not　have　supposed　that　she　affected　the　manners　of　a　society　in　which　she　had　not　lived。　When　the　Royalist　and　the　Republic　were　seated　she　looked　sternly　at　the　count。　He；　on　his　part；　knew　women　sufficiently　well　to　feel　certain　that　the　offence　he　had　committed　against　this　woman　was　equivalent　to　a　sentence　of　death。　But　in　spite　of　this　conviction；　and　without　seeming　either　gay　or　gloomy；　he　had　the　air　of　a　man　who　did　not　take　such　serious　results　into　consideration；　in　fact；　he　really　thought　it　ridiculous　to　fear　death　in　presence　of　a　pretty　woman。　Marie's　stern　manner　roused　ideas　in　his　mind。

〃Who　knows；〃　thought　he；　〃whether　a　count's　coronet　wouldn't　please　her　as　well　as　that　of　her　lost　marquis？　Montauran　is　as　lean　as　a　nail；　while　I〃　and　he　looked　himself　over　with　an　air　of　satisfaction。　〃At　any　rate　I　should　save　my　head。〃

These　diplomatic　revelations　were　wasted。　The　passion　the　count　proposed　to　feign　for　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　became　a　violent　caprice；　which　the　dangerous　creature　did　her　best　to　heighten。

〃Monsieur　le　comte；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　my　prisoner；　and　I　have　the　right　to　dispose　of　you。　Your　execution　cannot　take　place　without　my　consent；　and　I　have　too　much　curiosity　to　let　them　shoot　you　at　present。〃

〃And　suppose　I　am　obstinate　enough　to　keep　silence？〃　he　replied　gaily。

〃With　an　honest　woman；　perhaps；　but　with　a　woman　of　the　town；　no；　no；　monsieur　le　comte；　impossible！〃　These　words；　full　of　bitter　sarcasm；　were　hissed；　as　Sully　says；　in　speaking　of　the　Duchesse　de　Beaufort；　from　so　sharp　a　beak　that　the　count；　amazed；　merely　looked　at　his　antagonist。　〃But；〃　she　continued；　with　a　scornful　glance；　〃not　to　contradict　you；　if　I　am　a　creature　of　that　kind　I　will　act　like　one。　Here　is　your　gun；〃　and　she　offered　him　his　weapon　with　a　mocking　air。

〃On　the　honor　of　a　gentleman；　mademoiselle〃

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　interrupting　him；　〃I　have　had　enough　of　the　honor　of　gentlemen。　It　was　on　the　faith　of　that　that　I　went　to　La　Vivetiere。　Your　leader　had　sworn　to　me　that　I　and　my　escort　should　be　safe　there。〃

〃What　an　infamy！〃　cried　Hulot；　contracting　his　brows。

〃The　fault　lies　with　monsieur　le　comte；〃　said　Marie；　addressing　Hulot。　〃I　have　no　doubt　the　Gars　meant　to　keep　his　word；　but　this　gentleman　told　some　calumny　about　me　which　confirmed　those　that　Charette's　mistress　had　already　invented〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　count；　much　troubled；　〃with　my　head　under　the　axe　I　would　swear　that　I　said　nothing　but　the　truth。〃

〃In　saying　what？〃

〃That　you　were　the〃

〃Say　the　word；　mistress　of〃

〃The　Marquis　de　Lenoncourt；　the　present　duke；　a　friend　of　mine；〃　replied　the　count。

〃Now　I　can　let　you　go　to　execution；〃　she　said；　without　seeming　at　all　agitated　by　the　outspoken　reply　of　the　count；　who　was　amazed　at　the　real　or　pretended　indifference　with　which　she　heard　his　statement。　〃However；〃　she　added；　laughing；　〃you　have　not　wronged　me　more　than　that　friend　of　whom　you　suppose　me　to　have　been　theFie！　monsieur　le　comte；　surely　you　used　to　visit　my　father；　the　Duc　de　Verneuil？　Yes？　well　then〃

Evidently　considering　Hulot　one　too　many　for　the　confidence　she　was　about　to　make；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　motioned　the　count　to　her　side；　and　said　a　few　words　in　her　ear。　Monsieur　de　Bauvan　gave　a　low　ejaculation　of　surprise　and　looked　with　bewilderment　at　Marie；　who　completed　the　effect　of　her　words　by　leaning　against　the　chimney　in　the　artless　and　innocent　attitude　of　a　child。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　cried　the　count；　〃I　entreat　your　forgiveness；　unworthy　as　I　am　of　it。〃

〃I　have　nothing　to　forgive；〃　she　replied。　〃You　have　no　more　ground　for　repentance　than　you　had　for　the　insolent　supposition　you　proclaimed　at　La　Vivetiere。　But　this　is　a　matter　beyond　your　comprehension。　Only；　remember　this；　monsieur　le　comte；　the　daughter　of　the　Duc　de　Verneuil　has　too　generous　a　spirit　not　to　take　a　lively　interest　in　your　fate。〃

〃Even　after　I　have　insulted　you？〃　said　the　count；　with　a　sort　of　regret。

〃Some　are　placed　so　high　that　insult　cannot　touch　them。　Monsieur　le　comte；I　am　one　of　them。〃

As　she　said　the　words；　the　girl　assumed　an　air　of　pride　and　nobility　which　impressed　the　prisoner　and　made　the　whole　of　this　strange　intrigue　much　less　clear　to　Hulot　than　the　old　soldier　had　thought　it。　He　twirled　his　moustache　and　looked　uneasily　at　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　who　made　him　a　sign；　as　if　to　say　she　was　still　carrying　out　her　plan。

〃Now；〃　continued　Marie；　after　a　pause；　〃let　us　discuss　these　matters。　Francine；　my　dear；　bring　lights。〃

She　adroitly　led　the　conversation　to　the　times　which　had　now；　within　a　few　short　years；　become　the　〃ancien　regime。〃　She　brought　back　that　period　to　the　count's　mind　by　the　liveliness　of　her　remarks　and　sketches；　and　gave　him　so　many　opportunities　to　display　his　wit；　by　cleverly　throwing　repartees　in　his　way；　that　he　ended　by　thinking　he　had　never　been　so　charming；　and　that　idea　having　rejuvenated　him；　he　endeavored　to　inspire　this　seductive　young　woman　with　his　own　good　opinion　of　himself。　The　malicious　creature　practised；　in　return；　every　art　of　her　coquetry　upon　him；　all　the　more　adroitly　because　it　was　mere　play　to　her。　Sometimes　she　let　him　think　he　was　making　rapid　progress；　and　then；　as　if　surprised　at　the　sentiment　she　was　feeling；　she　showed　a　sudden　coolness　which　charmed　him；　and　served　to　increase　imperceptibly　his　impromptu　passion。　She　was　like　a　fisherman　who　lifts　his　line　from　time　to　time　to　see　if　the　fish　is　biting。　The　poor　count　allowed　himself　to　be　deceived　by　the　innocent　air　with　which　she　accepted　two　or　three　neatly　turned　compliments。　Emigration；　Brittany；　the　Republic；　and　the　Chouans　were　far　indeed　from　his　thoughts。　Hulot　sat　erect　and　silent　as　the　god　Thermes。　His　want　of　education　made　him　quite　incapable　of　taking　part　in　a　conversation　of　this　kind；　he　supposed　that　the　talking　pair　were　very　witty；　but　his　efforts　at　comprehension　were　limited　to　discovering　whether　they　were　plotting　against　the　Republic　in　covert　language。

〃Montauran；〃　the　count　was　saying；　〃has　birth　and　breeding；　he　is　a　charming　fellow；　but　he　doesn't　understand　gallantry。　He　is　too　young　to　have　seen　Versailles。　His　education　is　deficient。　Instead　of　diplomatically　defaming；　he　strikes　a　blow。　He　may　be　able　to　love　violently；　but　he　will　never　have　that　fine　flower　of　breeding　in　his　gallantry　which　distinguished　Lauzun；　Adhemar；　Coigny；　and　so　many　others！　He　hasn't　the　winning　art　of　saying　those　pretty　nothings　to　women　which；　after　all；　they　like　better　than　bursts　of　passion；　which　soon　weary　them。　Yes；　though　he　has　undoubtedly　had　many　love…affairs；　he　has　neither　the　grace　nor　the　ease　that　should　belong　to　them。〃

〃I　have　noticed　that　myself；〃　said　Marie。

〃Ah！〃　thought　the　count；　〃there's　an　inflection　in　her　voice；　and　a　look　in　her　eye　which　shows　me　plainly　I　shall　soon　be　/on　terms/　with　her；　and　faith！　to　get　her；　I'll　believe　all　she　wants　me　to。〃

He　offered　her　his　hand；　for　dinner　was　now　announced。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　did　the　honors　with　a　politeness　and　tact　which　could　only　have　been　acquired　by　the　life　and　training　of　a　court。

〃Leave　us；〃　she　whispered　to　Hulot　as　they　left　the　table。　〃You　will　only　frighten　him；　whereas；　if　I　am　alone　with　him　I　shall　soon　find　out　all　I　want　to　know；　he　has　reached　the　point　where　a　man　tells　me　everything　he　thinks；　and　sees　through　my　eyes　only。〃

〃But　afterwards？〃　said　Hulot；　evidently　intending　to　claim　the　prisoner。

〃Afterwards；　he　is　to　be　freefree　as　air；〃　she　replied。

〃But　he　was　taken　with　arms　in　his　hand。〃

〃No；〃　she　said；　making　one　of　those　sophistical　jokes　with　which　women　parry　unanswerable　arguments；　〃I　had　disarmed　him。　Count；〃　she　said；　turning　back　to　him　as　Hulot　departed；　〃I　have　just　obtained　your　liberty；　butnothing　for　nothing；〃　she　added；　laughing；　with　her　head　on　one　side　as　if　to　interrogate　him。

〃Ask　all；　even　my　name　and　my　honor；〃　he　cried；　intoxicated。　〃I　lay　them　at　your　feet。〃

He　advanced　to　seize　her　hand；　trying　to　make　her　take　his　passion　for　gratitude；　but　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　not　a　woman　to　be　thus　misled。　So；　smiling　in　a　way　to　give　some　hope　to　this　new　lover；　she　drew　back　a　few　steps　and　said：　〃You　might　make　me　regret　my　confidence。〃

〃The　imagination　of　a　young　girl　is　more　rapid　than　that　of　a　woman；〃　he　answered；　laughing。

〃A　young　girl　has　more　to　lose　than　a　woman。〃

〃True；　those　who　carry　a　treasure　ought　to　be　distrustful。〃

〃Let　us　quit　such　conventional　language；〃　she　said；　〃and　talk　seriously。　You　are　to　give　a　ball　at　Saint…James。　I