the countess of saint geran-第1节

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The　Countess　of　Saint　Geran



By　Alexander　Dumas；　pere









About　the　end　of　the　year　1639；　a　troop　of　horsemen　arrived；　towards

midday；　in　a　little　village　at　the　northern　extremity　of　the　province

of　Auvergne；　from　the　direction　of　Paris。　　The　country　folk　assembled

at　the　noise；　and　found　it　to　proceed　from　the　provost　of　the　mounted

police　and　his　men。　　The　heat　was　excessive；　the　horses　were　bathed

in　sweat；　the　horsemen　covered　with　dust；　and　the　party　seemed　on　its

return　from　an　important　expedition。　　A　man　left　the　escort；　and

asked　an　old　woman　who　was　spinning　at　her　door　if　there　was　not　an

inn　in　the　place。　　The　woman　and　her　children　showed　him　a　bush

hanging　over　a　door　at　the　end　of　the　only　street　in　the　village；　and

the　escort　recommenced　its　march　at　a　walk。　　There　was　noticed；　among

the　mounted　men；　a　young　man　of　distinguished　appearance　and　richly

dressed；　who　appeared　to　be　a　prisoner。　　This　discovery　redoubled　the

curiosity　of　the　villagers；　who　followed　the　cavalcade　as　far　as　the

door　of　the　wine…shop。　　The　host　came　out；　cap　in　hand；　and　the

provost　enquired　of　him　with　a　swaggering　air　if　his　pothouse　was

large　enough　to　accommodate　his　troop；　men　and　horses。　　The　host

replied　that　he　had　the　best　wine　in　the　country　to　give　to　the

king's　servants；　and　that　it　would　be　easy　to　collect　in　the

neighbourhood　litter　and　forage　enough　for　their　horses。　　The　provost

listened　contemptuously　to　these　fine　promises；　gave　the　necessary

orders　as　to　what　was　to　be　done；　and　slid　off　his　horse；　uttering　an

oath　proceeding　from　heat　and　fatigue。　　The　horsemen　clustered　round

the　young　man：　one　held　his　stirrup；　and　the　provost　deferentially

gave　way　to　him　to　enter　the　inn　first。　　No；　more　doubt　could　be

entertained　that　he　was　a　prisoner　of　importance；　and　all　kinds　of

conjectures　were　made。　　The　men　maintained　that　he　must　be　charged

with　a　great　crime；　otherwise　a　young　nobleman　of　his　rank　would

never　have　been　arrested；　the　women　argued；　on　the　contrary；　that　it

was　impossible　for　such　a　pretty　youth　not　to　be　innocent。



Inside　the　inn　all　was　bustle：　the　serving…lads　ran　from　cellar　to

garret；　the　host　swore　and　despatched　his　servant…girls　to　the

neighbours；　and　the　hostess　scolded　her　daughter；　flattening　her　nose

against　the　panes　of　a　downstairs　window　to　admire　the　handsome

youth。



There　were　two　tables　in　the　principal　eating…room。　　The　provost　took

possession　of　one；　leaving　the　other　to　the　soldiers；　who　went　in

turn　to　tether　their　horses　under　a　shed　in　the　back　yard；　then　he

pointed　to　a　stool　for　the　prisoner；　and　seated　himself　opposite　to

him；　rapping　the　table　with　his　thick　cane。



〃Ouf！〃　he　cried；　with　a　fresh　groan　of　weariness；　〃I　heartily　beg

your　pardon；　marquis；　for　the　bad　wine　I　am　giving　you！〃



The　young　man　smiled　gaily。



〃The　wine　is　all　very　well；　monsieur　provost；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　cannot

conceal　from　you　that　however　agreeable　your　company　is　to　me；　this

halt　is　very　inconvenient；　I　am　in　a　hurry　to　get　through　my

ridiculous　situation；　and　I　should　have　liked　to　arrive　in　time　to

stop　this　affair　at　once。〃



The　girl　of　the　house　was　standing　before　the　table　with　a　pewter　pot

which　she　had　just　brought；　and　at　these　words　she　raised　her　eyes　on

the　prisoner；　with　a　reassured　look　which　seemed　to　say；　〃I　was　sure

that　he　was　innocent。〃



〃But；〃　continued　the　marquis；　carrying　the　glass　to　his　lips；　〃this

wine　is　not　so　bad　as　you　say；　monsieur　provost。〃



Then　turning　to　the　girl；　who　was　eyeing　his　gloves　and　his　ruff



〃To　your　health；　pretty　child。〃



〃Then；〃　said　the　provost；　amazed　at　this　free　and　easy　air；　〃　perhaps

I　shall　have　to　beg　you　to　excuse　your　sleeping　quarters。〃



〃What！〃　exclaimed　the　marquis；　〃　do　we　sleep　here？〃



〃My　lord；〃　said　the　provost；　〃we　have　sixteen　long　leagues　to　make；

our　horses　are　done　up；　and　so　far　as　I　am　concerned　I　declare　that　I

am　no　better　than　my　horse。〃



The　marquis　knocked　on　the　table；　and　gave　every　indication　of　being

greatly　annoyed。　　The　provost　meanwhile　puffed　and　blowed；　stretched

out　his　big　boots；　and　mopped　his　forehead　with　his　handkerchief。　　He

was　a　portly　man；　with　a　puffy　face；　whom　fatigue　rendered　singularly

uncomfortable。



〃Marquis；〃　said　he；　〃　although　your　company；　which　affords　me　the

opportunity　of　showing　you　some　attention；　is　very　precious　to　me；

you　cannot　doubt　that　I　had　much　rather　enjoy　it　on　another　footing。

If　it　be　within　your　power；　as　you　say；　to　release　yourself　from　the

hands　of　justice；　the　sooner　you　do　so　the　better　I　shall　be　pleased。

But　I　beg　you　to　consider　the　state　we　are　in。　　For　my　part；　I　am

unfit　to　keep　the　saddle　another　hour；　and　are　you　not　yourself

knocked　up　by　this　forced　march　in　the　great　heat？〃



〃True；　so　I　am；〃　said　the　marquis；　letting　his　arms　fall　by　his　side。



〃Well；　then；　let　us　rest　here；　sup　here；　if　we　can；　and　we　will　start

quite　fit　in　the　cool　of　the　morning。〃



〃Agreed；〃　replied　the　marquis；　〃but　then　let　us　pass　the　time　in　a

becoming　manner。　　I　have　two　pistoles　left；　let　them　be　given　to

these　good　fellows　to　drink。　　It　is　only　fair　that　I　should　treat

them；　seeing　that　I　am　the　cause　of　giving　them　so　much　trouble。〃



He　threw　two　pieces　of　money　on　the　table　of　the　soldiers；　who　cried

in　chorus；　〃Long　live　M。　the　marquis！〃　　The　provost　rose；　went　to

post　sentinels；　and　then　repaired　to　the　kitchen；　where　he　ordered

the　best　supper　that　could　be　got。　　The　men　pulled　out　dice　and　began

to　drink　and　play。　　The　marquis　hummed　an　air　in　the　middle　of　the

room；　twirled　his　moustache；　turning　on　his　heel　and　looking

cautiously　around；　then　he　gently　drew　a　purse　from　his　trousers

pocket；　and　as　the　daughter　of　the　house　was　coming　and　going；　he

threw　his　arms　round　her　neck　as　if　to　kiss　her；　and　whispered；

slipping　ten　Louis　into　her　hand



〃The　key　of　the　front　door　in　my　room；　and　a　quart　of　liquor　to　the

sentinels；　and　you　save　my　life。〃



The　girl　went　backwards　nearly　to　the　door；　and　returning　with　an

expressive　look；　made　an　affirmative　sign　with　her　hand。　　The　provost

returned；　and　two　hours　later　supper　was　served。　　He　ate　and　drank

like　a　man　more　at　home　at　table　than　in　the　saddle。　　The　marquis

plied　him　with　bumpers；　and　sleepiness；　added　to　the　fumes　of　a　very

heady　wine；　caused　him　to　repeat　over　and　over　again



〃Confound　it　all；　marquis；　I　can't　believe　you　are　such　a　blackguard

as　they　say　you　are；　you　seem　to　me　a　jolly　good　sort。〃



The　marquis　thought　he　was　ready　to　fall　under　the　table；　and　was

beginning　to　open　negotiations　with　the　daughter　of　the　house；　when；

to　his　great　disappointment；　bedtime　having　come；　the　provoking

provost　called　his　sergeant；　gave　him　instructions　in　an　undertone；

and　announced　that　he　should　have　the　honour　of　conducting　M。　the

marquis　to　bed；　and　that　he　should　not　go　to　bed　himself　before

performing　this　duty。　　In　fact；　he　posted　three　of　his　men；　with

torches；　escorted　the　prisoner　to　his　room；　and　left　him　with　many

profound　bows。



The　marquis　threw　himself　on　his　bed　without　pulling　off　his　boots；

listening　to　a　clock　which　struck　nine。　　He　heard　the　men　come　and　go

in　the　stables　and　in　the　yard。



An　hour　later；　everybody　being　tired；　all　was　perfectly　still。　　The

prisoner　then　rose　softly；　and　felt　about　on　tiptoe　on　the

chimneypiece；　on　the　furniture；　and　even　in　his　clothes；　for　the　key

which　he　hoped　to　find。　　He　could　not　find　it。　　He　could　not　be

mistaken；　nevertheless；　in　the　tender　interest　of　the　young　girl；　and

he　could　not　believe　that　she　was　deceiving　him。　　The　marquis's　room

had　a　window　which　opened　upon　the　street；　and　a　door　which　gave

access　to　a　shabby　gallery　which　did　duty　for　a　balcony；　whence　a

staircase　ascended　to　the　principal　rooms　of　the　house。　　This　gallery

hung　over　the　courtyard；　being　as　high　above　it　as　the　window　was

from　the　street。　　The　marquis　had　only　to　jump　over　one　side　or　the

other：　he　hesitated　for　some　time；　and　just　as　he　was　deciding　to

leap　into　the　street；　at　the　risk　of　breaking　his　neck；　two　taps　were

struck　on　the　door。　　He　jumped　for　joy；　saying　to　himself　as　he

opened；　〃I　am　saved！〃　　A　kind　of　shadow　glided　into　the　room；　the

young　girl　trembled　from　head　to　foot；　and　could　not　say　a　word。　　The

marquis　reassured　her　with　all　sorts　of　caresses。



〃Ah；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　dead　if　we　are　surprised。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃but　your　fortune　is　made　if　you　get　me　out

of　here。〃



〃God　is　my　witness　that　I　would　with　all　my　soul；　but　I　have　such　a

bad　piece　of　news〃



She　stopped；　suffocated　with　varying　emotions。　　The　poor　girl　had

come　barefooted；　for　fear　of　making　a　noise；　and　appeared　to　be

shivering。



〃What　is　the　matter？　　〃impatiently　asked　the　marquis。



〃Before　going　to　bed；〃　she　continued；　〃　M。　　the　provost　has　required

from　my　father　all　the