la constantin-第14节

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　　I　have　never　hinted　to　Maitre　Quennebert　all　the　nasty　little　ways　in　which　you　have　tried　to　put　a　spoke　in　his　wheel；　for　if　he　knew　he　would　ask　you　to　prove　your　words；　and　then　you　would　look　very　foolish。〃。

〃Not　at　all；　I　swear　to　you。　　On　the　contrary；　if　I　were　to　tell　all　I　know　in　his　presence；　it　is　not　I　who　would　be　disconcerted。　　Oh！　I　am　weary　of　meeting　with　nothing　from　you　but　snubs；　scorn；　and　abuse。　　You　think　me　a　slanderer　when　I　say；　'This　gallant　wooer　of　widows　does　not　love　you　for　yourself　but　for　your　money…bags。　　He　fools　you　by　fine　promises；　but　as　to　marrying　younever；　never！'〃

〃May　I　ask　you　to　repeat　that？〃　broke　in　Madame　Rapally；

〃Oh！　I　know　what　I　am　saying。　　You　will　never　be　Madame　Quennebert。〃

〃Really？〃

〃Really。〃

〃Jealousy　has　eaten　away　whatever　brains　you　used　to　possess；　Trumeau。　　Since　I　saw　you　last；　cousin；　important　changes　have　taken　place：　I　was　just　going　to　send　you　to…day　an　invitation　to　my　wedding。〃

〃To　your　wedding？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　to　be　married　to…morrow。〃

〃To…morrow？　　To　Quennebert？〃　stammered　Trumeau。

〃To　Quennebert；〃　repeated　the　widow　in　a　tone　of　triumph。

〃It's　not　possible！〃　exclaimed　Trumeau。

〃It　is　so　possible　that　you　will　see　us　united　tomorrow。　　And　for　the　future　I　must　beg　of　you　to　regard　Quennebert　no　longer　as　a　rival　but　as　my　husband；　whom　to　offend　will　be　to　offend　me。〃

The　tone　in　which　these　words　were　spoken　no　longer　left　room　for　doubt　as　to　the　truth　of　the　news。　　Trumeau　looked　down　for　a　few　moments；　as　if　reflecting　deeply　before　definitely　making　up　his　mind。　　He　twisted　the　little　roll　of　papers　between　his　fingers；　and　seemed　to　be　in　doubt　whether　to　open　it　and　give　it　to　Madame　Rapally　to　read　or　not。　　In　the　end；　however；　he　put　it　in　his　pocket；　rose；　and　approaching　his　cousin；　said

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　this　news　completely　changes　my　opinion。　　From　the　moment　Maitre　Quennebert　becomes　your　husband　I　shall　not　have　a　word　to　say　against　him。　　My　suspicions　were　unjust；　I　confess　it　frankly；　and　I　hope　that　in　consideration　of　the　motives　which　prompted　me　you　will　forget　the　warmth　of　my　attacks。　　I　shall　make　no　protestations；　but　shall　let　the　future　show　how　sincere　is　my　devotion　to　your　interests。〃

Madame　Rapally　was　too　happy；　too　certain　of　being　loved；　not　to　pardon　easily。　　With　the　self…complacency　and　factitious　generosity　of　a　woman　who　feels　herself　the　object　of　two　violent　passions；　she　was　so　good　as　to　feel　pity　for　the　lover　who　was　left　out　in　the　cold；　and　offered　him　her　hand。　　Trumeau　kissed　it　with　every　outward　mark　of　respect；　while　his　lips　curled　unseen　in　a　smite　of　mockery。　The　cousins　parted；　apparently　the　best　of　friends；　and　on　the　understanding　that　Trumeau　would　be　present　at　the　nuptial　benediction；　which　was　to　be　given　in　a　church　beyond　the　town　hall；　near　the　house　in　which　the　newly…married　couple　were　to　live；　the　house　on　the　Pont　Saint…Michel　having　lately　been　sold　to　great　advantage。

〃On　my　word；〃　said　Trumeau；　as　he　went　off；　〃it　would　have　been　a　great　mistake　to　have　spoken。　　I　have　got　that　wretch　of　a　Quennebert　into　my　clutches　at　last；　and　there　is　nobody　but　himself　to　blame。　He　is　taking　the　plunge　of　his　own　free　will；　there　is　no　need　for　me　to　shove　him　off　the　precipice。〃

The　ceremony　took　place　next　day。　　Quennebert　conducted　his　interesting　bride　to　the　altar；　she　hung　with　ornaments　like　the　shrine　of　a　saint；　and；　beaming　all　over　with　smiles；　looked　so　ridiculous　that　the　handsome　bridegroom　reddened　to　the　roots　of　his　hair　with　shame。　　Just　as　they　entered　the　church；　a　coffin；　on　which　lay　a　sword；　and　which　was　followed　by　a　single　mourner；　who　from　his　manners　and　dress　seemed　to　belong　to　the　class　of　nobles；　was　carried　in　by　the　same　door。　　The　wedding　guests　drew　back　to　let　the　funeral　pass　on；　the　living　giving　precedence　to　the　dead。　　The　solitary　mourner　glanced　by　chance　at　Quennebert；　and　started　as　if　the　sight　of　him　was　painful。

〃What　an　unlucky　meeting！〃　murmured　Madame　Rapally；　〃it　is　sure　to　be　a　bad　omen。〃

〃It's　sure　to　be　the　exact　opposite；〃　said　Quennebert　smiling。

The　two　ceremonies　took　place　simultaneously　in　two　adjoining　chapels；　the　funeral　dirges　which　fell　on　the　widow's　ear　full　of　sinister　prediction　seemed　to　have　quite　another　meaning　for　Quennebert；　for　his　features　lost　their　look　of　care；　his　wrinkles　smoothed　themselves　out；　till　the　guests；　among　whom　was　Trumeau；　who　did　not　suspect　the　secret　of　his　relief　from　suspense；　began　to　believe；　despite　their　surprise；　that　he　was　really　rejoiced　at　obtaining　legal　possession　of　the　charming　Madame　Rapally。

As　for　her；　she　fleeted　the　daylight　hours　by　anticipating　the　joyful　moment　when　she　would　have　her　husband　all　to　herself。　　When　night　came；　hardly　had　she　entered　the　nuptial　chamber　than　she　uttered　a　piercing　shriek。　　She　had　just　found　and　read　a　paper　left　on　the　bed　by　Trumeau；　who　before　leaving　had　contrived　to　glide　into　the　room　unseen。　　Its　contents　were　of　terrible　import；　so　terrible　that　the　new…made　wife　fell　unconscious　to　the　ground。

Quennebert；　who；　without　a　smile；　was　absorbed　in　reflections　on　the　happiness　at　last　within　his　grasp；　heard　the　noise　from　the　next　room；　and　rushing　in；　picked　up　his　wife。　　Catching　sight　of　the　paper；　he　also　uttered　a　cry　of　anger　and　astonishment；　but　in　whatever　circumstances　he　found　himself　he　was　never　long　uncertain　how　to　act。　　Placing　Madame　Quennebert；　still　unconscious；　on　the　bed；　he　called　her　maid；　and；　having　impressed　on　her　that　she　was　to　take　every　care　of　her　mistress；　and　above　all　to　tell　her　from　him　as　soon　as　she　came　to　herself　that　there　was　no　cause　for　alarm；　he　left　the　house　at　once。　　An　hour　later；　in　spite　of　the　efforts　of　the　servants；　he　forced　his　way　into　the　presence　of　Commander　de　Jars。　　Holding　out　the　fateful　document　to　him；　he　said：

〃Speak　openly；　commander！　　Is　it　you　who　in　revenge　for　your　long　constraint　have　done　this？　　I　can　hardly　think　so；　for　after　what　has　happened　you　know　that　I　have　nothing　to　fear　any　longer。　　Still；　knowing　my　secret　and　unable　to　do　it　in　any　other　way；　have　you　perchance　taken　your　revenge　by　an　attempt　to　destroy　my　future　happiness　by　sowing　dissension　and　disunion　between　me　；and　my　wife？〃

The　commander　solemnly　assured　him　that　he　had　had　no　hand　in　bringing　about　the　discovery。

'Then　if　it's　not　you；　it　must　be　a　worthless　being　called　Trumeau；　who；　with　the　unerring　instinct　of　jealousy；　has　run　the　truth　to　earth。　　But　he　knows　only　half：　I　have　never　been　either　so　much　in　love　or　so　stupid　as　to　allow　myself　to　be　trapped。　　I　have　given　you　my　promise　to　be　discreet　and　not　to　misuse　my　power；　and　as　long　as　was　compatible　with　my　own　safety　I　have　kept　my　word。　　But　now　you　must　see　that　I　am　bound　to　defend　myself；　and　to　do　that　I　shall　be　obliged　to　summon　you　as　a　witness。　　So　leave　Paris　tonight　and　seek　out　some　safe　retreat　where　no　one　can　find　you；　for　to…morrow　I　shall　speak。　　Of　course　if　I　am　quit　for　a　woman's　tears；　if　no　more　difficult　task　lies　before　me　than　to　soothe　a　weeping　wife；　you　can　return　immediately；　but　if；　as　is　too　probable；　the　blow　has　been　struck　by　the　hand　of　a　rival　furious　at　having　been　defeated；　the　matter　will　not　so　easily　be　cut　short；　the　arm　of　the　law　will　be　invoked；　and　then　I　must　get　my　head　out　of　the　noose　which　some　fingers　I　know　of　are　itching　to　draw　tight。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；　sir；〃　answered　the　commander；　〃I　fear　that　my　influence　at　court　is　not　strong　enough　to　enable　me　to　brave　the　matter　out。　　Well；　my　success　has　cost　me　dear；　but　it　has　cured　me　for　ever　of　seeking　out　similar　adventures。　　My　preparations　will　not　take　long；　and　to…morrow's　dawn　will　find　me　far　from　Paris。〃

Quennebert　bowed　and　withdrew；　returning　home　to　console　his　Ariadne。




CHAPTER　IX

The　accusation　hanging　over　the　head　of　Maitre　Quennebert　was　a　very　serious　one；　threatening　his　life；　if　proved。　　But　he　was　not　uneasy；　he　knew　himself　in　possession　of　facts　which　would　enable　him　to　refute　it　triumphantly。

The　platonic　love　of　Angelique　de　Guerchi　for　the　handsome　Chevalier　de　Moranges　had　resulted；　as　we　have　seen；　in　no　practical　wrong　to　the　Duc　de　Vitry。　　After　her　reconciliation　with　her　lover；　brought　about　by　the　eminently　satisfactory　explanations　she　was　able　to　give　of　her　conduct；　which　we　have　already　laid　before　our　readers；　she　did　not　consider　it　advisable　to　shut　her　heart　to　his　pleadings　much　longer；　and　the　consequence　was　that　at　the　end　of　a　year　she　found　herself　in　a　condition　which　it　was　necessary　to　conceal　from　everyone。　　To　Angelique　herself；　it　is　true；　the　position　was　not　new；　and　she　felt　neither　grief　nor　shame；　regarding　the　coming　event　as　a　means　of　making　her　future　more　secure　by　forging　a　new　link　in　the　chain　which　bound　the　duke　to　her。　　But　he；　sure　that　but　for　himself　　Angelique　would　never　have　strayed　from　virtue's　path；　could　not　endure　the　thought　of　her　losing　her　reputation　and　becoming　an　object　for　scandal　to　point　her　finger　at；　so　that　Angelique；　who　could　not　well　seem　less　careful　of　her　good　name　than　he；　was　obliged　to　turn　his　song　of　woe　into　a　duet；　and　consent　to