ferragus-第18节

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〃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　Jules。

Then　he　went　down　to　the　porter's　lodge。

〃Fouguereau；　you　will　watch　the　door　yourself　to…day。　I　wish　to　know
exactly　who　comes　to　the　house；　and　who　leaves　it。〃

Then　he　threw　himself　into　a　hackney…coach；　and　was　driven　to　the
hotel　de　Maulincour；　where　he　asked　for　the　baron。

〃Monsieur　is　ill；〃　they　told　him。

Jules　insisted　on　entering；　and　gave　his　name。　If　he　could　not　see　the
baron；　he　wished　to　see　the　vidame　or　the　dowager。　He　waited　some　time
in　the　salon；　where　Madame　de　Maulincour　finally　came　to　him　and　told
him　that　her　grandson　was　much　too　ill　to　receive　him。

〃I　know；　madame；　the　nature　of　his　illness　from　the　letter　you　did　me
the　honor　to　write；　and　I　beg　you　to　believe〃

〃A　letter　to　you；　monsieur；　written　by　me！〃　cried　the　dowager；
interrupting　him。　〃I　have　written　you　no　letter。　What　was　I　made　to
say　in　that　letter；　monsieur？〃

〃Madame；〃　replied　Jules；　〃intending　to　see　Monsieur　de　Maulincour
to…day；　I　thought　it　best　to　preserve　the　letter　in　spite　of　its
injunction　to　destroy　it。　There　it　is。〃

Madame　de　Maulincour　put　on　her　spectacles；　and　the　moment　she　cast
her　eyes　on　the　paper　she　showed　the　utmost　surprise。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃my　writing　is　so　perfectly　imitated　that；　if
the　matter　were　not　so　recent；　I　might　be　deceived　myself。　My　grandson
is　ill；　it　is　true；　but　his　reason　has　never　for　a　moment　been
affected。　We　are　the　puppets　of　some　evil…minded　person　or　persons；
and　yet　I　cannot　imagine　the　object　of　a　trick　like　this。　You　shall
see　my　grandson；　monsieur；　and　you　will　at　once　perceive　that　he　is
perfectly　sound　in　mind。〃

She　rang　the　bell；　and　sent　to　ask　if　the　baron　felt　able　to　receive
Monsieur　Desmarets。　The　servant　returned　with　an　affirmative　answer。
Jules　went　to　the　baron's　room；　where　he　found　him　in　an　arm…chair
near　the　fire。　Too　feeble　to　move；　the　unfortunate　man　merely　bowed
his　head　with　a　melancholy　gesture。　The　Vidame　de　Pamiers　was　sitting
with　him。

〃Monsieur　le　baron；〃　said　Jules；　〃I　have　something　to　say　which　makes
it　desirable　that　I　should　see　you　alone。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　Auguste；　〃Monsieur　le　vidame　knows　about　this
affair；　you　can　speak　fearlessly　before　him。〃

〃Monsieur　le　baron；〃　said　Jules；　in　a　grave　voice；　〃you　have　troubled
and　well…nigh　destroyed　my　happiness　without　having　any　right　to　do
so。　Until　the　moment　when　we　can　see　clearly　which　of　us　should
demand；　or　grant；　reparation　to　the　other；　you　are　bound　to　help　me　in
following　the　dark　and　mysterious　path　into　which　you　have　flung　me。　I
have　now　come　to　ascertain　from　you　the　present　residence　of　the
extraordinary　being　who　exercises　such　a　baneful　effect　on　your　life
and　mine。　On　my　return　home　yesterday；　after　listening　to　your
avowals；　I　received　that　letter。〃

Jules　gave　him　the　forged　letter。

〃This　Ferragus；　this　Bourignard；　or　this　Monsieur　de　Funcal；　is　a
demon！〃　cried　Maulincour；　after　having　read　it。　〃Oh；　what　a　frightful
maze　I　put　my　foot　into　when　I　meddled　in　this　matter！　Where　am　I
going？　I　did　wrong；　monsieur；〃　he　continued；　looking　at　Jules；　〃but
death　is　the　greatest　of　all　expiations；　and　my　death　is　now
approaching。　You　can　ask　me　whatever　you　like；　I　am　at　your　orders。〃

〃Monsieur；　you　know；　of　course；　where　this　man　is　living；　and　I　must
know　it　if　it　costs　me　all　my　fortune　to　penetrate　this　mystery。　In
presence　of　so　cruel　an　enemy　every　moment　is　precious。〃

〃Justin　shall　tell　you　all；〃　replied　the　baron。

At　these　words　the　vidame　fidgeted　on　his　chair。　Auguste　rang　the
bell。

〃Justin　is　not　in　the　house！〃　cried　the　vidame；　in　a　hasty　manner　that
told　much。

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Auguste；　excitedly；　〃the　other　servants　must　know
where　he　is；　send　a　man　on　horseback　to　fetch　him。　Your　valet　is　in
Paris；　isn't　he？　He　can　be　found。〃

The　vidame　was　visibly　distressed。

〃Justin　can't　come；　my　dear　boy；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃he　is　dead。　I
wanted　to　conceal　the　accident　from　you；　but〃

〃Dead！〃　cried　Monsieur　de　Maulincour；〃dead！　When　and　how？〃

〃Last　night。　He　had　been　supping　with　some　old　friends；　and；　I　dare
say；　was　drunk；　his　friendsno　doubt　they　were　drunk；　tooleft　him
lying　in　the　street；　and　a　heavy　vehicle　ran　over　him。〃

〃The　convict　did　not　miss　/him/；　at　the　first　stroke　he　killed；〃　said
Auguste。　〃He　has　had　less　luck　with　me；　it　has　taken　four　blows　to　put
me　out　of　the　way。〃

Jules　was　gloomy　and　thoughtful。

〃Am　I　to　know　nothing；　then？〃　he　cried；　after　a　long　pause。　〃Your
valet　seems　to　have　been　justly　punished。　Did　he　not　exceed　your
orders　in　calumniating　Madame　Desmarets　to　a　person　named　Ida；　whose
jealousy　he　roused　in　order　to　turn　her　vindictiveness　upon　us？〃

〃Ah；　monsieur！　in　my　anger　I　informed　him　about　Madame　Jules；〃　said
Auguste。

〃Monsieur！〃　cried　the　husband；　keenly　irritated。

〃Oh；　monsieur！〃　replied　the　baron；　claiming　silence　by　a　gesture；　〃I
am　prepared　for　all。　You　cannot　tell　me　anything　my　own　conscience　has
not　already　told　me。　I　am　now　expecting　the　most　celebrated　of　all
professors　of　toxicology；　in　order　to　learn　my　fate。　If　I　am　destined
to　intolerable　suffering；　my　resolution　is　taken。　I　shall　blow　my
brains　out。〃

〃You　talk　like　a　child！〃　cried　the　vidame；　horrified　by　the　coolness
with　which　the　baron　said　these　words。　〃Your　grandmother　would　die　of
grief。〃

〃Then；　monsieur；〃　said　Jules；　〃am　I　to　understand　that　there　exist　no
means　of　discovering　in　what　part　of　Paris　this　extraordinary　man
resides？〃

〃I　think；　monsieur；〃　said　the　old　vidame；　〃from　what　I　have　heard　poor
Justin　say；　that　Monsieur　de　Funcal　lives　at　either　the　Portuguese　or
the　Brazilian　embassy。　Monsieur　de　Funcal　is　a　nobleman　belonging　to
both　those　countries。　As　for　the　convict；　he　is　dead　and　buried。　Your
persecutor；　whoever　he　is；　seems　to　me　so　powerful　that　it　would　be
well　to　take　no　decisive　measures　until　you　are　sure　of　some　way　of
confounding　and　crushing　him。　Act　prudently　and　with　caution；　my　dear
monsieur。　Had　Monsieur　de　Maulincour　followed　my　advice；　nothing　of
all　this　would　have　happened。〃

Jules　coldly　but　politely　withdrew。　He　was　now　at　a　total　loss　to　know
how　to　reach　Ferragus。　As　he　passed　into　his　own　house；　the　porter
told　him　that　Madame　had　just　been　out　to　throw　a　letter　into　the　post
box　at　the　head　of　the　rue　de　Menars。　Jules　felt　humiliated　by　this
proof　of　the　insight　with　which　the　porter　espoused　his　cause；　and　the
cleverness　by　which　he　guessed　the　way　to　serve　him。　The　eagerness　of
servants；　and　their　shrewdness　in　compromising　masters　who　compromised
themselves；　was　known　to　him；　and　he　fully　appreciated　the　danger　of
having　them　as　accomplices；　no　matter　for　what　purpose。　But　he　could
not　think　of　his　personal　dignity　until　the　moment　when　he　found
himself　thus　suddenly　degraded。　What　a　triumph　for　the　slave　who　could
not　raise　himself　to　his　master；　to　compel　his　master　to　come　down　to
his　level！　Jules　was　harsh　and　hard　to　him。　Another　fault。　But　he
suffered　so　deeply！　His　life　till　then　so　upright；　so　pure；　was
becoming　crafty；　he　was　to　scheme　and　lie。　Clemence　was　scheming　and
lying。　This　to　him　was　a　moment　of　horrible　disgust。　Lost　in　a　flood
of　bitter　feelings；　Jules　stood　motionless　at　the　door　of　his　house。
Yielding　to　despair；　he　thought　of　fleeing；　of　leaving　France　forever；
carrying　with　him　the　illusions　of　uncertainty。　Then；　again；　not
doubting　that　the　letter　Clemence　had　just　posted　was　addressed　to
Ferragus；　his　mind　searched　for　a　means　of　obtaining　the　answer　that
mysterious　being　was　certain　to　send。　Then　his　thoughts　began　to
analyze　the　singular　good　fortune　of　his　life　since　his　marriage；　and
he　asked　himself　whether　the　calumny　for　which　he　had　taken　such
signal　vengeance　was　not　a　truth。　Finally；　reverting　to　the　coming
answer；　he　said　to　himself：

〃But　this　man；　so　profoundly　capable；　so　logical　in　his　every　act；　who
sees　and　foresees；　who　calculates；　and　even　divines；　our　very
thoughts；　is　he　likely　to　make　an　answer？　Will　he　not　employ　some
other　means　more　in　keeping　with　his　power？　He　may　send　his　answer　by
some　beggar；　or　in　a　carton　brought　by　an　honest　man；　who　does　not
suspect　what　he　brings；　or　in　some　parcel　of　shoes；　which　a　shop…girl
may　innocently　deliver　to　my　wife。　If　Clemence　and　he　have　agreed　upon
such　means〃

He　distrusted　all　things；　his　mind　ran　over　vast　tracts　and　shoreless
oceans　of　conjecture。　Then；　after　floating　for　a　time　among　a　thousand
contradictory　ideas；　he　felt　he　was　strongest　in　his　own　house；　and　he
resolved　to　watch　it　as　the　ant…lion　watches　his　sandy　labyrinth。

〃Fouguereau；〃　he　said　to　the　porter；　〃I　am　not　at　home　to　any　one　who
comes　to　see　me。　If　any　one　calls　to　see　madame；　or　brings　her
anything；　ring　twice。　Bring　all　letters　addressed　here　to　me；　no
matter　for　whom　they　are　intended。〃

〃Thus；〃　thought　he；　as　he　entered　his　study；　which　was　in　the
entresol；　〃I　forestall　the　schemes　of　this　Ferragus。　If　he　sends　some
one　to　ask　for　me　so　as　to　find　out　if　Clemence　is　alone；　at　least　I
shall　not　be　tricked　like　a　foo