volume01-第23节

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rigands　returned　while　I　was　employed　in　relating　my　adventure　to　the　Baron。　By　their　account　I　found　that　the　Robbers　had　been　overtaken：　　Guilt　and　true　courage　are　incompatible；　They　had　thrown　themselves　at　the　feet　of　their　Pursuers；　had　surrendered　themselves　without　striking　a　blow；　had　discovered　their　secret　retreat；　made　known　their　signals　by　which　the　rest　of　the　Gang　might　be　seized；　and　in　short　had　betrayed　ever　mark　of　cowardice　and　baseness。　　By　this　means　the　whole　of　the　Band；　consisting　of　near　sixty　persons；　had　been　made　Prisoners；　bound；　and　conducted　to　Strasbourg。　　Some　of　the　Soldiers　hastened　to　the　Cottage；　One　of　the　Banditti　serving　them　as　Guide。　　Their　first　visit　was　to　the　fatal　Barn；　where　they　were　fortunate　enough　to　find　two　of　the　Baron's　Servants　still　alive；　though　desperately　wounded。　　The　rest　had　expired　beneath　the　swords　of　the　Robbers；　and　of　these　my　unhappy　Stephano　was　one。

Alarmed　at　our　escape；　the　Robbers　in　their　haste　to　overtake　us；　had　neglected　to　visit　the　Cottage。　　In　consequence；　the　Soldiers　found　the　two　Waiting…women　unhurt；　and　buried　in　the　same　death…like　slumber　which　had　overpowered　their　Mistress。　　There　was　nobody　else　found　in　the　Cottage；　except　a　child　not　above　four　years　old；　which　the　Soldiers　brought　away　with　them。　We　were　busying　ourselves　with　conjectures　respecting　the　birth　of　this　little　unfortunate；　when　Marguerite　rushed　into　the　room　with　the　Baby　in　her　arms。　　She　fell　at　the　feet　of　the　Officer　who　was　making　us　this　report；　and　blessed　him　a　thousand　times　for　the　preservation　of　her　Child。

When　the　first　burst　of　maternal　tenderness　was　over；　I　besought　her　to　declare；　by　what　means　She　had　been　united　to　a　Man　whose　principles　seemed　so　totally　discordant　with　her　own。　　She　bent　her　eyes　downwards；　and　wiped　a　few　tears　from　her　cheek。

'Gentlemen；'　said　She　after　a　silence　of　some　minutes；　'I　would　request　a　favour　of　you：　　You　have　a　right　to　know　on　whom　you　confer　an　obligation。　　I　will　not　therefore　stifle　a　confession　which　covers　me　with　shame；　But　permit　me　to　comprise　it　in　as　few　words　as　possible。

'I　was　born　in　Strasbourg　of　respectable　Parents；　Their　names　I　must　at　present　conceal：　　My　Father　still　lives；　and　deserves　not　to　be　involved　in　my　infamy；　If　you　grant　my　request；　you　shall　be　informed　of　my　family　name。　　A　Villain　made　himself　Master　of　my　affections；　and　to　follow　him　I　quitted　my　Father's　House。　　Yet　though　my　passions　overpowered　my　virtue；　I　sank　not　into　that　degeneracy　of　vice；　but　too　commonly　the　lot　of　Women　who　make　the　first　false　step。　　I　loved　my　Seducer；　dearly　loved　him！　I　was　true　to　his　Bed；　this　Baby；　and　the　Youth　who　warned　you；　my　Lord　Baron；　of　your　Lady's　danger；　are　the　pledges　of　our　affection。　　Even　at　this　moment　I　lament　his　loss；　though　'tis　to　him　that　I　owe　all　the　miseries　of　my　existence。

'He　was　of　noble　birth；　but　He　had　squandered　away　his　paternal　inheritance。　　His　Relations　considered　him　as　a　disgrace　to　their　name；　and　utterly　discarded　him。　　His　excesses　drew　upon　him　the　indignation　of　the　Police。　　He　was　obliged　to　fly　from　Strasbourg；　and　saw　no　other　resource　from　beggary　than　an　union　with　the　Banditti　who　infested　the　neighbouring　Forest；　and　whose　Troop　was　chiefly　composed　of　Young　Men　of　family　in　the　same　predicament　with　himself。　　I　was　determined　not　to　forsake　him。　　I　followed　him　to　the　Cavern　of　the　Brigands；　and　shared　with　him　the　misery　inseparable　from　a　life　of　pillage。　　But　though　I　was　aware　that　our　existence　was　supported　by　plunder；　I　knew　not　all　the　horrible　circumstances　attached　to　my　Lover's　profession。　　These　He　concealed　from　me　with　the　utmost　care；　He　was　conscious　that　my　sentiments　were　not　sufficiently　depraved　to　look　without　horror　upon　assassination：　　He　supposed；　and　with　justice；　that　I　should　fly　with　detestation　from　the　embraces　of　a　Murderer。　　Eight　years　of　possession　had　not　abated　his　love　for　me；　and　He　cautiously　removed　from　my　knowledge　every　circumstance；　which　might　lead　me　to　suspect　the　crimes　in　which　He　but　too　often　participated。　He　succeeded　perfectly：　　It　was　not　till　after　my　Seducer's　death；　that　I　discovered　his　hands　to　have　been　stained　with　the　blood　of　innocence。

'One　fatal　night　He　was　brought　back　to　the　Cavern　covered　with　wounds：　　He　received　them　in　attacking　an　English　Traveller；　whom　his　Companions　immediately　sacrificed　to　their　resentment。　　He　had　only　time　to　entreat　my　pardon　for　all　the　sorrows　which　He　had　caused　me：　　He　pressed　my　hand　to　his　lips；　and　expired。　　My　grief　was　inexpressible。　　As　soon　as　its　violence　abated；　I　resolved　to　return　to　Strasbourg；　to　throw　myself　with　my　two　Children　at　my　Father's　feet；　and　implore　his　forgiveness；　though　I　little　hoped　to　obtain　it。　　What　was　my　consternation　when　informed　that　no　one　entrusted　with　the　secret　of　their　retreat　was　ever　permitted　to　quit　the　troop　of　the　Banditti；　That　I　must　give　up　all　hopes　of　ever　rejoining　society；　and　consent　instantly　to　accepting　one　of　their　Band　for　my　Husband！　　My　prayers　and　remonstrances　were　vain。　　They　cast　lots　to　decide　to　whose　possession　I　should　fall；　I　became　the　property　of　the　infamous　Baptiste。　　A　Robber；　who　had　once　been　a　Monk；　pronounced　over　us　a　burlesque　rather　than　a　religious　Ceremony：　　I　and　my　Children　were　delivered　into　the　hands　of　my　new　Husband；　and　He　conveyed　us　immediately　to　his　home。

'He　assured　me　that　He　had　long　entertained　for　me　the　most　ardent　regard；　But　that　Friendship　for　my　deceased　Lover　had　obliged　him　to　stifle　his　desires。　　He　endeavoured　to　reconcile　me　to　my　fate；　and　for　some　time　treated　me　with　respect　and　gentleness：　　At　length　finding　that　my　aversion　rather　increased　than　diminished；　He　obtained　those　favours　by　violence；　which　I　persisted　to　refuse　him。　　No　resource　remained　for　me　but　to　bear　my　sorrows　with　patience；　I　was　conscious　that　I　deserved　them　but　too　well。　　Flight　was　forbidden：　My　Children　were　in　the　power　of　Baptiste；　and　He　had　sworn　that　if　I　attempted　to　escape；　their　lives　should　pay　for　it。　　I　had　had　too　many　opportunities　of　witnessing　the　barbarity　of　his　nature　to　doubt　his　fulfilling　his　oath　to　the　very　letter。　　Sad　experience　had　convinced　me　of　the　horrors　of　my　situation：　　My　first　Lover　had　carefully　concealed　them　from　me；　Baptiste　rather　rejoiced　in　opening　my　eyes　to　the　cruelties　of　his　profession；　and　strove　to　familiarise　me　with　blood　and　slaughter。

'My　nature　was　licentious　and　warm；　but　not　cruel：　My　conduct　had　been　imprudent；　but　my　heart　was　not　unprincipled。　　Judge　then　what　I　must　have　felt　at　being　a　continual　witness　of　crimes　the　most　horrible　and　revolting！　　Judge　how　I　must　have　grieved　at　being　united　to　a　Man　who　received　the　unsuspecting　Guest　with　an　air　of　openness　and　hospitality；　at　the　very　moment　that　He　meditated　his　destruction。　　Chagrin　and　discontent　preyed　upon　my　constitution：　　The　few　charms　bestowed　on　me　by　nature　withered　away；　and　the　dejection　of　my　countenance　denoted　the　sufferings　of　my　heart。　　I　was　tempted　a　thousand　times　to　put　an　end　to　my　existence；　But　the　remembrance　of　my　Children　held　my　hand。　　I　trembled　to　leave　my　dear　Boys　in　my　Tyrant's　power；　and　trembled　yet　more　for　their　virtue　than　their　lives。　　The　Second　was　still　too　young　to　benefit　by　my　instructions；　But　in　the　heart　of　my　Eldest　I　laboured　unceasingly　to　plant　those　principles；　which　might　enable　him　to　avoid　the　crimes　of　his　Parents。　　He　listened　to　me　with　docility；　or　rather　with　eagerness。　　Even　at　his　early　age；　He　showed　that　He　was　not　calculated　for　the　society　of　Villains；　and　the　only　comfort　which　I　enjoyed　among　my　sorrows；　was　to　witness　the　dawning　virtues　of　my　Theodore。

'Such　was　my　situation；　when　the　perfidy　of　Don　Alphonso's　postillion　conducted　him　to　the　Cottage。　　His　youth；　air；　and　manners　interested　me　most　forcibly　in　his　behalf。　　The　absence　of　my　Husband's　Sons　gave　me　an　opportunity　which　I　had　long　wished　to　find；　and　I　resolved　to　risque　every　thing　to　preserve　the　Stranger。　　The　vigilance　of　Baptiste　prevented　me　from　warning　Don　Alphonso　of　his　danger：　　I　knew　that　my　betraying　the　secret　would　be　immediately　punished　with　death；　and　however　embittered　was　my　life　by　calamities；　I　wanted　courage　to　sacrifice　it　for　the　sake　of　preserving　that　of　another　Person。　　My　only　hope　rested　upon　procuring　succour　from　Strasbourg：　　At　this　I　resolved　to　try；　and　should　an　opportunity　offer　of　warning　Don　Alphonso　of　his　danger　unobserved；　I　was　determined　to　seize　it　with　avidity。　　By　Baptiste's　orders　I　went　upstairs　to　make　the　Stranger's　Bed：　　I　spread　upon　it　Sheets　in　which　a　Traveller　had　been　murdered　but　a　few　nights　before；　and　which　still　were　stained　with　blood。　　I　hoped　that　these　marks　would　not　escape　the　vigilance　of　our　Guest；　and　that　He　would　collect　from　them　the　designs　of　my　perfidious　Husband。　　Neither　was　this　the　only　step　which　I　took　to　preserve　the　Stranger。　　Theodore　was　confined　to　his　bed　by　illness。　　I　stole　into　his　room　unobserved　by　my　Tyrant；　communicated　to　him　my　project；　and　He　entered　into　it　with　eagerness。　　He　rose　in　spite　of　his　malady；　and　dressed　himself　with　all　speed。　　I　fastened　one　of　the　Sheets　round　his　arms；