la constantin-第13节

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〃He's　as　insolent　as　a　varlet　who　has　no　fear　of　a　larruping　before　his　eyes：　how　the　rapscallion　gloried　in　taking　advantage　of　his　position！　　Taking…off　his　hat　while　putting　his　foot　on　my　neck！　　If　ever　I　can　be　even　with　you；　my　worthy　scrivener；　you'll　pass　a　very　bad　quarter　of　an　hour；　I　can　tell　you。〃

Everyone　has　his　own　idea　of　what　constitutes　perfect　honour。　　De　Jars；　for　instance；　would　have　allowed　himself　to　be　cut　up　into　little　pieces　rather　than　have　broken　the　promise　he　had　given　Quennebert　a　week　ago；　because　it　was　given　in　exchange　for　his　life；　and　the　slightest　paltering　with　his　word　under　those　circumstances　would　have　been　dastardly。　　But　the　engagement　into　which　he　had　just　entered　had　in　his　eyes　no　such　moral　sanction；　he　had　not　been　forced　into　it　by　threats；　he　had　escaped　by　its　means　no　serious　danger；　and　therefore　in　regard　to　it　his　conscience　was　much　more　accommodating。　　What　he　should　best　have　liked　to　do；　would　have　been　to　have　sought　out　the　notary　and　provoked　him　by　insults　to　send　him　a　challenge。

That　a　clown　such　as　that　could　have　any　chance　of　leaving　the　ground　alive　never　entered　his　head。　　But　willingly　as　he　would　have　encompassed　his　death　in　this　manner；　the　knowledge　that　his　secret　would　not　die　with　Quennebert　restrained　him；　for　when　everything　came　out　he　felt　that　the　notary's　death　would　be　regarded　as　an　aggravation　of　his　original　offence；　and　in　spite　of　his　rank　he　was　not　at　all　certain　that　if　he　were　put　on　his　trial　even　now　he　would　escape　scot　free；　much　less　if　a　new　offence　were　added　to　the　indictment。　　So；　however　much　he　might　chafe　against　the　bit；　he　felt　he　must　submit　to　the　bridle。

〃By　God！〃　said　he；　〃I　know　what　the　clodhopper　is　after；　and　even　if　I　must　suffer　in　consequence；　I　shall　take　good　care　that　he　cannot　shake　off　his　bonds。　　Wait　a　bit！　　I　can　play　the　detective　too；　and　be　down　on　him　without　letting　him　see　the　hand　that　deals　the　blows。　It'll　be　a　wonder　if　I　can't　find　a　naked　sword　to　suspend　above　his　head。〃

However；　while　thus　brooding　over　projects　of　vengeance；　Commander　de　Jars　kept　his　word；　and　about　a　month　after　the　interview　above　related　he　sent　word　to　Quennebert　that　the　Chevalier　de　Moranges　had　left　Perregaud's　completely　recovered　from　his　wound。　　But　the　nearly　fatal　result　of　the　chevalier's　last　prank　seemed　to　have　subdued　his　adventurous　spirit；　he　was　no　longer　seen　in　public；　and　was　soon　forgotten　by　all　his　acquaintances　with　the　exception　of　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi。　　She　faithfully　treasured　up　the　memory　of　his　words　of　passion；　his　looks　of　love；　the　warmth　of　his　caresses；　although　at　first　she　struggled　hard　to　chase　his　image　from　her　heart。　　But　as　the　Due　de　Vitry　assured　her　that　he　had　killed　him　on　the　spot；　she　considered　it　no　breach　of　faith　to　think　lovingly　of　the　dead；　and　while　she　took　the　goods　so　bounteously　provided　by　her　living　lover；　her　gentlest　thoughts；　her　most　enduring　regrets；　were　given　to　one　whom　she　never　hoped　to　see　again。




CHAPTER　VIII

With　the　reader's　permission；　we　must　now　jump　over　an　interval　of　rather　more　than　a　year；　and　bring　upon　the　stage　a　person　who；　though　only　of　secondary　importance；　can　no　longer　be　left　behind　the　scenes。

We　have　already　said　that　the　loves　of　Quennebert　and　Madame　Rapally　were　regarded　with　a　jealous　eye　by　a　distant　cousin　of　the　lady's　late　husband。　　The　love　of　this　rejected　suitor；　whose　name　was　Trumeau；　was　no　more　sincere　than　the　notary's；　nor　were　his　motives　more　honourable。　　Although　his　personal　appearance　was　not　such　as　to　lead　him　to　expect　that　his　path　would　be　strewn　with　conquests；　he　considered　that　his　charms　at　least　equalled　those　of　his　defunct　relative；　and　it　may　be　said　that　in　thus　estimating　them　he　did　not　lay　himselfopen　to　the　charge　of　overweening　vanity。　　But　however　persistently　he　preened　him　self　before　the　widow；　she　vouchsafed　him　not　one　glance。　　Her　heart　was　filled　with　the　love　of　his　rival；　and　it　is　no　easy　thing　to　tear　a　rooted　passion　out　of　a　widow's　heart　when　that　widow's　age　is　forty…six；　and　she　is　silly　enough　to　believe　that　the　admiration　she　feels　is　equalled　by　the　admiration　she　inspires；　as　the　unfortunate　Trumeau　found　to　his　cost。　　All　his　carefully　prepared　declarations　of　love；　all　his　skilful　insinuations　against　Quennebert；　brought　him　nothing　but　scornful　rebuffs。　　But　Trumeau　was　nothing　if　not　persevering；　and　he　could　not　habituate　himself　to　the　idea　of　seeing　the　widow's　fortune　pass　into　other　hands　than　his　own；　so　that　every　baffled　move　only　increased　his　determination　to　spoil　his　competitor's　game。　　He　was　always　on　the　watch　for　a　chance　to　carry　tales　to　the　widow；　and　so　absorbed　did　he　become　in　this　fruitless　pursuit；　that　he　grew　yellower　and　more　dried　up　from　day　to　day；　and　to　his　jaundiced　eye　the　man　who　was　at　first　simply　his　rival　became　his　mortal　enemy　and　the　object　of　his　implacable　hate；　so　that　at　length　merely　to　get　the　better　of　him；　to　outwit　him；　would；　after　so　long…continued　and　obstinate　a　struggle　and　so　many　defeats；　have　seemed　to　him　too　mild　a　vengeance；　too　incomplete　a　victory。

Quennebert　was　well　aware　of　the　zeal　with　which　the　indefatigable　Trumeau　sought　to　injure　him。　　But　he　regarded　the　manoeuvres　of　his　rival　with　supreme　unconcern；　for　he　knew　that　he　could　at　any　time　sweep　away　the　network　of　cunning　machinations；　underhand　insinuations；　and　malicious　hints；　which　was　spread　around　him；　by　allowing　the　widow　to　confer　on　him　the　advantages　she　was　so　anxious　to　bestow。　　The　goal；　he　knew；　was　within　his　reach；　but　the　problem　he　had　to　solve　was　how　to　linger　on　the　way　thither；　how　to　defer　the　triumphal　moment；　how　to　keep　hope　alive　in　the　fair　one's　breast　and　yet　delay　its　fruition。　　His　affairs　were　in　a　bad　way。　　Day　by　day　full　possession　of　the　fortune　thus　dangled　before　his　eyes；　and　fragments　of　which　came　to　him　occasionally　by　way　of　loan；　was　becoming　more　and　more　indispensable；　and　tantalising　though　it　was；　yet　he　dared　not　put　out　his　hand　to　seize　it。　　His　creditors　dunned　him　relentlessly：　one　final　reprieve　had　been　granted　him；　but　that　at　an　end；　if　he　could　not　meet　their　demands；　it　was　all　up　with　his　career　and　reputation。

One　morning　in　the　beginning　of　February　1660；　Trumeau　called　to　see　his　cousin。　　He　had　not　been　there　for　nearly　a　month；　and　Quennebert　and　the　widow　had　begun　to　think　that；　hopeless　of　success；　he　had　retired　from　the　contest。　　But；　far　from　that；　his　hatred　had　grown　more　intense　than　ever；　and　having　come　upon　the　traces　of　an　event　in　the　past　life　of　his　rival　which　if　proved　would　be　the　ruin　of　that　rival's　hopes；　he　set　himself　to　gather　evidence。　　He　now　made　his　appearance　with　beaming　looks；　which　expressed　a　joy　too　great　for　words。　　He　held　in　one　hand　a　small　scroll　tied　with　a　ribbon。　He　found　the　widow　alone；　sitting　in　a　large　easy…chair　before　the　fire。　　She　was　reading　for　the　twentieth　time　a　letter　which　Quenriebert　had　written　her　the　evening　before。　　To　judge　by　the　happy　and　contented　expression　of　the　widow's　face；　it　must　have　been　couched　in　glowing　terms。　　Trumeau　guessed　at　once　from　whom　the　missive　came；　but　the　sight　of　it；　instead　of　irritating　him；　called　forth　a　smile。

〃Ah！　　so　it's　you；　cousin？〃　said　the　widow；　folding　the　precious　paper　and　slipping　it　into　the　bosom　of　her　dress。　　〃How　do　you　do？　It's　a　long　time　since　I　saw　you；　more　than　a　fortnight；　I　think。　Have　you　been　ill？〃

〃So　you　remarked　my　absence！　　That　is　very　flattering；　my　dear　cousin；　you　do　not　often　spoil　me　by　such　attentions。　　No；　I　have　not　been　ill；　thank　God；　but　I　thought　it　better　not　to　intrude　upon　you　so　often。　　A　friendly　call　now　and　then　such　as　to…day's　is　what　you　like；　is　it　not？　　By　the　way；　tell　me　about　your　handsome　suitor；　Maitre　Quennebert；　how　is　he　getting　along？〃

〃You　look　very　knowing；　Trumeau　：　have　you　heard　of　anything　happening　to　him？〃

〃No；　and　I　should　be　exceedingly　sorry　to　hear　that　anything　unpleasant　had　happened　to　him。〃

Now　you　are　not　saying　what　you　think；　you　know　you　can't　bear　him。〃

〃Well；　to　speak　the　truth；　I　have　no　great　reason　to　like　him。　　If　it　were　not　for　him；　I　should　perhaps　have　been　happy　to…day；　my　love　might　have　moved　your　heart。　　However；　I　have　become　resigned　to　my　loss；　and　since　your　choice　has　fallen　on　him；and　here　he。　sighed；〃well；　all　I　can　say　is；　I　hope　you　may　never　regret　it。〃

〃Many　thanks　for　your　goodwill；　cousin；　I　am　delighted　to　find　you　in　such　a　benevolent　mood。　　You　must　not　be　vexed　because　I　could　not　give　you　the　kind　of　love　you　wanted；　the　heart；　you　know；　is　not　amenable　to　reason。〃

〃There　is　only　one　thing　I　should　like　to　ask。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　mention　it　for　your　good　more　than　for　my　own。　　If　you　want　to　be　happy；　don't　let　this　handsome　quill…driver　get　you　entirely　into　his　hands。　　You　are　saying　to　yourself　that　because　of　my　ill…success　with　you　I　am　trying　to　injure　him；　but　what　if　I　could　prove　that　he　does　not　love　you　as　much　as　he　pretends？〃

〃Come；　come；　control　your　naughty　tongue！　　Are　you　going　to　begin　backbiting　again？　　You　are　playing　a　mean　part；　Trumeau。　　I　have　never　hinted　to　Maitre　Qu