la constantin-第4节

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〃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　to　be　understood。　　You　wouldn't　have　minded　asking　anyone　else。〃

〃So　you　really　think　I　did　come　in　that　hope？〃

〃Mon　Dieu！　　I　don't　think　anything　at　all　that　you　don't　want。　　It　was　I　who　dragged　the　confidence　from　you　by　my　questions；　I　know　that　very　well。　　But　now　that　you　have　told　me　your　secret；　how　can　you　hinder　me　from　sympathising　with　you；　from　desiring　to　aid　you？　When　I　learned　your　difficulty；　ought　I　to　have　been　amused；　and　gone　into　fits　of　laughter？　　What！　it's　an　insult　to　be　in　a　position　to　render　you　a　service！　　That's　a　strange　kind　of　delicacy！〃

〃Are　you　astonished　that　I　should　feel　so　strongly　about　it？〃

〃Nonsense！　　Do　you　still　think　I　meant　to　offend　you？　　I　look　on　you　as　the　most　honourable　man　in　the　world。　　If　anyone　were　to　tell　me　that　he　had　seen　you　commit　a　base　action；　I　should　reply　that　it　was　a　lie。　　Does　that　satisfy　you？〃

〃But　suppose　they　got　hold　of　it　in　the　city；　suppose　it　were　reported　that　Maitre　Quennebert　had　taken　money　from　Madame　de　Rapally；　would　it　be　the　same　as　if　they　said　Maitre　Quennebert　had　borrowed　twelve　hundred　livres　from　Monsieur　Robert　or　some　other　business　man？〃

〃I　don't　see　what　difference　it　could　make。〃

〃But　I　do。〃

〃What　then？〃

〃It's　not　easy　to　express；　but〃

〃But　you　exaggerate　both　the　service　and　the　gratitude　you　ought　to　feel。　　I　think　I　know　why　you　refuse。　　You're　ashamed　to　take　it　as　a　gift；　aren't　you。〃

〃Yes；　I　am。〃

〃Well；　I'm　not　going　to　make　you　a　gift。　　Borrow　twelve　hundred　livres　from　me。　　For　how　long　do　you　want　the　money？〃

〃I　really　don't　know　how　soon　I　can　repay　you。〃

〃Let's　say　a　year；　and　reckon　the　interest。　　Sit　down　there；　you　baby；　and　write　out　a　promissory　note。〃

Maitre　Quennebert　made　some　further　show　of　resistance；　but　at　last　yielded　to　the　widow's　importunity。　　It　is　needless　to　say　that　the　whole　thing　was　a　comedy　on　his　part；　except　that　he　really　needed　the　money。　　But　he　did　not　need　it　to　replace　a　sum　of　which　a　faithless　friend　had　robbed　him；　but　to　satisfy　his　own　creditors；　who；　out　of　all　patience　with　him；　were　threatening　to　sue　him；　and　his　only　reason　for　seeking　out　Madame　de　Rapally　was　to　take　advantage　of　her　generous　disposition　towards　himself。　　His　feigned　delicacy　was　intended　to　induce　her　to　insist　so　urgently；　that　in　accepting　he　should　not　fall　too　much　in　her　esteem；　but　should　seem　to　yield　to　force。　　And　his　plan　met　with　complete　success；　for　at　the　end　of　the　transaction　he　stood　higher　than　ever　in　the　opinion　of　his　fair　creditor；　on　account　of　the　noble　sentiments　he　had　expressed。　　The　note　was　written　out　in　legal　form　and　the　money　counted　down　on　the　spot。

〃How　glad　I　am！〃　said　she　then；　while　Quennebert　still　kept　up　some　pretence　of　delicate　embarrassment；　although　he　could　not　resist　casting　a　stolen　look　at　the　bag　of　crowns　lying　on　the　table　beside　his　cloak。　　〃Do　you　intend　to　go　back　to　Saint　Denis　to…night？〃

Even　had　such　been　his　intention；　the　notary　would　have　taken　very　good　care　not　to　say　so；　for　he　foresaw　the　accusations　of　imprudence　that　would　follow；　the　enumeration　of　the　dangers　by　the　way；　and　it　was　quite　on　the　cards　even　that；　having　thus　aroused　his　fears；　his　fair　hostess　should　in　deference　to　them　offer　him　hospitality　for　the　night；　and　he　did　not　feel　inclined　for　an　indefinitely　prolonged　tete…a…tete。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　going　to　sleep　at　Maitre　Terrasson's；　rue　des　Poitevins；　I　have　sent　him　word　to　expect　me。　　But　although　his　house　is　only　a　few　yards　distant；　I　must　leave　you　earlier　than　I　could　have　wished；　on　account　of　this　money。〃

〃Will　you　think　of　me？〃

〃How　can　you　ask？〃　replied　Quennebert；　with　a　sentimental　expression。　〃You　have　compelled　me　to　accept　the　money；　butI　shall　not　be　happy　till　I　have　repaid　you。　　Suppose　this　loan　should　make　us　fall　out？〃

〃You　may　be　quite　sure　that　if　you　don't　pay　when　the　bill　falls　due；　I　shall　have　recourse　to　the　law。〃

〃Oh；　I　know　that　very　well。〃

〃I　shall　enforce　all　my　rights　as　a　creditor。〃

〃I　expect　nothing　else。〃

〃I　shall　show　no　pity。〃

And　the　widow　gave　a　saucy　laugh　and　shook　her　finger　at　him。

〃Madame　Rapally；〃　said　the　notary；　who　was　most　anxious　to　bring　this　conversation　to　an　end；　dreading　every　moment　that　it　would　take　a　languishing　tone；…〃Madame　Rapally；　will　you　add　to　your　goodness　by　granting　me　one　more　favour？〃

〃What　is　it？〃

The　gratitude　that　is　simulated　is　not　difficult　to　bear；　but　genuine；　sincere　gratitude；　such　as　I　feel；　is　a　heavy　burden；　as　I　can　assure　you。　　It　is　much　easier　to　give　than　to　receive。　　Promise　me；　then；　that　from　now　till　the　year　is　up　there　shall　be　no　more　reference　between　us　to　this　money；　and　that　we　shall　go　on　being　good　friends　as　before。　　Leave　it　to　me　to　make　arrangements　to　acquit　myself　honourably　of　my　obligations　towards　you。　　I　need　say　no　more；　till　a　year's　up；　mum's　the　word。〃

It　shall　be　as　you　desire；　Maitre　Quennebert；〃　answered　Madame　Rapally；　her　eyes　shining　with　delight。　　〃It　was　never　my　intention　to　lay　you　under　embarrassing　obligations；　and　I　leave　it　all　to　you。　Do　you　know　that　I　am　beginning　to　believe　in　presentiments？〃

〃You　becoming　superstitious！　　Why；　may　I　ask？〃

〃I　refused　to　do　a　nice　little　piece　of　ready…money　business　this　morning。〃

〃Did　you？〃

〃Yes；　because　I　had　a　sort　of　feeling　that　made　me　resist　all　temptation　to　leave　myself　without　cash。　　Imagine！　　I　received　a　visit　to…day　from　a　great　lady　who　lives　in　this　housein　the　suite　of　apartments　next　to　mine。〃

〃What　is　her　name？〃

〃Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi。〃

〃And　what　did　she　want　with　you？〃

〃She　called　in　order　to　ask　me　to　buy；　for　four　hundred　livres；　some　of　her　jewels　which　are　well　worth　six　hundred；　for　I　understand　such　things；　or　should　I　prefer　it　to　lend　her　that　sum　and　keep　the　jewels　as　security？　　It　appears　that　mademoiselle　is　in　great　straits。　　De　Guerchido　you　know　the　name？〃

〃I　think　I　have　heard　it。〃

〃They　say　she　has　had　a　stormy　past；　and　has　been　greatly　talked　of；　but　then　half　of　what　one　hears　is　lies。　　Since　she　came　to　live　here　she　has　been　very　quiet。　　No　visitors　except　onea　nobleman；　a　duke…　…wait　a　moment！　　What's　his　name？　　The　Duc…Duc　de　Vitry；　and　for　over　three　weeks　even　he　hasn't　been　near　her。　　I　imagine　from　this　absence　that　they　have　fallen　out；　and　that　she　is　beginning　to　feel　the　want　of　money。〃

〃You　seem　to　be　intimately　acquainted　with　this　young　woman's　affairs。〃

〃Indeed　I　am；　and　yet　I　never　spoke　to　her　till　this　morning。〃

〃How　did　you　get　your　information；　then？〃

〃By　chance。　　The　room　adjoining　this　and　one　of　those　she　occupies　were　formerly　one　large　room；　which　is　now　divided　into　two　by　a　partition　wall　covered　with　tapestry；　but　in　the　two　corners　the　plaster　has　crumbled　away　with　time；　and　one　can　see　into　the　room　through　slits　in　the　tapestry　without　being　seen　oneself。　　Are　you　inquisitive？〃

〃Not　more　than　you；　Madame　Rapally。〃

〃Come　with　me。　　Someone　knocked　at　the　street　door　a　few　moments　ago；　there's　no　one　else　in　the　douse　likely　to　have　visitors　at　this　hour。　　Perhaps　her　admirer　has　come　back。〃

〃If　so；　we　are　going　to　witness　a　scene　of　recrimination　or　reconciliation。　　How　delightful！〃

Although　he　was　not　leaving　the　widow's　lodgings；　Maitre　Quennebert　took　up　his　hat　and　cloak　and　the　blessed　bag　of　crown　pieces；　and　followed　Madame　Rapally　on　tiptoe；　who　on　her　side　moved　as　slowly　as　a　tortoise　and　as　lightly　as　she　could。　　They　succeeded　in　turning　the　handle　of　the　door　into　the　next　room　without　making　much　noise。

〃'Sh！〃　breathed　the　widow　softly；　〃listen；　they　are　speaking。〃

She　pointed　to　the　place　where　he　would　find　a　peep…hole　in　one　corner　of　the　room；　and　crept　herself　towards　the　corresponding　corner。　　Quennebert；　who　was　by　no　means　anxious　to　have　her　at　his　side；　motioned　to　her　to　blow　out　the　light。　　This　being　done；　he　felt　secure；　for　he　knew　that　in　the　intense　darkness　which　now　enveloped　them　she　could　not　move　from　her　place　without　knocking　against　the　furniture　between　them；　so　he　glued　his　face　to　the　partition。　　An　opening　just　large　enough　for　one　eye　allowed　him　to　see　everything　that　was　going　on　in　the　next　room。　　Just　as　he　began　his　observations；　the　treasurer　at　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi's　invitation　was　about　to　take　a　seat　near　her；　but　not　too　near　for　perfect　respect。　　Both　of　them　were　silent；　and　appeared　to　labour　under　great　embarrassment　at　finding　themselves　together；　and　explanations　did　not　readily　begin。　　The　lady　had　not　an　idea　of　the　motive　of　the　visit；　and　her　quondam　lover　feigned　the　emotion　necessary　to　the　success　of　his　undertaking。　　Thus　Maitre　Quennebert　had　full　time　to　examine　both；　and　especially　Angelique。　　The　reader　will　doubtless　desire　to　know　what　was　the　result　of　the　notary's　observation。




CHAPTER　III

ANGELIQUE…LOUISE　DE　GUERCHI　was　a　woman　of　about　twenty…eight　years　of　age；　tall；　dark；　and　well　made。　　The　loose　life　she　had　led　had；　it　is　true；　somewhat　staled　her　beauty；　marred　the　delic