la constantin-第7节

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At　this　singular　question　Angelique　started；　but　de　Jars　continued

〃When　last　we　parted　we　were　on　the　best　of　terms；　were　we　not？　　I　know　that　some　months　have　elapsed　since　then；　but　I　have　explained　to　you　the　reason　of　my　absence。　　Before　filling　up　the　blank　left　by　the　departed　we　must　give　ourselves　space　to　mourn。　　Well；　was　I　right　in　my　guess？　　Have　you　given　me　a　successor？〃

Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　had　hitherto　succeeded　in　controlling　her　indignation；　and　had　tried　to　force　herself　to　drink　the　bitter　cup　of　humiliation　to　the　dregs；　but　now　she　could　bear　it　no　longer。　Having　thrown　a　look　expressive　of　her　suffering　at　the　young　chevalier；　who　continued　to　ogle　her　with　great　pertinacity；　she　decided　on　bursting　into　tears；　and　in　a　voice　broken　by　sobs　she　exclaimed　that　she　was　miserable　at　being　treated　in　this　manner；　that　she　did　not　deserve　it；　and　that　Heaven　was　punishing　her　for　her　error　in　yielding　to　the　entreaties　of　the　commander。　　One　would　have　sworn　she　was　sincere　and　that　the　words　came　from　her　heart。　If　Maitre　Quennebert　had　not　witnessed　the　scene　with　Jeannin；　if　he　had　not　known　how　frail　was　the　virtue　of　the　weeping　damsel；　he　might　have　been　affected　by　her　touching　plaint。　　The　chevalier　appeared　to　be　deeply　moved　by　Angelique's　grief；　and　while　his；　uncle　was　striding　up　and　down　the　room　and　swearing　like　a　trooper；　he　gradually　approached　her　and　expressed　by　signs　the　compassion　he　felt。

Meantime　the　notary　was　in　a　strange　state　of　mind。　　He　had　not　yet　made　up　his　mind　whether　the　whole　thing　was　a　joke　arranged　between　de　Jars　and　Jeannin　or　not；　but　of　one　thing　he　was　quite　convinced；　the　sympathy　which　Chevalier　de　Moranges　was　expressing　by　passionate　sighs　and　glances　was　the　merest　hypocrisy。　　Had　he　been　alone；　nothing　would　have　prevented　his　dashing　head　foremost　into　this　imbroglio；　in　scorn　of　consequence；　convinced　that　his　appearance　would　be　as　terrible　in　its　effect　as　the　head　of　Medusa。　　But　the　presence　of　the　widow　restrained　him。　　Why　ruin　his　future　and　dry　up　the　golden　spring　which　had　just　begun　to　gush　before　his　eyes；　for　the　sake　of　taking　part　in　a　melodrama？　　Prudence　and　self…interest　kept　him　in　the　side　scenes。

The　tears　of　the　fair　one　and　the　glances　of　the　chevalier　awoke　no　repentance　in　the　breast　of　the　commander；　on　the　contrary；　he　began　to　vent　his　anger　in　terms　still　more　energetic。　　He　strode　up　and　down　the　oaken　floor　till　it　shook　under　his　spurred　heels；　he　stuck　his　plumed　hat　on　the　side　of　his　head；　and　displayed　the　manners　of　a　bully　in　a　Spanish　comedy。　　Suddenly　he　seemed　to　have　come　to　a　swift　resolution：　the　expression　of　his　face　changed　from　rage　to　icy　coldness；　and　walking　up　to　Angelique；　he　said；　with　a　composure　more　terrible　than　the　wildest　fury

〃My　rival's　name？〃

〃You　shall　never　learn　it　from　me！〃

〃Madame；　his　name？〃

〃Never！　　I　have　borne　your　insults　too　long。　　I　am　not　responsible　to　you　for　my　actions。〃

〃Well；　I　shall　learn　it；　in　spite　of　you；　and　I　know　to　whom　to　apply。　　Do　you　think　you　can　play　fast　and　loose　with　me　and　my　love？　No；　no！　　I　used　to　believe　in　you；　I　turned；　a　deaf　ear　to　your　traducers。　　My　mad　passion　for　you　became　known；　I　was　the　jest　and　the　butt　of　the　town。　　But　you　have　opened　my　eyes；　and　at　last　I　see　clearly　on　whom　my　vengeance　ought　to　fall。　　He　was　formerly　my　friend；　and　I　would　believe　nothing　against　him；　although　I　was　often　warned；　I　took　no　notice。　　But　now　I　will　seek　him　out；　and　say　to　him；　'You　have　stolen　what　was　mine；　you　are　a　scoundrel！　　It　must　be　your　life；　or　mine！'　　And　if；　there　is　justice　in　heaven；　I　shall　kill　him！　　Well；　madame；　you　don't　ask　me　the　name　of　this　man！　　You　well　know　whom　I　mean！〃

This　threat　brought　home　to　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　how　imminent　was　her　danger。　　At　first　she　had　thought　the　commander's　visit　might　be　a　snare　laid　to　test　her；　but　the　coarseness　of　his　expressions；　the　cynicism　of　his　overtures　in　the　presence　of　a　third　person；　had　convinced　her　she　was　wrong。　　No　man　could　have　imagined　that　the　revolting　method　of　seduction　employed　could　meet　with　success；　and　if　the　commander　had　desired　to　convict　her　of　perfidy　he　would　have　come　alone　and　made　use　of　more　persuasive　weapons。　　No；　he　believed　he　still　had　claims　on　her；　but　even　if　he　had；　by　his　manner　of　enforcing　them　he　had　rendered　them　void。　　However；　the　moment　he　threatened　to　seek　out　a　rival　whose　identity　he　designated　quite　clearly；　and　reveal　to　him　the　secret　it　was　so　necessary　to　her　interests　to　keep　hidden；　the　poor　girl　lost　her　head。　　She　looked　at　de　Jars　with　a　frightened　expression；　and　said　in　a　trembling　voice

〃I　don't　know　whom　you　mean。〃

〃You　don't　know？　　Well；　I　shall　commission　the　king's　treasurer；　Jeannin　de　Castille；　to　come　here　to…morrow　and　tell　you；　an　hour　before　our　duel。〃

〃Oh　no！　　no！　　Promise　me　you　will　not　do　that！〃　cried　she；　clasping　her　hands。

〃Adieu；　madame。〃

〃Do　not　leave　me　thus！　　I　cannot　let　you　go　till　you　give　me　your　promise！〃

She　threw　herself　on　her　knees　and　clung　with　both　her　hands　to　de　Jars'　cloak；　and　appealing　to　Chevalier　de　Moranges；　said

〃You　are　young；　monsieur；　I　have　never　done　you　any　harm；　protect　me；　have　pity　on　me；　help　me　to　soften　him！〃

〃Uncle；〃　said　the　chevalier　in　a　pleading　tone；　〃be　generous；　and　don't　drive　this　woman　to　despair。〃

〃Prayers　are　useless！〃　answered　the　commander。

〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃　said　Angelique。　　〃Shall　I　go　into　a　convent　to　atone？；　I　am　ready　to　go。　　Shall　I　promise　never　to　see　him　again？　　For　God's　sake；　give　me　a　little　time；　put　off　your　vengeance　for　one　single　day！　　To…morrow　evening；　I　swear　to　you；　you　will　have　nothing　more　to　fear　from　me。　　I　thought　myself　forgotten　by　you　and　abandoned；　and　how　should　I　think　otherwise？　　You　left　me　without　a　word　of　farewell；　you　stayed　away　and　never　sent　me　a　line！　And　how　do　you　know　that　I　did　not　weep　when　you　deserted　me；　leaving　me　to　pass　my　days　in　monotonous　solitude？　　How　do　you　know　that　I　did　not　make　every　effort　to　find　out　why　you　were　so　long　absent　from　my　side？　　You　say　you　had　left　town　but　how　was　I　to　know　that？　Oh！　　promise　me；　if　you　love　me；　to　give　up　this　duel！　　Promise　me　not　to　seek　that　man　out　to…morrow！〃

The　poor　creature　hoped　to　work　wonders　with　her　eloquence；　her　tears；　her　pleading　glances。　　On　hearing　her　prayer　for　a　reprieve　of　twenty…four　hours；　swearing　that　after　that　she　would　never　see　Jeannin　again；　the　commander　and　the　chevalier　were　obliged　to　bite　their　lips　to　keep　from　laughing　outright。　　But　the　former　soon　regained　his　self…possession；　and　while　Angelique；　still　on　her　knees　before　him；　pressed　his　hands　to　her　bosom；　he　forced　her　to　raise　her　head；　and　looking　straight　into　her　eyes；　said

〃To…morrow；　madame；　if　not　this　evening；　he　shall　know　everything；　and　a　meeting　shall　take　place。〃

Then　pushing　her　away；　he　strode　towards　the　door。

〃Oh！　　how　unhappy　I　am！〃　exclaimed　Angelique。

She　tried　to　rise　and　rush　after　him；　but　whether　she　was　really　overcome　by　her　feelings；　or　whether　she　felt　the　one　chance　of　prevailing　left　her　was　to　faint；　she　uttered　a　heartrending　cry；　and　the　chevalier　had　no　choice　but　to　support　her　sinking　form。

De　Jars；　on　seeing　his　nephew　staggering　under　this　burden；　gave　a　loud　laugh；　and　hurried　away。　　Two　minutes　later　he　was　once　more　at　the　tavern　in　the　rue　Saint…Andre…des…Arts。

〃How's　this？　　Alone？〃　said　Jeannin。

〃Alone。〃

〃What　have　you　done　with　the　chevalier？〃

〃I　left　him　with　our　charmer；　who　was　unconscious；　overcome　with　grief；　exhausted　Ha！　ha！　ha！　　She　fell　fainting　into　his　arms！　　Ha！　ha！　ha！〃

〃It's　quite　possible　that　the　young　rogue；　being　left　with　her　in　such　a　condition；　may　cut　me　out。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？Ha！　ha！　ha！〃

And　de　Jars　laughed　so　heartily　and　so　infectiously　that　his　worthy　friend　was　obliged　to　join　in；　and　laughed　till　he　choked。

In　the　short　silence　which　followed　the　departure　of　the　commander；　Maitre　Quennebert　could　hear　the　widow　still　murmuring　something；　but　he　was　less　disposed　than　ever　to　attend　to　her。

〃On　my　word；〃　said　he；　〃the　scene　now　going　on　is　more　curious　than　all　that　went　before。　　I　don't　think　that　a　man　has　ever　found　himself　in　such　a　position　as　mine。　　Although　my　interests　demand　that　I　remain　here　and　listen；　yet　my　fingers　are　itching　to　box　the　ears　of　that　Chevalier　de　Moranges。　　If　there　were　only　some　way　of　getting　at　a　proof　of　all　this！　　Ah！　now　we　shall　hear　something；　the　hussy　is　coming　to　herself。〃

And　indeed　Angelique　had　opened　her　eyes　and　was　casting　wild　looks　around　her；　she　put　her　hand　to　her　brow　several　times；　as　if　trying　to　recall　clearly　what　had　happened。

〃Is　he　gone？〃　she　exclaimed　at　last。　　〃Oh；　why　did　you　let　him　go？　You　should　not　have　minded　me；　but　kept　him　here。〃

〃Be　calm；〃　answered　the　chevalier；　〃be　calm；　for　heaven's　sake。　　I　shall　speak　to　my　uncle　and　prevent　his　ruining　your　prospects。　　Only　don't　weep　any　more；　your　tears　break　my　heart。　　Ah；　my　God！　　how　cruel　it　is　to　distress　you　so！　　I　should　never　be　able　to　withstand　your　tears；　no　matter　what　reason　I　had　for　anger；　a　look　from　you　would　make　me　forgive　you　everything