ferragus-第17节

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yours；　excuse　me。　But　this　I　say；　if　Madame　Jules　was　a　court　duchess；
Henri　is　rich　enough　to　satisfy　all　her　fancies；　and　it　is　my　business
to　protect　my　property；　I've　a　right　to；　for　I　love　him；　that　I　do。　He
is　my　/first/　inclination；　my　happiness　and　all　my　future　fate　depends
on　it。　I　fear　nothing；　monsieur；　I　am　honest；　I　never　lied；　or　stole
the　property　of　any　living　soul；　no　matter　who。　If　an　empress　was　my
rival；　I'd　go　straight　to　her；　empress　as　she　was；　because　all　pretty
women　are　equals；　monsieur〃

〃Enough！　enough！〃　said　Jules。　〃Where　do　you　live？〃

〃Rue　de　la　Corderie…du…Temple；　number　14；　monsieur；Ida　Gruget；
corset…maker；　at　your　service；for　we　make　lots　of　corsets　for　men。〃

〃Where　does　the　man　whom　you　call　Ferragus　live？〃

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　pursing　up　her　lips；　〃in　the　first　place；　he's
not　a　man；　he　is　a　rich　monsieur；　much　richer；　perhaps；　than　you　are。
But　why　do　you　ask　me　his　address　when　your　wife　knows　it？　He　told　me
not　to　give　it。　Am　I　obliged　to　answer　you？　I'm　not；　thank　God；　in　a
confessional　or　a　police…court；　I'm　responsible　only　to　myself。〃

〃If　I　were　to　offer　you　ten　thousand　francs　to　tell　me　where　Monsieur
Ferragus　lives；　how　then？〃

〃Ha！　n；　o；　/no/；　my　little　friend；　and　that　ends　the　matter；〃　she
said；　emphasizing　this　singular　reply　with　a　popular　gesture。　〃There's
no　sum　in　the　world　could　make　me　tell　you。　I　have　the　honor　to　bid
you　good…day。　How　do　I　get　out　of　here？〃

Jules；　horror…struck；　allowed　her　to　go　without　further　notice。　The
whole　world　seemed　to　crumble　beneath　his　feet；　and　above　him　the
heavens　were　falling　with　a　crash。

〃Monsieur　is　served；〃　said　his　valet。

The　valet　and　the　footman　waited　in　the　dining…room　a　quarter　of　an
hour　without　seeing　master　or　mistress。

〃Madame　will　not　dine　to…day；〃　said　the　waiting…maid；　coming　in。

〃What's　the　matter；　Josephine？〃　asked　the　valet。

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered。　〃Madame　is　crying；　and　is　going　to　bed。
Monsieur　has　no　doubt　got　some　love…affair　on　hand；　and　it　has　been
discovered　at　a　very　bad　time。　I　wouldn't　answer　for　madame's　life。
Men　are　so　clumsy；　they'll　make　you　scenes　without　any　precaution。〃

〃That's　not　so；〃　said　the　valet；　in　a　low　voice。　〃On　the　contrary；
madame　is　the　one　whoyou　understand？　What　times　does　monsieur　have
to　go　after　pleasures；　he；　who　hasn't　slept　out　of　madame's　room　for
five　years；　who　goes　to　his　study　at　ten　and　never　leaves　it　till
breakfast；　at　twelve。　His　life　is　all　known；　it　is　regular；　whereas
madame　goes　out　nearly　every　day　at　three　o'clock；　Heaven　knows
where。〃

〃And　monsieur　too；〃　said　the　maid；　taking　her　mistress's　part。

〃Yes；　but　he　goes　straight　to　the　Bourse。　I　told　him　three　times　that
dinner　was　ready；〃　continued　the　valet；　after　a　pause。　〃You　might　as
well　talk　to　a　post。〃

Monsieur　Jules　entered　the　dining…room。

〃Where　is　madame？〃　he　said。

〃Madame　is　going　to　bed；　her　head　aches；〃　replied　the　maid；　assuming
an　air　of　importance。

Monsieur　Jules　then　said　to　the　footmen　composedly：　〃You　can　take
away；　I　shall　go　and　sit　with　madame。〃

He　went　to　his　wife's　room　and　found　her　weeping；　but　endeavoring　to
smother　her　sobs　with　her　handkerchief。

〃Why　do　you　weep？〃　said　Jules；　〃you　need　expect　no　violence　and　no
reproaches　from　me。　Why　should　I　avenge　myself？　If　you　have　not　been
faithful　to　my　love；　it　is　that　you　were　never　worthy　of　it。〃

〃Not　worthy？〃　The　words　were　repeated　amid　her　sobs　and　the　accent　in
which　they　were　said　would　have　moved　any　other　man　than　Jules。

〃To　kill　you；　I　must　love　more　than　perhaps　I　do　love　you；〃　he
continued。　〃But　I　should　never　have　the　courage；　I　would　rather　kill
myself；　leaving　you　to　yourhappiness；　and　withwhom！〃

He　did　not　end　his　sentence。

〃Kill　yourself！〃　she　cried；　flinging　herself　at　his　feet　and　clasping
them。

But　he；　wishing　to　escape　the　embrace；　tried　to　shake　her　off；
dragging　her　in　so　doing　toward　the　bed。

〃Let　me　alone；〃　he　said。

〃No；　no；　Jules！〃　she　cried。　〃If　you　love　me　no　longer　I　shall　die。　Do
you　wish　to　know　all？〃

〃Yes。〃

He　took　her；　grasped　her　violently；　and　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the
bed；　holding　her　between　his　legs。　Then；　looking　at　that　beautiful
face　now　red　as　fire　and　furrowed　with　tears；

〃Speak；〃　he　said。

Her　sobs　began　again。

〃No；　it　is　a　secret　of　life　and　death。　If　I　tell　it；　INo；　I　cannot。
Have　mercy；　Jules！〃

〃You　have　betrayed　me〃

〃Ah！　Jules；　you　think　so　now；　but　soon　you　will　know　all。〃

〃But　this　Ferragus；　this　convict　whom　you　go　to　see；　a　man　enriched　by
crime；　if　he　does　not　belong　to　you；　if　you　do　not　belong　to　him〃

〃Oh；　Jules！〃

〃Speak！　Is　he　your　mysterious　benefactor？the　man　to　whom　we　owe　our
fortune；　as　persons　have　said　already？〃

〃Who　said　that？〃

〃A　man　whom　I　killed　in　a　duel。〃

〃Oh；　God！　one　death　already！〃

〃If　he　is　not　your　protector；　if　he　does　not　give　you　money；　if　it　is
you；　on　the　contrary；　who　carry　money　to　him；　tell　me；　is　he　your
brother？〃

〃What　if　he　were？〃　she　said。

Monsieur　Desmarets　crossed　his　arms。

〃Why　should　that　have　been　concealed　from　me？〃　he　said。　〃Then　you　and
your　mother　have　both　deceived　me？　Besides；　does　a　woman　go　to　see　her
brother　every　day；　or　nearly　every　day？〃

His　wife　had　fainted　at　his　feet。

〃Dead；〃　he　said。　〃And　suppose　I　am　mistaken？〃

He　sprang　to　the　bell…rope；　called　Josephine；　and　lifted　Clemence　to
the　bed。

〃I　shall　die　of　this；〃　said　Madame　Jules；　recovering　consciousness。

〃Josephine；〃　cried　Monsieur　Desmarets。　〃Send　for　Monsieur　Desplein；
send　also　to　my　brother　and　ask　him　to　come　here　immediately。〃

〃Why　your　brother？〃　asked　Clemence。

But　Jules　had　already　left　the　room。



CHAPTER　IV

WHERE　GO　TO　DIE？

For　the　first　time　in　five　years　Madame　Jules　slept　alone　in　her　bed；
and　was　compelled　to　admit　a　physician　into　that　sacred　chamber。　These
in　themselves　were　two　keen　pangs。　Desplein　found　Madame　Jules　very
ill。　Never　was　a　violent　emotion　more　untimely。　He　would　say　nothing
definite；　and　postponed　till　the　morrow　giving　any　opinion；　after
leaving　a　few　directions；　which　were　not　executed；　the　emotions　of　the
heart　causing　all　bodily　cares　to　be　forgotten。

When　morning　dawned；　Clemence　had　not　yet　slept。　Her　mind　was　absorbed
in　the　low　murmur　of　a　conversation　which　lasted　several　hours　between
the　brothers；　but　the　thickness　of　the　walls　allowed　no　word　which
could　betray　the　object　of　this　long　conference　to　reach　her　ears。
Monsieur　Desmarets；　the　notary；　went　away　at　last。　The　stillness　of
the　night；　and　the　singular　activity　of　the　senses　given　by　powerful
emotion；　enabled　Clemence　to　distinguish　the　scratching　of　a　pen　and
the　involuntary　movements　of　a　person　engaged　in　writing。　Those　who
are　habitually　up　at　night；　and　who　observe　the　different　acoustic
effects　produced　in　absolute　silence；　know　that　a　slight　echo　can　be
readily　perceived　in　the　very　places　where　louder　but　more　equable　and
continued　murmurs　are　not　distinct。　At　four　o'clock　the　sound　ceased。
Clemence　rose；　anxious　and　trembling。　Then；　with　bare　feet　and　without
a　wrapper；　forgetting　her　illness　and　her　moist　condition；　the　poor
woman　opened　the　door　softly　without　noise　and　looked　into　the　next
room。　She　saw　her　husband　sitting；　with　a　pen　in　his　hand；　asleep　in
his　arm…chair。　The　candles　had　burned　to　the　sockets。　She　slowly
advanced　and　read　on　an　envelope；　already　sealed；　the　words；　〃This　is
my　will。〃

She　knelt　down　as　if　before　an　open　grave　and　kissed　her　husband's
hand。　He　woke　instantly。

〃Jules；　my　friend；　they　grant　some　days　to　criminals　condemned　to
death；〃　she　said；　looking　at　him　with　eyes　that　blazed　with　fever　and
with　love。　〃Your　innocent　wife　asks　only　two。　Leave　me　free　for　two
days；　andwait！　After　that；　I　shall　die　happyat　least；　you　will
regret　me。〃

〃Clemence；　I　grant　them。〃

Then；　as　she　kissed　her　husband's　hands　in　the　tender　transport　of　her
heart；　Jules；　under　the　spell　of　that　cry　of　innocence；　took　her　in
his　arms　and　kissed　her　forehead；　though　ashamed　to　feel　himself　still
under　subjection　to　the　power　of　that　noble　beauty。

On　the　morrow；　after　taking　a　few　hours'　rest；　Jules　entered　his
wife's　room；　obeying　mechanically　his　invariable　custom　of　not　leaving
the　house　without　a　word　to　her。　Clemence　was　sleeping。　A　ray　of　light
passing　through　a　chink　in　the　upper　blind　of　a　window　fell　across　the
face　of　the　dejected　woman。　Already　suffering　had　impaired　her
forehead　and　the　freshness　of　her　lips。　A　lover's　eye　could　not　fail
to　notice　the　appearance　of　dark　blotches；　and　a　sickly　pallor　in
place　of　the　uniform　tone　of　the　cheeks　and　the　pure　ivory　whiteness
of　the　skin；two　points　at　which　the　sentiments　of　her　noble　soul
were　artlessly　wont　to　show　themselves。

〃She　suffers；〃　thought　Jules。　〃Poor　Clemence！　May　God　protect　us！〃

He　kissed　her　very　softly　on　the　forehead。　She　woke；　saw　her　husband；
and　remembered　all。　Unable　to　speak；　she　took　his　hand；　her　eyes
filling　with　tears。

〃I　am　innocent；〃　she　said；　ending　her　dream。

〃You　will　not　go　out　to…day；　will　you？〃　asked　Jules。

〃No；　I　feel　too　weak　to　leave　my　bed。〃

〃If　you　should　change　your　mind；　wait　till　I　return；〃　said