the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第17节
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strangely。 A moment before； the two had been in one another's arms。
Now they stood apart； somehow chilled and disillusionised。 The shadow
of the priest had fallen upon themhad come between them。
At this crisis the fourth person present asserted himself。 Hitherto he
had stood silent just within the door： a plain man； plainly dressed；
somewhat over sixty and grey…haired。 He looked disconcerted and
embarrassed； and I took him for Mirepoix rightly as it turned out。
〃I am sure；〃 he now exclaimed； his voice trembling with anxiety； or it
might be with fear； 〃your ladyship will regret leaving here！ You will
indeed！ No harm would have happened to you。 Madame d'O does not
know what she is doing； or she would not take you away。 She does not
know what she is doing！〃 he repeated earnestly。
〃Madame d'O！〃 cried the beautiful Diane； her brown eyes darting
fire at the unlucky culprit； her voice full of angry disdain。 〃How dare you
such as youmention my name？ Wretch！〃
She flung the last word at him； and the priest took it up。 〃Ay； wretch！
Wretched man indeed！〃 he repeated slowly； stretching out his long thin
hand and laying it like the claw of some bird of prey on the tradesman's
shoulder； which flinched； I saw； under the touch。 〃How dare yousuch
as youmeddle with matters of the nobility？ Matters that do not concern
you？ Trouble！ I see trouble hanging over this house； Mirepoix！ Much
trouble！〃
The miserable fellow trembled visibly under the covert threat。 His face
grew pale。 His lips quivered。 He seemed fascinated by the priest's gaze。
〃I am a faithful son of the church；〃 he muttered； but his voice shook so
that the words were scarcely audible。 〃I am known to be such！ None
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better known in Paris； M。 le Coadjuteur。〃
〃Men are known by their works！〃 the priest retorted。 〃Now； now；〃
he continued； abruptly raising his voice； and lifting his hand in a kind of
exaltation； real or feigned； 〃is the appointed time！ And now is the day of
salvation！ and woe； Mirepoix； woe！ woe！ to the backslider； and to him
that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back to…night！〃
The layman cowered and shrank before his fierce denunciation； while
Madame de Pavannes gazed from one to the other as if her dislike for the
priest were so great that seeing the two thus quarrelling； she almost
forgave Mirepoix his offence。 〃Mirepoix said he could explain；〃 she
murmured irresolutely。
The Coadjutor fixed his baleful eyes on him。 〃Mirepoix；〃 he said
grimly； 〃can explain nothing！ Nothing！ I dare him to explain！〃
And certainly Mirepoix thus challenged was silent。 〃Come；〃 the
priest continued peremptorily； turning to the lady who had entered with
him； 〃your sister must leave with us at once。 We have no time to lose。〃
〃But what what does it mean！〃 Madame de Pavannes said； as though
she hesitated even now。 〃Is there danger still？〃
〃Danger！〃 the priest exclaimed； his form seeming to swell； and the
exaltation I had before read in his voice and manner again asserting itself。
〃I put myself at your service； Madame； and danger disappears！ I am as
God to…night with powers of life and death！ You do not understand me？
Presently you shall。 But you are ready。 We will go then。 Out of the
way； fellow！〃 he thundered； advancing upon the door。
But Mirepoix； who had placed himself with his back to it； to my
astonishment did not give way。 His full bourgeois face was pale； yet
peeping through my chink； I read in it a desperate resolution。 And oddly…
…very oddly； because I knew that； in keeping Madame de Pavannes a
prisoner； he must be in the wrongI sympathised with him。 Low…bred
trader； tool of Pavannes though he was； I sympathised with him； when he
said firmly：
〃She shall not go！〃
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〃I say she shall！〃 the priest shrieked； losing all control over himself。
〃 Fool！ Madman！ You know not what you do！〃 As the words passed
his lips； he made an adroit forward movement； surprised the other；
clutched him by the arms； and with a strength I should never have thought
lay in his meagre frame； flung him some paces into the room。 〃Fool！〃
he hissed； shaking his crooked fingers at him in malignant triumph。
〃There is no man in Paris； do you hearor woman eithershall thwart me
to… night！〃
〃Is that so？ Indeed？〃
The words； and the cold； cynical voice； were not those of Mirepoix；
they came from behind。 The priest wheeled round； as if he had been
stabbed in the back。 I clutched Croisette； and arrested the cramped limb I
was moving under cover of the noise。 The speaker was Bezers！ He stood
in the open door…way； his great form filling it from post to post； the old
gibing smile on his face。 We had been so taken up； actors and audience
alike； with the altercation； that no one had heard him ascend the stairs。
He still wore the black and silver suit； but it was half hidden now under a
dark riding cloak which just disclosed the glitter of his weapons。 He was
booted and spurred and gloved as for a journey。
〃Is that so？〃 he repeated mockingly； as his gaze rested in turn on
each of the four； and then travelled sharply round the room。 〃So you will
not be thwarted by any man in Paris； to…night； eh？ Have you considered；
my dear Coadjutor； what a large number of people there are in Paris？ It
would amuse me very greatly now and I'm sure it would the ladies too；
who must pardon my abrupt entranceto see you put to the test； pitted
againstshall we say the Duke of Anjou？ Or M。 de Guise； our great man？
Or the Admiral？ Say the Admiral foot to foot？〃
Rage and fearrage at the intrusion； fear of the intruder struggled in
the priest's face。 〃How do you come here； and what do you want？〃 he
inquired hoarsely。 If looks and tones could kill； we three； trembling
behind our flimsy screen； had been freed at that moment from our enemy。
〃I have come in search of the young birds whose necks you were for
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stretching； my friend！〃 was Bezers' answer。 〃They have vanished。
Birds they must be； for unless they have come into this house by that
window； they have flown away with wings。〃
〃They have not passed this way；〃 the priest declared stoutly； eager only
to get rid of the other and I blessed him for the words！ 〃I have been here
since I left you。〃
But the Vidame was not one to accept any man's statement。 〃Thank
you； I think I will see for myself；〃 he answered coolly。 〃Madame；〃 he
continued； speaking to Madame de Pavannes as he passed her； 〃permit
me。〃
He did not look at her； or see her emotion； or I think he must have
divined our presence。 And happily the others did not suspect her of
knowing more than they did。 He crossed the floor at his leisure；and
sauntered to the window； watched by them with impatience。 He drew
aside the curtain； and tried each of the bars； and peered through the
opening both up and down； An oath and an expression of wonder escaped
him。 The bars were standing； and firm and strong； and it did not occur to
him that we could have passed between them。 I am afraid to say how
few inches they were apart。
As he turned； he cast a casual glance at the bedat us； and hesitated。
He had the candle in his hand； having taken it to the
