albert savarus-第8节

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Switzerland。　They　offered　him　a　bedroom　looking　over　the　lake　and　the
mountains；　and　from　whence　he　had　a　view　of　one　of　those　immense
sweeping　reaches　which；　in　this　lake；　are　the　admiration　of　every
traveler。　This　house　was　divided　by　a　roadway　and　a　little　creek　from
the　new　house；　where　Rodolphe　had　caught　sight　of　the　unknown　fair
one's　face。

For　a　hundred　francs　a　month　Rodolphe　was　relieved　of　all　thought　for
the　necessaries　of　life。　But；　in　consideration　of　the　outlay　the
Stopfer　couple　expected　to　make；　they　bargained　for　three　months'
residence　and　a　month's　payment　in　advance。　Rub　a　Swiss　ever　so
little；　and　you　find　the　usurer。　After　breakfast；　Rodolphe　at　once
made　himself　at　home　by　depositing　in　his　room　such　property　as　he　had
brought　with　him　for　the　journey　to　the　Saint…Gothard；　and　he　watched
Leopold　as　he　set　out；　moved　by　the　spirit　of　routine；　to　carry　out
the　excursion　for　himself　and　his　friend。　When　Rodolphe；　sitting　on　a
fallen　rock　on　the　shore；　could　no　longer　see　Leopold's　boat；　he
turned　to　examine　the　new　house　with　stolen　glances；　hoping　to　see　the
fair　unknown。　Alas！　he　went　in　without　its　having　given　a　sign　of
life。　During　dinner；　in　the　company　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　Stopfer；
retired　coopers　from　Neufchatel；　he　questioned　them　as　to　the
neighborhood；　and　ended　by　learning　all　he　wanted　to　know　about　the
lady；　thanks　to　his　hosts'　loquacity；　for　they　were　ready　to　pour　out
their　budget　of　gossip　without　any　pressing。

The　fair　stranger's　name　was　Fanny　Lovelace。　This　name　（pronounced
/Loveless/）　is　that　of　an　old　English　family；　but　Richardson　has　given
it　to　a　creation　whose　fame　eclipses　all　others！　Miss　Lovelace　had
come　to　settle　by　the　lake　for　her　father's　health；　the　physicians
having　recommended　him　the　air　of　Lucerne。　These　two　English　people
had　arrived　with　no　other　servant　than　a　little　girl　of　fourteen；　a
dumb　child；　much　attached　to　Miss　Fanny；　on　whom　she　waited　very
intelligently；　and　had　settled；　two　winters　since；　with　monsieur　and
Madame　Bergmann；　the　retired　head…gardeners　of　His　Excellency　Count
Borromeo　of　Isola　Bella　and　Isola　Madre　in　the　Lago　Maggoire。　These
Swiss；　who　were　possessed　of　an　income　of　about　a　thousand　crowns　a
year；　had　let　the　top　story　of　their　house　to　the　Lovelaces　for　three
years；　at　a　rent　of　two　hundred　francs　a　year。　Old　Lovelace；　a　man　of
ninety；　and　much　broken；　was　too　poor　to　allow　himself　any
gratifications；　and　very　rarely　went　out；　his　daughter　worked　to
maintain　him；　translating　English　books；　and　writing　some　herself；　it
was　said。　The　Lovelaces　could　not　afford　to　hire　boats　to　row　on　the
lake；　or　horses　and　guides　to　explore　the　neighborhood。

Poverty　demanding　such　privation　as　this　excites　all　the　greater
compassion　among　the　Swiss；　because　it　deprives　them　of　a　chance　of
profit。　The　cook　of　the　establishment　fed　the　three　English　boarders
for　a　hundred　francs　a　month　inclusive。　In　Gersau　it　was　generally
believed；　however；　that　the　gardener　and　his　wife；　in　spite　of　their
pretensions；　used　the　cook's　name　as　a　screen　to　net　the　little
profits　of　this　bargain。　The　Bergmanns　had　made　beautiful　gardens
round　their　house；　and　had　built　a　hothouse。　The　flowers；　the　fruit；
and　the　botanical　rarities　of　this　spot　were　what　had　induced　the
young　lady　to　settle　on　it　as　she　passed　through　Gersau。　Miss　Fanny
was　said　to　be　nineteen　years　old；　she　was　the　old　man's　youngest
child；　and　the　object　of　his　adulation。　About　two　months　ago　she　had
hired　a　piano　from　Lucerne；　for　she　seemed　to　be　crazy　about　music。

〃She　loves　flowers　and　music；　and　she　is　unmarried！〃　thought　Rodolphe；
〃what　good　luck！〃

The　next　day　Rodolphe　went　to　ask　leave　to　visit　the　hothouses　and
gardens；　which　were　beginning　to　be　somewhat　famous。　The　permission
was　not　immediately　granted。　The　retired　gardeners　asked；　strangely
enough；　to　see　Rodolphe's　passport；　it　was　sent　to　them　at　once。　The
paper　was　not　returned　to　him　till　next　morning；　by　the　hands　of　the
cook；　who　expressed　her　master's　pleasure　in　showing　him　their　place。
Rodolphe　went　to　the　Bergmanns'；　not　without　a　certain　trepidation；
known　only　to　persons　of　strong　feelings；　who　go　through　as　much
passion　in　a　moment　as　some　men　experience　in　a　whole　lifetime。

After　dressing　himself　carefully　to　gratify　the　old　gardeners　of　the
Borromean　Islands；　whom　he　regarded　as　the　warders　of　his　treasure；　he
went　all　over　the　grounds；　looking　at　the　house　now　and　again；　but
with　much　caution；　the　old　couple　treated　him　with　evident　distrust。
But　his　attention　was　soon　attracted　by　the　little　English　deaf…mute；
in　whom　his　discernment；　though　young　as　yet；　enabled　him　to　recognize
a　girl　of　African；　or　at　least　of　Sicilian；　origin。　The　child　had　the
golden…brown　color　of　a　Havana　cigar；　eyes　of　fire；　Armenian　eyelids
with　lashes　of　very　un…British　length；　hair　blacker　than　black；　and
under　this　almost　olive　skin；　sinews　of　extraordinary　strength　and
feverish　alertness。　She　looked　at　Rodolphe　with　amazing　curiosity　and
effrontery；　watching　his　every　movement。

〃To　whom　does　that　little　Moresco　belong？〃　he　asked　worthy　Madame
Bergmann。

〃To　the　English；〃　Monsieur　Bergmann　replied。

〃But　she　never　was　born　in　England！〃

〃They　may　have　brought　her　from　the　Indies；〃　said　Madame　Bergmann。

〃I　have　been　told　that　Miss　Lovelace　is　fond　of　music。　I　should　be
delighted　if；　during　my　residence　by　the　lake　to　which　I　am　condemned
by　my　doctor's　orders；　she　would　allow　me　to　join　her。〃

〃They　receive　no　one；　and　will　not　see　anybody；〃　said　the　old
gardener。

Rodolphe　bit　his　lips　and　went　away；　without　having　been　invited　into
the　house；　or　taken　into　the　part　of　the　garden　that　lay　between　the
front　of　the　house　and　the　shore　of　the　little　promontory。　On　that
side　the　house　had　a　balcony　above　the　first　floor；　made　of　wood；　and
covered　by　the　roof；　which　projected　deeply　like　the　roof　of　a　chalet
on　all　four　sides　of　the　building；　in　the　Swiss　fashion。　Rodolphe　had
loudly　praised　the　elegance　of　this　arrangement；　and　talked　of　the
view　from　that　balcony；　but　all　in　vain。　When　he　had　taken　leave　of
the　Bergmanns　it　struck　him　that　he　was　a　simpleton；　like　any　man　of
spirit　and　imagination　disappointed　of　the　results　of　a　plan　which　he
had　believed　would　succeed。

In　the　evening　he；　of　course；　went　out　in　a　boat　on　the　lake；　round
and　about　the　spit　of　land；　to　Brunnen　and　to　Schwytz；　and　came　in　at
nightfall。　From　afar　he　saw　the　window　open　and　brightly　lighted；　he
heard　the　sound　of　a　piano　and　the　tones　of　an　exquisite　voice。　He
made　the　boatman　stop；　and　gave　himself　up　to　the　pleasure　of
listening　to　an　Italian　air　delightfully　sung。　When　the　singing
ceased；　Rodolphe　landed　and　sent　away　the　boat　and　rowers。　At　the　cost
of　wetting　his　feet；　he　went　to　sit　down　under　the　water…worn　granite
shelf　crowned　by　a　thick　hedge　of　thorny　acacia；　by　the　side　of　which
ran　a　long　lime　avenue　in　the　Bergmanns'　garden。　By　the　end　of　an　hour
he　heard　steps　and　voices　just　above　him；　but　the　words　that　reached
his　ears　were　all　Italian；　and　spoken　by　two　women。

He　took　advantage　of　the　moment　when　the　two　speakers　were　at　one　end
of　the　walk　to　slip　noiselessly　to　the　other。　After　half　an　hour　of
struggling　he　got　to　the　end　of　the　avenue；　and　there　took　up　a
position　whence；　without　being　seen　or　heard；　he　could　watch　the　two
women　without　being　observed　by　them　as　they　came　towards　him。　What
was　Rodolphe's　amazement　on　recognizing　the　deaf…mute　as　one　of　them；
she　was　talking　to　Miss　Lovelace　in　Italian。

It　was　now　eleven　o'clock　at　night。　The　stillness　was　so　perfect　on
the　lake　and　around　the　dwelling；　that　the　two　women　must　have　thought
themselves　safe；　in　all　Gersau　there　could　be　no　eyes　open　but　theirs。
Rodolphe　supposed　that　the　girl's　dumbness　must　be　a　necessary
deception。　From　the　way　in　which　they　both　spoke　Italian；　Rodolphe
suspected　that　it　was　the　mother　tongue　of　both　girls；　and　concluded
that　the　name　of　English　also　hid　some　disguise。

〃They　are　Italian　refugees；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃outlaws　in　fear　of
the　Austrian　or　Sardinian　police。　The　young　lady　waits　till　it　is　dark
to　walk　and　talk　in　security。〃

He　lay　down　by　the　side　of　the　hedge；　and　crawled　like　a　snake　to　find
a　way　between　two　acacia　shrubs。　At　the　risk　of　leaving　his　coat
behind　him；　or　tearing　deep　scratches　in　his　back；　he　got　through　the
hedge　when　the　so…called　Miss　Fanny　and　her　pretended　deaf…and…dumb
maid　were　at　the　other　end　of　the　path；　then；　when　they　had　come
within　twenty　yards　of　him　without　seeing　him；　for　he　was　in　the
shadow　of　the　hedge；　and　the　moon　was　shining　brightly；　he　suddenly
rose。

〃Fear　nothing；〃　said　he　in　French　to　the　Italian　girl；　〃I　am　not　a
spy。　You　are　refugees；　I　have　guessed　that。　I　am　a　Frenchman　whom　one
look　from　you　has　fixed　at　Gersau。〃

Rodolphe；　startled　by　the　acute　pain　caused　by　some　steel　instrument
piercing　his　side；　fell　like　a　log。

〃/Nel　lago　con　pietra/！〃　said　the　terrible　dumb　girl。

〃Oh；　Gina！〃　exclaimed　the　Italian。

〃She　has　missed　me；〃　said　Rodolphe；　pulling　from　his　wound　a　stiletto；
which　had　been　turned　by　one　of　the　false　ribs。　〃But　a　little　h