la constantin-第3节

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promised　her　past。　　But　while　playing　at　virtue　she　had　also　to　play　at　disinterestedness；　and　her　pecuniary　resources　were　consequently　almost　exhausted。　　She　had　proportioned　the　length　of　her　resistance　to　the　length　of　her　purse；　and　now　the　prolonged　absence　of　her　lover　threatened　to　disturb　the　equilibrium　which　she　had　established　between　her　virtue　and　her　money。　　So　it　happened　that　the　cause　of　the　lovelorn　Duc　de　Vitry　was　in　great　peril　just　at　the　moment　when　de　Jars　and　Jeannin　resolved　to　approach　the　fair　one　anew。　　She　was　sitting　lost　in　thought；　pondering　in　all　good　faith　on　the　small　profit　it　was　to　a　woman　to　be　virtuous；　when　she　heard　voices　in　the　antechamber。　　Then　her　door　opened；　and　the　king's　treasurer　walked　in。

As　this　interview　and　those　which　follow　took　place　in　the　presence　of　witnesses；　we　are　obliged　to　ask　the　reader　to　accompany　us　for　a　time　to　another　part　of　the　same　house。

We　have　said　there　were　several　tenants：　now　the　person　who　occupied　the　rooms　next　to　those　in　which　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　lived　was　a　shopkeeper's　widow　called　Rapally；　who　was　owner　of　one　of　the　thirty…two　houses　which　then　occupied　the　bridge　Saint…Michel。　　They　had　all　been　constructed　at　the　owner's　cost；　in　return　for　a　lease　for　ever。　　The　widow　Rapally's　avowed　age　was　forty；　but　those　who　knew　her　longest　added　another　ten　years　to　that：　so；　to　avoid　error；　let　us　say　she　was　forty…five。　　She　was　a　solid　little　body；　rather　stouter　than　was　necessary　for　beauty；　her　hair　was　black；　her　complexion　brown；　her　eyes　prominent　and　always　moving；　lively；　active；　and　if　one　once　yielded　to　her　whims；　exacting　beyond　measure；　but　until　then　buxom　and　soft；　and　inclined　to　pet　and　spoil　whoever；　for　the　moment；　had　arrested　her　volatile　fancy。　　Just　as　we　make　her　acquaintance　this　happy　individual　was　a　certain　Maitre　Quennebert；　a　notary　of　Saint　Denis；　and　the　comedy　played　between　him　and　the　widow　was　an　exact　counterpart　of　the　one　going　on　in　the　rooms　of　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi；　except　that　the　roles　were　inverted；　for　while　the　lady　was　as　much　in　love　as　the　Duc　de　Vitry；　the　answering　devotion　professed　by　the　notary　was　as　insincere　as　the　disinterested　attachment　to　her　lover　displayed　by　the　whilom　maid　of　honour。

Maitre　Quennebert　was　still　young　and　of　attractive　appearance；　but　his　business　affairs　were　in　a　bad　way。　　For　long　he　had　been　pretending　not　to　understand　the　marked　advances　of　the　widow；　and　he　treated　her　with　a　reserve　and　respect　she　would　fain　have　dispensed　with；　and　which　sometimes　made　her　doubt　of　his　love。　　But　it　was　impossible　for　her　as　a　woman　to　complain；　so　she　was　forced　to　accept　with　resignation　the　persistent　and　unwelcome　consideration　with　which　he　surrounded　her。　　Maitre　Quennebert　was　a　man　of　common　sense　and　much　experience；　and　had　formed　a　scheme　which　he　was　prevented　from　carrying　out　by　an　obstacle　which　he　had　no　power　to　remove。　　He　wanted；　therefore；　to　gain　time；　for　he　knew　that　the　day　he　gave　the　susceptible　widow　a　legal　right　over　him　he　would　lose　his　independence。　　A　lover　to　whose　prayers　the　adored　one　remains　deaf　too　long　is　apt　to　draw　back　in　discouragement；　but　a　woman　whose　part　is　restricted　to　awaiting　those　prayers；　and　answering　with　a　yes　or　no；　necessarily　learns　patience。　　Maitre　Quennebert　would　therefore　have　felt　no　anxiety　as　to　the　effect　of　his　dilatoriness　on　the　widow；　were　it　not　for　the　existence　of　a　distant　cousin　of　the　late　Monsieur　Rapally；　who　was　also　paying　court　to　her；　and　that　with　a　warmth　much　greater　than　had　hitherto　been　displayed　by　himself。　　This　fact；　in　view　of　the　state　of　the　notary's　affairs；　forced　him　at　last　to　display　more　energy。　　To　make　up　lost　ground　and　to　outdistance　his　rival　once　more；　he　now　began　to　dazzle　the　widow　with　fine　phrases　and　delight　her　with　compliments；　but　to　tell　the　truth　all　this　trouble　was　superfluous；　he　was　beloved；　and　with　one　fond　look　he　might　have　won　pardon　for　far　greater　neglect。

An　hour　before　the　treasurer's　arrival　there　had　been　a　knock　at　the　door　of　the　old　house；　and　Maitre　Quennebert；　curled；　pomaded；　and　prepared　for　conquest；　had　presented　himself　at　the　widow's。　　She　received　him　with　a　more　languishing　air　than　usual；　and　shot　such　arrows　at　him　froth　her　eyes　that　to　escape　a　fatal　wound　he　pretended　to　give　way　by　degrees　to　deep　sadness。　　The　widow；　becoming　alarmed；　asked　with　tenderness

〃What　ails　you　this　evening？〃

He　rose；　feeling　he　had　nothing　to　fear　from　his　rival；　and；　being　master　of　the　field；　might　henceforth　advance　or　recede　as　seemed　best　for　his　interests。

〃What　ails　me？〃　he　repeated；　with　a　deep　sigh。　　〃I　might　deceive　you；　might　give　you　a　misleading　answer；　but　to　you　I　cannot　lie。　　I　am　in　great　trouble；　and　how　to　get　out　of　it　I　don't　know。〃

〃But　tell　me　what　it　is；〃　said　the　widow；　standing　up　in　her　turn。

Maitre　Quennebert　took　three　long　strides；　which　brought　him　to　the　far　end　of　the　room；　and　asked

〃Why　do　you　want　to　know？　　You　can't　help　me。　　My　trouble　is　of　a　kind　a　man　does　not　generally　confide　to　women。〃

〃What　is　it？　　An　affair　of　honour？

〃Yes。〃

〃Good　God！　　You　are　going　to　fight！〃　she　exclaimed；　trying　to　seize　him　by　the　arm。　　〃You　are　going　to　fight！〃

〃Ah！　if　it　were　nothing　worse　than　that！〃　said　Quennebert；　pacing　up　and　down　the　room：　〃but　you　need　not　be　alarmed；　it　is　only　a　money　trouble。　　I　lent　a　large　sum；　a　few　months　ago；　to　a　friend；　but　the　knave　has　run　away　and　left　me　in　the　lurch。　　It　was　trust　money；　and　must　be　replaced　within　three　days。　　But　where　am　I　to　get　two　thousand　francs？〃

〃Yes；　that　is　a　large　sum；　and　not　easy　to　raise　at　such　short　notice。〃

〃I　shall　be　obliged　to　have　recourse　to　some　Jew；　who　will　drain　me　dry。　　But　I　must　save　my　good　name　at　all　costs。〃

Madame　Rapally　gazed　at　him　in　consternation。　　Maitre　Quennebert；　divining　her　thought；　hastened　to　add

〃I　have　just　one…third　of　what　is　needed。〃

〃Only　one…third？〃

〃With　great　care；　and　by　scraping　together　all　I　possess；　I　can　make　up　eight　hundred　livres。　　But　may　I　be　damned　in　the　next　world；　or　punished　as　a　swindler　in　this；　and　one's　as　bad　as　the　other　to　me；　if　I　can　raise　one　farthing　more。〃

〃But　suppose　someone　should　lend　you　the　twelve　hundred　francs；　what　then？〃

〃Pardieu！　　I　should　accept　them；〃　cried　the　notary　as　if　he　had　not　the　least　suspicion　whom　she　could　mean。　　〃Do　you　happen　to　know　anyone；　my　dear　Madame　Rapally？〃

The　widow　nodded　affirmatively；　at　the　same　time　giving　him　a　passionate　glance。

〃Tell　me　quick　the　name　of　this　delightful　person；　and　I　shall　go　to　him　to…morrow　morning。　　You　don't　know　what　a　service　you　are　rendering　me。　　And　I　was　so　near　not　telling　you　of　the　fix　I　was　in；　lest　you　should　torment　yourself　uselessly。　　Tell　me　his　name。〃

〃Can　you　not　guess　it？〃

〃How　should　I　guess　it？〃

〃Think　well。　　Does　no　one　occur　to　you？〃

〃No；　no　one；〃　said　Quennebert；　with　the　utmost　innocence。

〃Have　you　no　friends？〃

〃One　or　two。〃

〃Would　they　not　be　glad　to　help　you？〃

〃They　might。　　But　I　have　mentioned　the　matter　to　no　one。〃

〃To　no　one？〃

〃Except　you。〃

〃Well？〃

〃Well；　Madame　RapallyI　hope　I　don't　understand　you；　it's　not　possible；　you　would　not　humiliate　me。　　Come；　come；　it's　a　riddle；　and　I　am　too　stupid　to　solve　it。　　I　give　it　up。　　Don't　tantalise　me　any　longer；　tell　me　the　name。〃

The　widow；　somewhat　abashed　by　this　exhibition　of　delicacy　on　the　part　of　Maitre　Quennebert；　blushed；　cast　down　her　eyes；　and　did　not　venture　to　speak。

As　the　silence　lasted　some　time；　it　occurred　to　the　notary　that　he　had　been　perhaps　too　hasty　in　his　supposition；　and　he　began　to　cast　round　for　the　best　means　of　retrieving　his　blunder。

〃You　do　not　speak；〃　he　said；　〃I　see　it　was　all　a　joke。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　widow　at　last　in　a　timid　voice；　〃it　was　no　joke；　I　was　quite　in　earnest。　　But　the　way　you　take　things　is　not　very　encouraging。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Pray；　do　you　imagine　that　I　can　go　on　while　you　glare　at　me　with　that　angry　frown　puckering　your　forehead；　as　if　you　had　someone　before　you　who　had　tried　to　insult　you？〃

A　sweet　smile　chased　the　frown　from　the　notary's　brow。　　Encouraged　by　the　suspension　of　hostilities；　Madame　Rapally　with　sudden　boldness　approached　him；　and；　pressing　one　of　his　hands　in　both　her　own；　whispered

〃　It　is　I　who　am　going　to　lend　you　the　money。〃

He　repulsed　her　gently；　but　with　an　air　of　great　dignity；　and　said

〃Madame；　I　thank　you；　but　I　cannot　accept。〃

〃Why　can't　you？〃

At　this　he　began　to　walk　round　and　round　the　room；　while　the　widow；　who　stood　in　the　middle；　turned　as　upon　a　pivot；　keeping　him　always　in　view。　This　circus…ring　performance　lasted　some　minutes　before　Quennebert　stood　still　and　said

〃I　cannot　be　angry　with　you；　Madame　Rapally；　　I　know　your　offer　was　made　out　of　the　kindness　of　your　heart；but　I　must　repeat　that　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　accept　it。〃

〃There　you　go　again！　　I　don't　understand　you　at　all！　　Why　can't　you　accept？　　What　harm　would　it　do？〃

〃If　there　were　no　other　reason；　because　people　might　suspect　that　I　confided　my　difficulties　to　you　in　the　hope　of　help。〃

〃And　supposing　you　did；　what　then？　　People　speak　hoping　t