bel ami-第15节

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and　began　to　breathe　so　painfully　that　Mme。　Forestier　in　affright
woke　Duroy　and　asked　him　to　fetch　the　doctor。　He　returned　almost
immediately　with　Dr。　Gavant　who　prescribed　for　the　sick　man。　When
the　journalist　asked　him　his　opinion；　he　said：　〃It　is　the　final
stage。　He　will　be　dead　to…morrow　morning。　Prepare　that　poor；　young
wife　and　send　for　a　priest。　I　can　do　nothing　more。　However；　I　am
entirely　at　your　disposal〃　Duroy　went　to　Mme。　Forestier。　〃He　is
going　to　die。　The　doctor　advises　me　to　send　for　a　priest。　What　will
you　do？〃

She　hesitated　a　moment　and　then　said　slowly：

〃I　will　go　and　tell　him　that　the　cure　wishes　to　see　him。　Will　you　be
kind　enough　to　procure　one　who　will　require　nothing　but　the
confession；　and　who　will　not　make　much　fuss？〃

The　young　man　brought　with　him　a　kind；　old　priest　who　accommodated
himself　to　circumstances。　When　he　had　entered　the　death　chamber；
Mme。　Forestier　went　out　and　seated　herself　with　Duroy　in　an
adjoining　room。

〃That　has　upset　him；〃　said　she。　〃When　I　mentioned　the　priest　to　him；
his　face　assumed　a　scared　expression。　He　knew　that　the　end　was　near。
I　shall　never　forget　his　face。〃

At　that　moment　they　heard　the　priest　saying　to　him：　〃Why　no；　you　are
not　so　low　as　that。　You　are　ill；　but　not　in　danger。　The　proof　of
that　is　that　I　came　as　a　friend；　a　neighbor。〃　They　could　not　hear
his　reply。　The　priest　continued：　〃No；　I　shall　not　administer　the
sacrament。　We　will　speak　of　that　when　you　are　better。　If　you　will
only　confess；　I　ask　no　more。　I　am　a　pastor；　I　take　advantage　of
every　occasion　to　gather　in　my　sheep。〃

A　long　silence　followed。　Then　suddenly　the　priest　said；　in　the　tone
of　one　officiating　at　the　altar：

〃The　mercy　of　God　is　infinite；　repeat　the　'Confiteor；'　my　son。
Perhaps　you　have　forgotten　it；　I　will　help　you。　Repeat　with　me：
'Confiteor　Deo　omnipotenti；　Beata　Mariae　semper　virgini。'〃　He　paused
from　time　to　time　to　permit　the　dying　man　to　catch　up　to　him。

Then　he　said：　〃Now；　confess。〃　The　sick　man　murmured　something。　The
priest　repeated：　〃You　have　committed　sins：　of　what　kind；　my　son？〃

The　young　woman　rose　and　said　simply：　〃Let　us　go　into　the　garden。　We
must　not　listen　to　his　secrets。〃

They　seated　themselves　upon　a　bench　before　the　door；　beneath　a
blossoming　rosebush。　After　several　moments　of　silence　Duroy　asked：
〃Will　it　be　some　time　before　you　return　to　Paris？〃

〃No；〃　she　replied；　〃when　all　is　over；　I　will　go　back。〃

〃In　about　ten　days？〃

〃Yes；　at　most。〃

He　continued；　〃Charles　has　no　relatives　then？〃

〃None；　save　cousins。　His　father　and　mother　died　when　he　was　very
young。〃

In　the　course　of　a　few　minutes；　the　servant　came　to　tell　them　that
the　priest　had　finished；　and　together　they　ascended　the　stairs。
Forestier　seemed　to　have　grown　thinner　since　the　preceding　day。　The
priest　was　holding　his　hand。

〃Au　revoir；　my　son。　I　will　come　again　to…morrow　morning〃；　and　he
left。　When　he　was　gone；　the　dying　man；　who　was　panting；　tried　to
raise　his　two　hands　toward　his　wife　and　gasped：

〃Save　mesave　me；　my　darling。　I　do　not　want　to　dieoh；　save　mego
for　the　doctor。　I　will　take　anything。　I　do　not　want　to　die。〃　He
wept；　the　tears　coursed　down　his　pallid　cheeks。　Then　his　hands
commenced　to　wander　hither　and　thither　continually；　slowly；　and
regularly；　as　if　gathering　something　on　the　coverlet。　His　wife；　who
was　also　weeping；　sobbed：

〃No；　it　is　nothing。　It　is　only　an　attack；　you　will　be　better　to…
morrow；　you　tired　yourself　with　that　drive。〃

Forestier　drew　his　breath　quickly　and　so　faintly　that　one　could
scarcely　hear　him。　He　repeated：

〃I　do　not　want　to　die！　Oh；　my　Godmy　Godwhat　has　happened　to　me？
I　cannot　see。　Oh；　my　God！〃　His　staring　eyes　saw　something　invisible
to　the　others；　his　hands　plucked　continually　at　the　counterpane。
Suddenly　he　shuddered　and　gasped：　〃The　cemeterymemy　God！〃　He　did
not　speak　again。　He　lay　there　motionless　and　ghastly。　The　hours
dragged　on；　the　clock　of　a　neighboring　convent　chimed　noon。

Duroy　left　the　room　to　obtain　some　food。　He　returned　an　hour　later；
Mme。　Forestier　would　eat　nothing。　The　invalid　had　not　stirred。　The
young　woman　was　seated　in　an　easy…chair　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。
Duroy　likewise　seated　himself；　and　they　watched　in　silence。　A　nurse；
sent　by　the　doctor；　had　arrived　and　was　dozing　by　the　window。

Duroy　himself　was　almost　asleep　when　he　felt　a　presentiment　that
something　was　about　to　happen。　He　opened　his　eyes　just　in　time　to
see　Forestier　close　his。　He　coughed　slightly；　and　two　streams　of
blood　issued　from　the　corners　of　his　mouth　and　flowed　upon　his　night
robe；　his　hands　ceased　their　perpetual　motion；　he　had　breathed　his
last。　His　wife；　perceiving　it；　uttered　a　cry　and　fell　upon　her　knees
by　the　bedside。　Georges；　in　surprise　and　affright；　mechanically　made
the　sign　of　the　cross。

The　nurse；　awakening；　approached　the　bed　and　said：　〃It　has　come。〃
Duroy；　recovering　his　self…possession；　murmured　with　a　sigh　of
relief：　〃It　was　not　as　hard　as　I　feared　it　would　be。〃

That　night　Mme。　Forestier　and　Duroy　watched　in　the　chamber　of　death。
They　were　alone　beside　him　who　was　no　more。　They　did　not　speak；
Georges's　eyes　seemed　attracted　to　that　emaciated　face　which　the
flickering　light　made　more　hollow。　That　was　his　friend；　Charles
Forestier；　who　the　day　before　had　spoken　to　him。　For　several　years
he　had　lived；　eaten；　laughed；　loved；　and　hoped　as　did　everyoneand
now　all　was　ended　for　him　forever。

Life　lasted　a　few　months　or　years；　and　then　fled！　One　was　born；
grew；　was　happy；　and　died。　Adieu！　man　or　woman；　you　will　never
return　to　earth！　He　thought　of　the　insects　which　live　several　hours；
of　the　feasts　which　live　several　days；　of　the　men　who　live　several
years；　of　the　worlds　which　last　several　centuries。　What　was　the
difference　between　one　and　the　other？　A　few　more　dawns；　that　was
all。

Duroy　turned　away　his　eyes　in　order　not　to　see　the　corpse。　Mme。
Forestier's　head　was　bowed；　her　fair　hair　enhanced　the　beauty　of　her
sorrowful　face。　The　young　man's　heart　grew　hopeful。　Why　should　he
lament　when　he　had　so　many　years　still　before　him？　He　glanced　at　the
handsome　widow。　How　had　she　ever　consented　to　marry　that　man？　Then
he　pondered　upon　all　the　hidden　secrets　of　their　lives。　He
remembered　that　he　had　been　told　of　a　Count　de　Vaudrec　who　had
dowered　and　given　her　in　marriage。　What　would　she　do　now？　Whom　would
she　marry？　Had　she　projects；　plans？　He　would　have　liked　to　know。　Why
that　anxiety　as　to　what　she　would　do？

Georges　questioned　himself；　and　found　that　it　was　caused　by　a　desire
to　win　her　for　himself。　Why　should　he　not　succeed？　He　was　positive
that　she　liked　him；　she　would　have　confidence　in　him；　for　she　knew
that　he　was　intelligent；　resolute；　tenacious。　Had　she　not　sent　for
him？　Was　not　that　a　kind　of　avowal？　He　was　impatient　to　question
her；　to　find　out　her　intentions。　He　would　soon　have　to　leave　that
villa；　for　he　could　not　remain　alone　with　the　young　widow；　therefore
he　must　find　out　her　plans　before　returning　to　Paris；　in　order　that
she　might　not　yield　to　another's　entreaties。　He　broke　the　oppressive
silence　by　saying：

〃You　must　be　fatigued。〃

〃Yes；　but　above　all　I　am　grieved。〃

Their　voices　sounded　strange　in　that　room。　They　glanced
involuntarily　at　the　corpse　as　if　they　expected　to　see　it　move。
Duroy　continued：

〃It　is　a　heavy　blow　for　you；　and　will　make　a　complete　change　in　your
life。〃

She　sighed　deeply；　but　did　not　reply。　He　added：

〃It　is　very　sad　for　a　young　woman　like　you　to　be　left　alone。〃　He
paused；　she　still　did　not　reply；　and　he　stammered：　〃At　any　rate；　you
will　remember　the　compact　between　us；　you　can　command　me　as　you
will。　I　am　yours。〃

She　held　out　her　hand　to　him　and　said　mournfully　and　gently：
〃Thanks；　you　are　very　kind。　If　I　can　do　anything　for　you；　I　say　too：
'Count　on　me。'〃

He　took　her　proffered　hand；　gazed　at　it；　and　was　seized　with　an
ardent　desire　to　kiss　it。　Slowly　he　raised　it　to　his　lips　and　then
relinquished　it。　As　her　delicate　fingers　lay　upon　her　knee　the　young
widow　said　gravely：

〃Yes；　I　shall　be　all　alone；　but　I　shall　force　myself　to　be　brave。〃

He　did　not　know　how　to　tell　her　that　he　would　be　delighted　to　wed
her。　Certainly　it　was　no　time　to　speak　to　her　on　such　a　subject；
however；　he　thought　he　might　be　able　to　express　himself　by　means　of
some　phrase　which　would　have　a　hidden　meaning　and　would　infer　what
he　wished　to　say。　But　that　rigid　corpse　lay　between　them。　The
atmosphere　became　oppressive；　almost　suffocating。　Duroy　asked：　〃Can
we　not　open　the　window　a　little？　The　air　seems　to　be　impure。〃

〃Certainly；〃　she　replied；　〃I　have　noticed　it　too。〃

He　opened　the　window；　letting　in　the　cool　night　air。　He　turned：
〃Come　and　look　out；　it　is　delightful。〃

She　glided　softly　to　his　side。　He　whispered：　〃Listen　to　me。　Do　not
be　angry　that　I　broach　the　subject　at　such　a　time；　but　the　day　after
to…morrow　I　shall　leave　here　and　when　you　return　to　Paris　it　might
be　too　late。　You　know　that　I　am　only　a　poor　devil；　who　has　his
position　to　make；　but　I　have　the　will　and　some　intelligence；　and　I
am　advancing。　A　man　who　has　attained　his　ambition　knows　what　to
count　on；　a　man　who　has　his　way　to　make　does　not　know　what　may　come…
…it　may　be　better　or　worse。　I　told　you