太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > vendetta >

第16节

vendetta-第16节

小说: vendetta 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



beloved; who held her round the waist; and; together; in deep silence;

they gazed upward at the sky; which the dawn was slowly brightening。

Clouds of a grayish hue were moving rapidly; the East was growing

luminous。



〃See!〃 said Ginevra。 〃It is an omen。 We shall be happy。〃



〃Yes; in heaven;〃 replied Luigi; with a bitter smile。 〃Oh; Ginevra!

you who deserved all the treasures upon earth〃



〃I have your heart;〃 she said; in tones of joy。



〃Ah! I complain no more!〃 he answered; straining her tightly to him;

and covering with kisses the delicate face; which was losing the

freshness of youth; though its expression was still so soft; so tender

that he could not look at it and not be comforted。



〃What silence!〃 said Ginevra; presently。 〃Dear friend; I take great

pleasure in sitting up。 The majesty of Night is so contagious; it

awes; it inspires。 There is I know not what great power in the

thought: all sleep; I wake。〃



〃Oh; my Ginevra;〃 he cried; 〃it is not to…night alone I feel how

delicately moulded is your soul。 But see; the dawn is shining;come

and sleep。〃



〃Yes;〃 replied Ginevra; 〃if I do not sleep alone。 I suffered too much

that night I first discovered that you were waking while I slept。〃



The courage with which these two young people fought with misery

received for a while its due reward; but an event which usually crowns

the happiness of a household to them proved fatal。 Ginevra had a son;

who was; to use the popular expression; 〃as beautiful as the day。〃 The

sense of motherhood doubled the strength of the young wife。 Luigi

borrowed money to meet the expenses of Ginevra's confinement。 At first

she did not feel the fresh burden of their situation; and the pair

gave themselves wholly up to the joy of possessing a child。 It was

their last happiness。



Like two swimmers uniting their efforts to breast a current; these two

Corsican souls struggled courageously; but sometimes they gave way to

an apathy which resembled the sleep that precedes death。 Soon they

were obliged to sell their jewels。 Poverty appeared to them suddenly;

not hideous; but plainly clothed; almost easy to endure; its voice

had nothing terrifying; with it came neither spectres; nor despair;

nor rags; but it made them lose the memory and the habits of comfort;

it dried the springs of pride。 Then; before they knew it; came want;

want in all its horror; indifferent to its rags; treading underfoot

all human sentiments。



Seven or eight months after the birth of the little Bartolomeo; it

would have been hard to see in the mother who suckled her sickly babe

the original of the beautiful portrait; the sole remaining ornament of

the squalid home。 Without fire through a hard winter; the graceful

outlines of Ginevra's figure were slowly destroyed; her cheeks grew

white as porcelain; and her eyes dulled as though the springs of life

were drying up within her。 Watching her shrunken; discolored child;

she felt no suffering but for that young misery; and Luigi had no

courage to smile upon his son。



〃I have wandered over Paris;〃 he said; one day。 〃I know no one; can I

ask help of strangers? Vergniaud; my old sergeant; is concerned in a

conspiracy; and they have put him in prison; besides; he has already

lent me all he could spare。 As for our landlord; it is over a year

since he asked me for any rent。〃



〃But we are not in want;〃 replied Ginevra; gently; affecting calmness。



〃Every hour brings some new difficulty;〃 continued Luigi; in a tone of

terror。



Another day Luigi took Ginevra's pictures; her portrait; and the few

articles of furniture which they could still exist without; and sold

them for a miserable sum; which prolonged the agony of the hapless

household for a time。 During these days of wretchedness Ginevra showed

the sublimity of her nature and the extent of her resignation。



Stoically she bore the strokes of misery; her strong soul held her up

against all woes; she worked with unfaltering hand beside her dying

son; performed her household duties with marvellous activity; and

sufficed for all。 She was even happy; still; when she saw on Luigi's

lips a smile of surprise at the cleanliness she produced in the one

poor room where they had taken refuge。



〃Dear; I kept this bit of bread for you;〃 she said; one evening; when

he returned; worn…out。



〃And you?〃



〃I? I have dined; dear Luigi; I want nothing more。〃



And the tender look on her beseeching face urged him more than her

words to take the food of which she had deprived herself。



Luigi kissed her; with one of those kisses of despair that were given

in 1793 between friends as they mounted the scaffold。 In such supreme

moments two beings see each other; heart to heart。 The hapless Luigi;

comprehending suddenly that his wife was starving; was seized with the

fever which consumed her。 He shuddered; and went out; pretending that

some business called him; for he would rather have drunk the deadliest

poison than escape death by eating that last morsel of bread that was

left in his home。



He wandered wildly about Paris; amid the gorgeous equipages; in the

bosom of that flaunting luxury that displays itself everywhere; he

hurried past the windows of the money…changers where gold was

glittering; and at last he resolved to sell himself to be a substitute

for military service; hoping that this sacrifice would save Ginevra;

and that her father; during his absence; would take her home。



He went to one of those agents who manage these transactions; and felt

a sort of happiness in recognizing an old officer of the Imperial

guard。



〃It is two days since I have eaten anything;〃 he said to him in a

slow; weak voice。 〃My wife is dying of hunger; and has never uttered

one word of complaint; she will die smiling; I think。 For God's sake;

comrade;〃 he added; bitterly; 〃buy me in advance; I am robust; I am no

longer in the service; and I〃



The officer gave Luigi a sum on account of that which he promised to

procure for him。 The wretched man laughed convulsively as he grasped

the gold; and ran with all his might; breathless; to his home; crying

out at times:



〃Ginevra! Oh; my Ginevra!〃



It was almost night when he reached his wretched room。 He entered very

softly; fearing to cause too strong an emotion to his wife; whom he

had left so weak。 The last rays of the sun; entering through the

garret window; were fading from Ginevra's face as she sat sleeping in

her chair; and holding her child upon her breast。



〃Wake; my dear one;〃 he said; not observing the infant; which shone;

at that moment; with supernatural light。



Hearing that voice; the poor mother opened her eyes; met Luigi's look;

and smiled; but Luigi himself gave a cry of horror; he scarcely

recognized his wife; now half mad。 With a gesture of savage energy he

showed her the gold。 Ginevra began to laugh mechanically; but suddenly

she cried; in a dreadful voice:



〃The child; Luigi; he is cold!〃



She looked at her son and swooned。 The little Bartolomeo was dead。

Luigi took his wife in his arms; without removing the child; which she

clasped with inconceivable force; and after laying her on the bed he

went out to seek help。



〃Oh! my God!〃 he said; as he met his landlord on the stairs。 〃I have

gold; gold; and my child has died of hunger; and his mother is dying;

too! Help me!〃



He returned like one distraught to his wife; leaving the worthy mason;

and also the neighbors who heard him to gather a few things for the

needs of so terrible a want; hitherto unknown; for the two Corsicans

had carefully hidden it from a feeling of pride。



Luigi had cast his gold upon the floor and was kneeling by the bed on

which lay his wife。



〃Father! take care of my son; who bears your name;〃 she was saying in

her delirium。



〃Oh; my angel! be calm;〃 said Luigi; kissing her; 〃our good days are

coming back to us。〃



〃My Luigi;〃 she said; looking at him with extraordinary attention;

〃listen to me。 I feel that I am dying。 My death is natural; I suffered

too much; besides; a happiness so great as mine has to be paid for。

Yes; my Luigi; be comforted。 I have been so happy that if I were to

live again I would again accept our fate。 I am a bad mother; I regret

you more than I regret my child My child!〃 she added; in a hollow

voice。



Two tears escaped her dying eyes; and suddenly she pressed the little

body she had no power to warm。



〃Give my hair to my father; in memory of his Ginevra;〃 she said。 〃Tell

him I have never blamed him。〃



Her head fell upon her husband's arm。



〃No; you cannot die!〃 cried Luigi。 〃The doctor is coming。 We have

food。 Your father will take you home。 Prosperity is here。 Stay with

us; angel!〃



But the faithful heart; so full of love; was growing cold。 Ginevra

turned her eyes instinctively to him she loved; though she was

conscious of nought else。 Confused images 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的