a second home-第14节

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Granville's　refusal；　and　tried　to　insinuate　calumnious　explanations：　〃If　Monsieur　le　Comte　had　such　an　objection　to　provincial　life；　it　was　perhaps　because　he　dreaded　finding　himself　under　the　necessity　of　leading　a　regular　life；　compelled　to　set　an　example　of　moral　conduct；　and　to　live　with　the　Countess；　from　whom　nothing　could　have　alienated　him　but　some　illicit　connection；　for　how　could　a　woman　so　pure　as　Madame　de　Granville　ever　tolerate　the　disorderly　life　into　which　her　husband　had　drifted？〃　The　sanctimonious　woman　accepted　as　facts　these　hints；　which　unluckily　were　not　merely　hypothetical；　and　Madame　de　Granville　was　stricken　as　by　a　thunderbolt。

Angelique；　knowing　nothing　of　the　world；　of　love　and　its　follies；　was　so　far　from　conceiving　of　any　conditions　of　married　life　unlike　those　that　had　alienated　her　husband　as　possible；　that　she　believed　him　to　be　incapable　of　the　errors　which　are　crimes　in　the　eyes　of　any　wife。　When　the　Count　ceased　to　demand　anything　of　her；　she　imagined　that　the　tranquillity　he　now　seemed　to　enjoy　was　in　the　course　of　nature；　and；　as　she　had　really　given　to　him　all　the　love　which　her　heart　was　capable　of　feeling　for　a　man；　while　the　priest's　conjectures　were　the　utter　destruction　of　the　illusions　she　had　hitherto　cherished；　she　defended　her　husband；　at　the　same　time；　she　could　not　eradicate　the　suspicion　that　had　been　so　ingeniously　sown　in　her　soul。

These　alarms　wrought　such　havoc　in　her　feeble　brain　that　they　made　her　ill；　she　was　worn　by　low　fever。　These　incidents　took　place　during　Lent　1822；　she　would　not　pretermit　her　austerities；　and　fell　into　a　decline　that　put　her　life　in　danger。　Granville's　indifference　was　added　torture；　his　care　and　attention　were　such　as　a　nephew　feels　himself　bound　to　give　to　some　old　uncle。

Though　the　Countess　had　given　up　her　persistent　nagging　and　remonstrances；　and　tried　to　receive　her　husband　with　affectionate　words；　the　sharpness　of　the　bigot　showed　through；　and　one　speech　would　often　undo　the　work　of　a　week。

Towards　the　end　of　May；　the　warm　breath　of　spring；　and　more　nourishing　diet　than　her　Lenten　fare；　restored　Madame　de　Granville　to　a　little　strength。　One　morning；　on　coming　home　from　Mass；　she　sat　down　on　a　stone　bench　in　the　little　garden；　where　the　sun's　kisses　reminded　her　of　the　early　days　of　her　married　life；　and　she　looked　back　across　the　years　to　see　wherein　she　might　have　failed　in　her　duty　as　a　wife　and　mother。　She　was　broken　in　upon　by　the　Abbe　Fontanon　in　an　almost　indescribable　state　of　excitement。

〃Has　any　misfortune　befallen　you；　Father？〃　she　asked　with　filial　solicitude。

〃Ah！　I　only　wish；〃　cried　the　Normandy　priest；　〃that　all　the　woes　inflicted　on　you　by　the　hand　of　God　were　dealt　out　to　me；　but；　my　admirable　friend；　there　are　trials　to　which　you　can　but　bow。〃

〃Can　any　worse　punishments　await　me　than　those　with　which　Providence　crushes　me　by　making　my　husband　the　instrument　of　His　wrath？〃

〃You　must　prepare　yourself；　daughter；　to　yet　worse　mischief　than　we　and　your　pious　friends　had　ever　conceived　of。〃

〃Then　I　may　thank　God；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃for　vouchsafing　to　use　you　as　the　messenger　of　His　will；　and　thus；　as　ever；　setting　the　treasures　of　mercy　by　the　side　of　the　scourges　of　His　wrath；　just　as　in　bygone　days　He　showed　a　spring　to　Hagar　when　He　had　driven　her　into　the　desert。〃

〃He　measures　your　sufferings　by　the　strength　of　your　resignation　and　the　weight　of　your　sins。〃

〃Speak；　I　am　ready　to　hear！〃　As　she　said　it　she　cast　her　eyes　up　to　heaven。　〃Speak；　Monsieur　Fontanon。〃

〃For　seven　years　Monsieur　Granville　has　lived　in　sin　with　a　concubine；　by　whom　he　has　two　children；　and　on　this　adulterous　connection　he　has　spent　more　than　five　hundred　thousand　francs；　which　ought　to　have　been　the　property　of　his　legitimate　family。〃

〃I　must　see　it　to　believe　it！〃　cried　the　Countess。

〃Far　be　it　from　you！〃　exclaimed　the　Abbe。　〃You　must　forgive；　my　daughter；　and　wait　in　patience　and　prayer　till　God　enlightens　your　husband；　unless；　indeed；　you　choose　to　adopt　against　him　the　means　offered　you　by　human　laws。〃

The　long　conversation　that　ensued　between　the　priest　and　his　penitent　resulted　in　an　extraordinary　change　in　the　Countess；　she　abruptly　dismissed　him；　called　her　servants　who　were　alarmed　at　her　flushed　face　and　crazy　energy。　She　ordered　her　carriagecountermanded　it　changed　her　mind　twenty　times　in　the　hour；　but　at　last；　at　about　three　o'clock；　as　if　she　had　come　to　some　great　determination；　she　went　out；　leaving　the　whole　household　in　amazement　at　such　a　sudden　transformation。

〃Is　the　Count　coming　home　to　dinner？〃　she　asked　of　his　servant；　to　whom　she　would　never　speak。

〃No；　madame。〃

〃Did　you　go　with　him　to　the　Courts　this　morning？〃

〃Yes；　madame。〃

〃And　to…day　is　Monday？〃

〃Yes；　madame。〃

〃Then　do　the　Courts　sit　on　Mondays　nowadays？〃

〃Devil　take　you！〃　cried　the　man；　as　his　mistress　drove　off　after　saying　to　the　coachman：

〃Rue　Taitbout。〃



Mademoiselle　de　Bellefeuille　was　weeping：　Roger；　sitting　by　her　side；　held　one　of　her　hands　between　his　own。　He　was　silent；　looking　by　turns　at　little　Charleswho；　not　understanding　his　mother's　grief；　stood　speechless　at　the　sight　of　her　tearsat　the　cot　where　Eugenie　lay　sleeping；　and　Caroline's　face；　on　which　grief　had　the　effect　of　rain　falling　across　the　beams　of　cheerful　sunshine。

〃Yes；　my　darling；〃　said　Roger；　after　a　long　silence；　〃that　is　the　great　secret：　I　am　married。　But　some　day　I　hope　we　may　form　but　one　family。　My　wife　has　been　given　over　ever　since　last　March。　I　do　not　wish　her　dead；　still；　if　it　should　please　God　to　take　her　to　Himself；　I　believe　she　will　be　happier　in　Paradise　than　in　a　world　to　whose　griefs　and　pleasures　she　is　equally　indifferent。〃

〃How　I　hate　that　woman！　How　could　she　bear　to　make　you　unhappy？　And　yet　it　is　to　that　unhappiness　that　I　owe　my　happiness！〃

Her　tears　suddenly　ceased。

〃Caroline；　let　us　hope；〃　cried　Roger。　〃Do　not　be　frightened　by　anything　that　priest　may　have　said　to　you。　Though　my　wife's　confessor　is　a　man　to　be　feared　for　his　power　in　the　congregation；　if　he　should　try　to　blight　our　happiness　I　would　find　means〃

〃What　could　you　do？〃

〃We　would　go　to　Italy：　I　would　fly〃

A　shriek　that　rang　out　from　the　adjoining　room　made　Roger　start　and　Mademoiselle　de　Bellefeuille　quake；　but　she　rushed　into　the　drawing…　room；　and　there　found　Madame　de　Granville　in　a　dead　faint。　When　the　Countess　recovered　her　senses；　she　sighed　deeply　on　finding　herself　supported　by　the　Count　and　her　rival；　whom　she　instinctively　pushed　away　with　a　gesture　of　contempt。　Mademoiselle　de　Bellefeuille　rose　to　withdraw。

〃You　are　at　home；　madame；〃　said　Granville；　taking　Caroline　by　the　arm。　〃Stay。〃

The　Judge　took　up　his　wife　in　his　arms；　carried　her　to　the　carriage；　and　got　into　it　with　her。

〃Who　is　it　that　has　brought　you　to　the　point　of　wishing　me　dead；　of　resolving　to　fly？〃　asked　the　Countess；　looking　at　her　husband　with　grief　mingled　with　indignation。　〃Was　I　not　young？　you　thought　me　prettywhat　fault　have　you　to　find　with　me？　Have　I　been　false　to　you？　Have　I　not　been　a　virtuous　and　well…conducted　wife？　My　heart　has　cherished　no　image　but　yours；　my　ears　have　listened　to　no　other　voice。　What　duty　have　I　failed　in？　What　have　I　ever　denied　you？〃

〃Happiness；　madame；〃　said　the　Count　severely。　〃You　know；　madame；　that　there　are　two　ways　of　serving　God。　Some　Christians　imagine　that　by　going　to　church　at　fixed　hours　to　say　a　/Paternoster/；　by　attending　Mass　regularly　and　avoiding　sin；　they　may　win　heavenbut　they；　madame；　will　go　to　hell；　they　have　not　loved　God　for　himself；　they　have　not　worshiped　Him　as　He　chooses　to　be　worshiped；　they　have　made　no　sacrifice。　Though　mild　in　seeming；　they　are　hard　on　their　neighbors；　they　see　the　law；　the　letter；　not　the　spirit。This　is　how　you　have　treated　me；　your　earthly　husband；　you　have　sacrificed　my　happiness　to　your　salvation；　you　were　always　absorbed　in　prayer　when　I　came　to　you　in　gladness　of　heart；　you　wept　when　you　should　have　cheered　my　toil；　you　have　never　tried　to　satisfy　any　demands　I　have　made　on　you。〃

〃And　if　they　were　wicked；〃　cried　the　Countess　hotly；　〃was　I　to　lose　my　soul　to　please　you？〃

〃It　is　a　sacrifice　which　another；　a　more　loving　woman；　has　dared　to　make；〃　said　Granville　coldly。

〃Dear　God！〃　she　cried；　bursting　into　tears；　〃Thou　hearest！　Has　he　been　worthy　of　the　prayers　and　penance　I　have　lived　in；　wearing　myself　out　to　atone　for　his　sins　and　my　own？Of　what　avail　is　virtue？〃

〃To　win　Heaven；　my　dear。　A　woman　cannot　be　at　the　same　time　the　wife　of　a　man　and　the　spouse　of　Christ。　That　would　be　bigamy；　she　must　choose　between　a　husband　and　a　nunnery。　For　the　sake　of　future　advantage　you　have　stripped　your　soul　of　all　the　love；　all　the　devotion；　which　God　commands　that　you　should　have　for　me；　you　have　cherished　no　feeling　but　hatred〃

〃Have　I　not　loved　you？〃　she　put　in。

〃No；　madame。〃

〃Then　what　is　love？〃　the　Countess　involuntarily　inquired。

〃Love；　my　dear；〃　replied　Granville；　with　a　sort　of　ironical　surprise；　〃you　are　incapable　of　understanding　it。　The　cold　sky　of　Normandy　is　not　that　of　Spain。　This　difference　of　climate　is　no　doubt　the　secret　of　our　disaster。To　yield　to　our　caprices；　to　guess　them；　to　find　pleasure　in　pain；　to　sacrifice　the　w