the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第15节
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an affrighted gesture drew the curtain rapidly aside。
Our eyes met。 What if she screamed and aroused the house？ What；
indeed？ 〃Madame；〃 I said again； speaking hurriedly； and striving to
reassure her by the softness of my voice； 〃we implore your help！ Unless
you assist us we are lost。〃
〃You！ Who are you？〃 she cried； glaring at us wildly； her hand to
her head。 And then she murmured to herself； 〃Mon Dieu！ what will
become of me？〃
〃We have been imprisoned in the house opposite；〃 I hastened to
explain； disjointedly I am afraid。 〃And we have escaped。 We cannot
get back if we would。 Unless you let us enter your room and give us
shelter〃
〃We shall be dashed to pieces on the pavement；〃 supplied Marie； with
perfect calmnessnay； with apparent enjoyment。
〃Let you in here？〃 she answered； starting back in new terror； 〃it is
impossible。〃
She reminded me of our cousin； being； like her pale and dark… haired。
She wore her hair in a coronet； disordered now。 But though she was still
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beautiful； she was older than Kit； and lacked her pliant grace。 I saw all
this； and judging her nature； I spoke out of my despair。 〃Madame；〃 I said
piteously； 〃we are only boys。 Croisette！ Come up！〃 Squeezing
myself still more tightly into my corner of the ledge； I made room for him
between us。 〃See； Madame；〃 I cried； craftily； 〃will you not have pity on
three boys？〃
St。 Crois's boyish face and fair hair arrested her attention； as I had
expected。 Her expression grew softer； and she murmured； 〃Poor boy！〃
I caught at the opportunity。 〃We do but seek a passage through your
room；〃 I said fervently。 Good heavens； what had we not at stake！ What
if she should remain obdurate？ 〃We are in trouble in despair；〃 I panted。
〃So； I believe； are you。 We will help you if you will first save us。 We
are boys； but we can fight for you。〃
〃Whom am I to trust？〃 she exclaimed； with a shudder。 〃But heaven
forbid；〃 she continued； her eyes on Croisette's face； 〃that； wanting help； I
should refuse to give it。 Come in； if you will。〃
I poured out my thanks； and had forced my head between the bars at
imminent risk of its remaining therebefore the words were well out of
her mouth。 But to enter was no easy task after all。 Croisette did； indeed；
squeeze through at last； and then by force pulled first one and then the
other of us after him。 But only necessity and that chasm behind could
have nerved us； I think； to go through a process so painful。 When I stood；
at length on the floor； I seemed to be one great abrasion from head to foot。
And before a lady； too！
But what a joy I felt； nevertheless。 A fig for Bezers now。 He had
called us boys； and we were boys。 But he should yet find that we could
thwart him。 It could be scarcely half…an…hour after midnight； we might
still be in time。 I stretched myself and trod the level door jubilantly； and
then noticed； while doing so； that our hostess had retreated to the door and
was eyeing us timidlyhalf…scared。
I advanced to her with my lowest bowsadly missing my sword。
〃Madame；〃 I said； 〃I am M。 Anne de Caylus； and these are my brothers。
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And we are at your service。〃
〃And I；〃 she replied； smiling faintlyI do not know why〃am
Madame de Pavannes； I gratefully accept your offers of service。〃
〃De Pavannes？〃 I exclaimed； amazed and overjoyed。 Madame de
Pavannes！ Why； she must be Louis' kinswoman！ No doubt she could
tell us where he was lodged； and so rid our task of half its difficulty。
Could anything have fallen out more happily？ 〃You know then M。 Louis
de Pavannes？〃 I continued eagerly。
〃Certainly；〃 she answered； smiling with a rare shy sweetness this time。
〃Very well indeed。 He is my husband。〃
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CHAPTER V。
A PRIEST AND A WOMAN。
〃He is my husband！〃
The statement was made in the purest innocence； yet never； as may
well be imagined； did words fall with more stunning force。 Not one of us
answered or； I believe； moved so much as a limb or an eyelid。 We only
stared； wanting time to take in the astonishing meaning of the words； and
then more time to think what they meant to us in particular。
Louis de Pavannes' wife！ Louis de Pavannes married！ If the
statement were trueand we could not doubt； looking in her face； that at
least she thought she was telling the truthit meant that we had been
fooled indeed！ That we had had this journey for nothing； and run this
risk for a villain。 It meant that the Louis de Pavannes who had won our
boyish admiration was the meanest； the vilest of court…gallants。 That
Mademoiselle de Caylus had been his sport and plaything。 And that we
in trying to be beforehand with Bezers had been striving to save a
scoundrel from his due。 It meant all that； as soon as we grasped it in the
least。
〃Madame；〃 said Croisette gravely； after a pause so prolonged that her
smile faded pitifully from her face； scared by our strange looks。 〃Your
husband has been some time away from you？ He only returned； I think；
a week or two ago？〃
〃That is so；〃 she answered； naively； and our last hope vanished。 〃But
what of that？ He was back with me again； and only yesterdayonly
yesterday！〃 she continued； clasping her hands； 〃we were so happy。〃
〃And now； madame？〃
She looked at me； not comprehending。
〃I mean；〃 I hastened to explain； 〃we do not understand how you come
to be here。 And a prisoner。〃 I was really thinking that her story might
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throw some light upon ours。
〃I do not know； myself；〃 she said。 〃Yesterday； in the afternoon； I paid
a visit to the Abbess of the Ursulines。〃
〃Pardon me；〃 Croisette interposed quickly； 〃but are you not of the new
faith？ A Huguenot？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 she answered eagerly。 〃But the Abbess is a very dear
friend of mine； and no bigot。 Oh； nothing of that kind； I assure you。
When I am in Paris I visit her once a week。 Yesterday； when I left her；
she begged me to call here and deliver a message。〃
〃Then；〃 I said； 〃you know this house？〃
〃Very well； indeed；〃 she replied。 〃It is the sign of the 'Hand and
Glove；' one door out of the Rue Platriere。 I have been in Master
Mirepoix's shop more than once before。 I came here yesterday to deliver
the message； leaving my maid in the street； and I was asked to come up
stairs； and still up until I reached this room。 Asked to wait a moment； I
began to think it strange that I should be brought to so wretched a place；
when I had merely a message for Mirepoix's ear about some gauntlets。 I
tried the door； I found it locked。 Then I was terrified； and made a noise。〃
We all nodded。 We were busy building up theoriesor it might be
one and the same theoryto explain this。 〃Yes；〃 I said； eagerly。
〃Mirepoix came to me then。 'What does this mean？' I demanded。 He
looked ashamed of himself； but he barred my way。 'Only this；' he said at
last； 'that your ladyship must remain here a few hourstwo days at most。
No harm whatever is intended to you。 My wife will wait upon you； and
when you leave us； all shall be explained。' He would say no more； and it
was in vain I asked him if he did not take me for some one else； if he
thought I was mad。 To all he
