the collection of antiquities-第21节

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men。　The　tyranny　of　love　was　their　one　chance　of　asserting　their　power。　She　did　not　know　why　she　had　put　herself　at　the　mercy　of　fair　hair。　Such　men　as　de　Marsay；　Montriveau；　and　Vandenesse；　dark…haired　and　well　grown；　had　a　ray　of　sunlight　in　their　eyes。〃

It　was　a　storm　of　epigrams。　Her　speeches；　like　bullets；　came　hissing　past　his　ears。　Every　word　that　Diane　hurled　at　him　was　triple…barbed；　she　humiliated；　stung；　and　wounded　him　with　an　art　that　was　all　her　own；　as　half　a　score　of　savages　can　torture　an　enemy　bound　to　a　stake。

〃You　are　mad！〃　he　cried　at　last；　at　the　end　of　his　patience；　and　out　he　went　in　God　knows　what　mood。　He　drove　as　if　he　had　never　handled　the　reins　before；　locked　his　wheels　in　the　wheels　of　other　vehicles；　collided　with　the　curbstone　in　the　Place　Louis…Quinze；　went　he　knew　not　whither。　The　horse；　left　to　its　own　devices；　made　a　bolt　for　the　stable　along　the　Quai　d'Orsay；　but　as　he　turned　into　the　Rue　de　l'Universite；　Josephin　appeared　to　stop　the　runaway。

〃You　cannot　go　home；　sir；〃　the　old　man　said；　with　a　scared　face；　〃they　have　come　with　a　warrant　to　arrest　you。〃

Victurnien　thought　that　he　had　been　arrested　on　the　criminal　charge；　albeit　there　had　not　been　time　for　the　public　prosecutor　to　receive　his　instructions。　He　had　forgotten　the　matter　of　the　bills　of　exchange；　which　had　been　stirred　up　again　for　some　days　past　in　the　form　of　orders　to　pay；　brought　by　the　officers　of　the　court　with　accompaniments　in　the　shape　of　bailiffs；　men　in　possession；　magistrates；　commissaries；　policemen；　and　other　representatives　of　social　order。　Like　most　guilty　creatures；　Victurnien　had　forgotten　everything　but　his　crime。

〃It　is　all　over　with　me；〃　he　cried。

〃No；　M。　le　Comte；　drive　as　fast　as　you　can　to　the　Hotel　du　Bon　la　Fontaine；　in　the　Rue　de　Grenelle。　Mlle。　Armande　is　waiting　there　for　you；　the　horses　have　been　put　in；　she　will　take　you　with　her。〃

Victurnien；　in　his　trouble；　caught　like　a　drowning　man　at　the　branch　that　came　to　his　hand；　he　rushed　off　to　the　inn；　reached　the　place；　and　flung　his　arms　about　his　aunt。　Mlle。　Armande　cried　as　if　her　heart　would　break；　any　one　might　have　thought　that　she　had　a　share　in　her　nephew's　guilt。　They　stepped　into　the　carriage。　A　few　minutes　later　they　were　on　the　road　to　Brest；　and　Paris　lay　behind　them。　Victurnien　uttered　not　a　sound；　he　was　paralyzed。　And　when　aunt　and　nephew　began　to　speak；　they　talked　at　cross　purposes；　Victurnien；　still　laboring　under　the　unlucky　misapprehension　which　flung　him　into　Mlle。　Armande's　arms；　was　thinking　of　his　forgery；　his　aunt　had　the　debts　and　the　bills　on　her　mind。

〃You　know　all；　aunt；〃　he　had　said。

〃Poor　boy；　yes；　but　we　are　here。　I　am　not　going　to　scold　you　just　yet。　Take　heart。〃

〃I　must　hide　somewhere。〃

〃Perhaps。　。　。　。　Yes；　it　is　a　very　good　idea。〃

〃Perhaps　I　might　get　into　Chesnel's　house　without　being　seen　if　we　timed　ourselves　to　arrive　in　the　middle　of　the　night？〃

〃That　will　be　best。　We　shall　be　better　able　to　hide　this　from　my　brother。Poor　angel！　how　unhappy　he　is！〃　said　she；　petting　the　unworthy　child。

〃Ah！　now　I　begin　to　know　what　dishonor　means；　it　has　chilled　my　love。〃

〃Unhappy　boy；　what　bliss　and　what　misery！〃　And　Mlle。　Armande　drew　his　fevered　face　to　her　breast　and　kissed　his　forehead；　cold　and　damp　though　it　was；　as　the　holy　women　might　have　kissed　the　brow　of　the　dead　Christ　when　they　laid　Him　in　His　grave　clothes。　Following　out　the　excellent　scheme　suggested　by　the　prodigal　son；　he　was　brought　by　night　to　the　quiet　house　in　the　Rue　du　Bercail；　but　chance　ordered　it　that　by　so　doing　he　ran　straight　into　the　wolf's　jaws；　as　the　saying　goes。　That　evening　Chesnel　had　been　making　arrangements　to　sell　his　connection　to　M。　Lepressoir's　head…clerk。　M。　Lepressoir　was　the　notary　employed　by　the　Liberals；　just　as　Chesnel's　practice　lay　among　the　aristocratic　families。　The　young　fellow's　relatives　were　rich　enough　to　pay　Chesnel　the　considerable　sum　of　a　hundred　thousand　francs　in　cash。

Chesnel　was　rubbing　his　hands。　〃A　hundred　thousand　francs　will　go　a　long　way　in　buying　up　debts；〃　he　thought。　〃The　young　man　is　paying　a　high　rate　of　interest　on　his　loans。　We　will　lock　him　up　down　here。　I　will　go　yonder　myself　and　bring　those　curs　to　terms。〃

Chesnel；　honest　Chesnel；　upright；　worthy　Chesnel；　called　his　darling　Comte　Victurnien's　creditors　〃curs。〃

Meanwhile　his　successor　was　making　his　way　along　the　Rue　du　Bercail　just　as　Mlle。　Armande's　traveling　carriage　turned　into　it。　Any　young　man　might　be　expected　to　feel　some　curiosity　if　he　saw　a　traveling　carriage　stop　at　a　notary's　door　in　such　a　town　and　at　such　an　hour　of　the　night；　the　young　man　in　question　was　sufficiently　inquisitive　to　stand　in　a　doorway　and　watch。　He　saw　Mlle。　Armande　alight。

〃Mlle。　Armande　d'Esgrignon　at　this　time　of　night！〃　said　he　to　himself。　〃What　can　be　going　forward　at　the　d'Esgrignons'？〃

At　the　sight　of　mademoiselle；　Chesnel　opened　the　door　circumspectly　and　set　down　the　light　which　he　was　carrying；　but　when　he　looked　out　and　saw　Victurnien；　Mlle。　Armande's　first　whispered　word　made　the　whole　thing　plain　to　him。　He　looked　up　and　down　the　street；　it　seemed　quite　deserted；　he　beckoned；　and　the　young　Count　sprang　out　of　the　carriage　and　entered　the　courtyard。　All　was　lost。　Chesnel's　successor　had　discovered　Victurnien's　hiding　place。

Victurnien　was　hurried　into　the　house　and　installed　in　a　room　beyond　Chesnel's　private　office。　No　one　could　enter　it　except　across　the　old　man's　dead　body。

〃Ah！　M。　le　Comte！〃　exclaimed　Chesnel；　notary　no　longer。

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　the　Count　answered；　understanding　his　old　friend's　exclamation。　〃I　did　not　listen　to　you；　and　now　I　have　fallen　into　the　depths；　and　I　must　perish。〃

〃No；　no；〃　the　good　man　answered；　looking　triumphantly　from　Mlle。　Armande　to　the　Count。　〃I　have　sold　my　connection。　I　have　been　working　for　a　very　long　time　now；　and　am　thinking　of　retiring。　By　noon　to…　morrow　I　shall　have　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　many　things　can　be　settled　with　that。　Mademoiselle；　you　are　tired；〃　he　added；　〃go　back　to　the　carriage　and　go　home　and　sleep。　Business　to…morrow。〃

〃Is　he　safe？〃　returned　she；　looking　at　Victurnien。

〃Yes。〃

She　kissed　her　nephew；　a　few　tears　fell　on　his　forehead。　Then　she　went。

〃My　good　Chesnel；〃　said　the　Count；　when　they　began　to　talk　of　business；　〃what　are　your　hundred　thousand　francs　in　such　a　position　as　mine？　You　do　not　know　the　full　extent　of　my　troubles；　I　think。〃

Victurnien　explained　the　situation。　Chesnel　was　thunderstruck。　But　for　the　strength　of　his　devotion；　he　would　have　succumbed　to　this　blow。　Tears　streamed　from　the　eyes　that　might　well　have　had　no　tears　left　to　shed。　For　a　few　moments　he　was　a　child　again；　for　a　few　moments　he　was　bereft　of　his　senses；　he　stood　like　a　man　who　should　find　his　own　house　on　fire；　and　through　a　window　see　the　cradle　ablaze　and　hear　the　hiss　of　the　flames　on　his　children's　curls。　He　rose　to　his　full　height　il　se　dressa　en　pied；　as　Amyot　would　have　said；　he　seemed　to　grow　taller；　he　raised　his　withered　hands　and　wrung　them　despairingly　and　wildly。

〃If　only　your　father　may　die　and　never　know　this；　young　man！　To　be　a　forger　is　enough；　a　parricide　you　must　not　be。　Fly；　you　say？　No。　They　would　condemn　you　for　contempt　of　court！　Oh；　wretched　boy！　Why　did　you　not　forge　MY　signature？　_I_　would　have　paid；　I　should　not　have　taken　the　bill　to　the　public　prosecutor。Now　I　can　do　nothing。　You　have　brought　me　to　a　stand　in　the　lowest　pit　in　hell！Du　Croisier！　What　will　come　of　it？　What　is　to　be　done？If　you　had　killed　a　man；　there　might　be　some　help　for　it。　But　forgeryFORGERY！　And　timethe　time　is　flying；〃　he　went　on；　shaking　his　fist　towards　the　old　clock。　〃You　will　want　a　sham　passport　now。　One　crime　leads　to　another。　First；〃　he　added；　after　a　pause；　〃first　of　all　we　must　save　the　house　of　d'Esgrignon。〃

〃But　the　money　is　still　in　Mme。　de　Maufrigneuse's　keeping；〃　exclaimed　Victurnien。

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Chesnel。　〃Well；　there　is　some　hope　lefta　faint　hope。　Could　we　soften　du　Croisier；　I　wonder；　or　buy　him　over？　He　shall　have　all　the　lands　if　he　likes。　I　will　go　to　him；　I　will　wake　him　and　offer　him　all　we　have。Besides；　it　was　not　you　who　forged　that　bill；　it　was　I。　I　will　go　to　jail；　I　am　too　old　for　the　hulks；　they　can　only　put　me　in　prison。〃

〃But　the　body　of　the　bill　is　in　my　handwriting；〃　objected　Victurnien；　without　a　sign　of　surprise　at　this　reckless　devotion。

〃Idiot！　。　。　。　that　is；　pardon；　M。　le　Comte。　Josephin　should　have　been　made　to　write　it；〃　the　old　notary　cried　wrathfully。　〃He　is　a　good　creature；　he　would　have　taken　it　all　on　his　shoulders。　But　there　is　an　end　of　it；　the　world　is　falling　to　pieces；〃　the　old　man　continued；　sinking　exhausted　into　a　chair。　〃Du　Croisier　is　a　tiger；　we　must　be　careful　not　to　rouse　him。　What　time　is　it？　Where　is　the　draft？　If　it　is　at　Paris；　it　might　be　bought　back　from　the　Kellers；　they　might　accommodate　us。　Ah！　but　there　are　dangers　on　all　sides；　a　single　false　step　means　ruin。　Money　is　wanted　in　any　case。　But　there！　nobody　knows　you　are　here；　you　must　live　buried　away　in　the　cellar　if　needs　must。　I　will　go　at　once　to　Paris　as　fast　as　I　can；　I　can　hear　the　mail　coach　from　Brest。〃

In　a　moment　the　old　man　recovered　the　faculties　of　his　youthhis　agility　and　vigor。　He