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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

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