maitre cornelius-第2节

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manner　in　which　he　had　placed　the　weapon；　this　hilt　was　directly　under

his　hand；　if；　unfortunately；　the　hand　touched　the　iron；　he　would　wake；

no　doubt；　instantly；　and　glance　at　his　wife。　His　sardonic　lips；　his

pointed　chin　aggressively　pushed　forward；　presented　the　characteristic

signs　of　a　malignant　spirit；　a　sagacity　coldly　cruel；　that　would

surely　enable　him　to　divine　all　because　he　suspected　everything。　His

yellow　forehead　was　wrinkled　like　those　of　men　whose　habit　it　is　to

believe　nothing；　to　weigh　all　things；　and　who；　like　misers　chinking

their　gold；　search　out　the　meaning　and　the　value　of　human　actions。　His

bodily　frame；　though　deformed；　was　bony　and　solid；　and　seemed　both

vigorous　and　excitable；　in　short；　you　might　have　thought　him　a　stunted

ogre。　Consequently；　an　inevitable　danger　awaited　the　young　lady

whenever　this　terrible　seigneur　woke。　That　jealous　husband　would

surely　not　fail　to　see　the　difference　between　a　worthy　old　burgher　who

gave　him　no　umbrage；　and　the　new…comer；　young；　slender；　and　elegant。



〃Libera　nos　a　malo；〃　she　said；　endeavoring　to　make　the　young　man

comprehend　her　fears。



The　latter　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　her。　Tears　were　in　his　eyes；

tears　of　love　and　of　despair。　At　sight　of　them　the　lady　trembled　and

betrayed　herself。　Both　had；　no　doubt；　long　resisted　and　could　resist

no　longer　a　love　increasing　day　by　day　through　invincible　obstacles；

nurtured　by　terror；　strengthened　by　youth。　The　lady　was　moderately

handsome；　but　her　pallid　skin　told　of　secret　sufferings　that　made　her

interesting。　She　had；　moreover；　an　elegant　figure；　and　the　finest　hair

in　the　world。　Guarded　by　a　tiger；　she　risked　her　life　in　whispering　a

word；　accepting　a　look；　and　permitting　a　mere　pressure　of　the　hand。

Love　may　never　have　been　more　deeply　felt　than　in　those　hearts；　never

more　delightfully　enjoyed；　but　certainly　no　passion　was　ever　more

perilous。　It　was　easy　to　divine　that　to　these　two　beings　air；　sound；

foot…falls；　etc。；　things　indifferent　to　other　men；　presented　hidden

qualities；　peculiar　properties　which　they　distinguished。　Perhaps　their

love　made　them　find　faithful　interpreters　in　the　icy　hands　of　the　old

priest　to　whom　they　confessed　their　sins；　and　from　whom　they　received

the　Host　at　the　holy　table。　Love　profound！　love　gashed　into　the　soul

like　a　scar　upon　the　body　which　we　carry　through　life！　When　these　two

young　people　looked　at　each　other；　the　woman　seemed　to　say　to　her

lover；　〃Let　us　love　each　other　and　die！〃　To　which　the　young　knight

answered；　〃Let　us　love　each　other　and　not　die。〃　In　reply；　she　showed

him　a　sign　her　old　duenna　and　two　pages。　The　duenna　slept；　the　pages

were　young　and　seemingly　careless　of　what　might　happen；　either　of　good

or　evil；　to　their　masters。



〃Do　not　be　frightened　as　you　leave　the　church；　let　yourself　be

managed。〃



The　young　nobleman　had　scarcely　said　these　words　in　a　low　voice；　when

the　hand　of　the　old　seigneur　dropped　upon　the　hilt　of　his　dagger。

Feeling　the　cold　iron　he　woke；　and　his　yellow　eyes　fixed　themselves

instantly　on　his　wife。　By　a　privilege　seldom　granted　even　to　men　of

genius；　he　awoke　with　his　mind　as　clear；　his　ideas　as　lucid　as　though

he　had　not　slept　at　all。　The　man　had　the　mania　of　jealousy。　The　lover；

with　one　eye　on　his　mistress；　had　watched　the　husband　with　the　other；

and　he　now　rose　quickly；　effacing　himself　behind　a　column　at　the

moment　when　the　hand　of　the　old　man　fell；　after　which　he　disappeared；

swiftly　as　a　bird。　The　lady　lowered　her　eyes　to　her　book　and　tried　to

seem　calm；　but　she　could　not　prevent　her　face　from　blushing　and　her

heart　from　beating　with　unnatural　violence。　The　old　lord　saw　the

unusual　crimson　on　the　cheeks；　forehead；　even　the　eyelids　of　his　wife。

He　looked　about　him　cautiously；　but　seeing　no　one　to　distrust；　he　said

to　his　wife：



〃What　are　you　thinking　of；　my　dear？〃



〃The　smell　of　the　incense　turns　me　sick；〃　she　replied。



〃It　is　particularly　bad　to…day？〃　he　asked。



In　spite　of　this　sarcastic　query；　the　wily　old　man　pretended　to

believe　in　this　excuse；　but　he　suspected　some　treachery　and　he

resolved　to　watch　his　treasure　more　carefully　than　before。



The　benediction　was　given。　Without　waiting　for　the　end　of　the　〃Soecula

soeculorum；〃　the　crowd　rushed　like　a　torrent　to　the　doors　of　the

church。　Following　his　usual　custom；　the　old　seigneur　waited　till　the

general　hurry　was　over；　after　which　he　left　his　chapel；　placing　the

duenna　and　the　youngest　page；　carrying　a　lantern；　before　him；　then　he

gave　his　arm　to　his　wife　and　told　the　other　page　to　follow　them。



As　he　made　his　way　to　the　lateral　door　which　opened　on　the　west　side

of　the　cloister；　through　which　it　was　his　custom　to　pass；　a　stream　of

persons　detached　itself　from　the　flood　which　obstructed　the　great

portals；　and　poured　through　the　side　aisle　around　the　old　lord　and　his

party。　The　mass　was　too　compact　to　allow　him　to　retrace　his　steps；　and

he　and　his　wife　were　therefore　pushed　onward　to　the　door　by　the

pressure　of　the　multitude　behind　them。　The　husband　tried　to　pass　out

first；　dragging　the　lady　by　the　arm；　but　at　that　instant　he　was　pulled

vigorously　into　the　street；　and　his　wife　was　torn　from　him　by　a

stranger。　The　terrible　hunchback　saw　at　once　that　he　had　fallen　into　a

trap　that　was　cleverly　prepared。　Repenting　himself　for　having　slept；

he　collected　his　whole　strength；　seized　his　wife　once　more　by　the

sleeve　of　her　gown；　and　strove　with　his　other　hand　to　cling　to　the

gate　of　the　church；　but　the　ardor　of　love　carried　the　day　against

jealous　fury。　The　young　man　took　his　mistress　round　the　waist；　and

carried　her　off　so　rapidly；　with　the　strength　of　despair；　that　the

brocaded　stuff　of　silk　and　gold　tore　noisily　apart；　and　the　sleeve

alone　remained　in　the　hand　of　the　old　man。　A　roar　like　that　of　a　lion

rose　louder　than　the　shouts　of　the　multitude；　and　a　terrible　voice

howled　out　the　words：



〃To　me；　Poitiers！　Servants　of　the　Comte　de　Saint…Vallier；　here！　Help！

help！〃



And　the　Comte　Aymar　de　Poitiers；　sire　de　Saint…Vallier；　attempted　to

draw　his　sword　and　clear　a　space　around　him。　But　he　found　himself

surrounded　and　pressed　upon　by　forty　or　fifty　gentlemen　whom　it　would

be　dangerous　to　wound。　Several　among　them；　especially　those　of　the

highest　rank；　answered　him　with　jests　as　they　dragged　him　along　the

cloisters。



With　the　rapidity　of　lightning　the　abductor　carried　the　countess　into

an　open　chapel　and　seated　her　behind　the　confessional　on　a　wooden

bench。　By　the　light　of　the　tapers　burning　before　the　saint　to　whom　the

chapel　was　dedicated；　they　looked　at　each　other　for　a　moment　in

silence；　clasping　hands；　and　amazed　at　their　own　audacity。　The

countess　had　not　the　cruel　courage　to　reproach　the　young　man　for　the

boldness　to　which　they　owed　this　perilous　and　only　instant　of

happiness。



〃Will　you　fly　with　me　into　the　adjoining　States？〃　said　the　young　man；

eagerly。　〃Two　English　horses　are　awaiting　us　close　by；　able　to　do

thirty　leagues　at　a　stretch。〃



〃Ah！〃　she　cried；　softly；　〃in　what　corner　of　the　world　could　you　hide　a

daughter　of　King　Louis　XI。？〃



〃True；〃　replied　the　young　man；　silenced　by　a　difficulty　he　had　not

foreseen。



〃Why　did　you　tear　me　from　my　husband？〃　she　asked　in　a　sort　of　terror。



〃Alas！〃　said　her　lover；　〃I　did　not　reckon　on　the　trouble　I　should　feel

in　being　near　you；　in　hearing　you　speak　to　me。　I　have　made　plans；two

or　three　plans；and　now　that　I　see　you　all　seems　accomplished。〃



〃But　I　am　lost！〃　said　the　countess。



〃We　are　saved！〃　the　young　man　cried　in　the　blind　enthusiasm　of　his

love。　〃Listen　to　me　carefully！〃



〃This　will　cost　me　my　life！〃　she　said；　letting　the　tears　that　rolled

in　her　eyes　flow　down　her　cheeks。　〃The　count　will　kill　me；to…night；

perhaps！　But　go　to　the　king；　tell　him　the　tortures　that　his　daughter

has　endured　these　five　years。　He　loved　me　well　when　I　was　little；　he

called　me　'Marie…full…of…grace；'　because　I　was　ugly。　Ah！　if　he　knew

the　man　to　whom　he　gave　me；　his　anger　would　be　terrible。　I　have　not

dared　complain；　out　of　pity　for　the　count。　Besides；　how　could　I　reach

the　king？　My　confessor　himself　is　a　spy　of　Saint…Vallier。　That　is　why

I　have　consented　to　this　guilty　meeting；　to　obtain　a　defender；some

one　to　tell　the　truth　to　the　king。　Can　I　rely　on　Oh！〃　she　cried；

turning　pale　and　interrupting　herself；　〃here　comes　the　page！〃



The　poor　countess　put　her　hands　before　her　face　as　if　to　veil　it。



〃Fear　nothing；〃　said　the　young　seigneur；　〃he　is　won！　You　can　safely

trust　him；　he　belongs　to　me。　When　the　count　contrives　to　return　for

you　he　will　warn　us　of　his　coming。　In　the　confessional；〃　he　added；　in

a　low　voice；　〃is　a　priest；　a　friend　of　mine；　who　will　tell　him　that　he

drew　you　for　safety　out　of　the　crowd；　and　placed　you　under　his　own

protection　in　this　chapel。　Therefore；　everything　is　arranged　to

deceive　him。〃



At　these　words　the　tears　of　the　poor　woman　stopped；　but　an　expression

of　sadness　settle