white lies-第10节

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t　brutality　for　honeyed　prolixity。

The　soldier　was　struck　by　the　propositions　the　moment　they　flew　at　him　small　and　solid；　like　bullets。

〃I've　no　time；〃　said　he；　〃to　be　running　after　women。　　But　the　estate　I'll　certainly　have；　because　you　can　get　that　for　me　without　my　troubling　my　head。〃

〃Is　it　a　commission；　then？〃　asked　the　other　sharply。

〃Of　course。　　Do　you　think　I　speak　for　the　sake　of　talking？〃

And　so　Perrin　received　formal　instructions　to　look　out　for　a　landed　estate；　and　he　was　to　receive　a　handsome　commission　as　agent。

Now　to　settle　this　affair；　and　pocket　a　handsome　percentage　for　himself；　he　had　only　to　say　〃Beaurepaire。〃

Well；　he　didn't。　　Never　mentioned　the　place；　nor　the　fact　that　it　was　for　sale。

Such　are　all　our　agents；　when　rival　speculators。　　Mind　that。　　Still　it　is　a　terrible　thing　to　be　so　completely　in　the　power　of　any　man　of　the　world；　as　from　this　hour　Beaurepaire　was　in　the　power　of　Perrin　the　notary。


CHAPTER　IV。


Edouard　Riviere　was　unhappy。　　She　never　came　out　now。　　This　alone　made　the　days　dark　to　him。　　And　then　he　began　to　fear　it　was　him　she　shunned。　　She　must　have　seen　him　lie　in　wait　for　her；　and　so　she　would　come　out　no　more。　　He　prowled　about　and　contrived　to　fall　in　with　Jacintha；　he　told　her　his　grief。　　She　assured　him　the　simple　fact　was　their　mourning　was　worn　out；　and　they　were　ashamed　to　go　abroad　in　colors。　　This　revelation　made　his　heart　yearn　still　more。

〃O　Jacintha；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　could　only　make　a　beginning；　but　here　we　might　live　a　century　in　the　same　parish；　and　not　one　chance　for　a　poor　wretch　to　make　acquaintance。〃

Jacintha　admitted　this；　and　said　gentlefolks　were　to　be　pitied。　〃Why；　if　it　was　the　likes　of　me；　you　and　I　should　have　made　friends　long　before　now。〃

Jacintha　herself　was　puzzled　what　to　do；　she　would　have　told　Rose　if　she　had　felt　sure　it　would　be　well　received；　but　she　could　not　find　out　that　the　young　lady　had　even　noticed　the　existence　of　Edouard。　But　her　brain　worked；　and　lay　in　wait　for　an　opportunity。

One　came　sooner　than　she　expected。　　One　morning　at　about　six　o'clock；　as　she　came　home　from　milking　the　cow；　she　caught　sight　of　young　Riviere　trying　to　open　the　iron　gate。　　〃What　is　up　now？〃　thought　she；　suddenly　the　truth　flashed　upon　her；　clear　as　day。　　She　put　her　pail　down　and　stole　upon　him。　　〃You　want　to　leave　us　another　purse；〃　said　she。　　He　colored　all　over　and　panted。

〃How　did　you　know？　how　could　you　know？　you　won't　betray　me？　you　won't　be　so　cruel？　you　promised。〃

〃Me　betray　you；〃　said　Jacintha；　〃why；　I'll　help　you；　and　then　they　will　be　able　to　buy　mourning；　you　know；　and　then　they　will　come　out；　and　give　you　a　chance。　　You　can't　open　that　gate；　for　it's　locked。　But　you　come　round　to　the　lane；　and　I'll　get　you　the　key；　it　is　hanging　up　in　the　kitchen。〃

The　key　was　in　her　pocket。　　But　the　sly　jade　wanted　him　away　from　that　gate；　it　commanded　a　view　of　the　Pleasaunce。　　He　was　no　sooner　safe　in　the　lane；　than　she　tore　up…stairs　to　her　young　ladies；　and　asked　them　with　affected　calm　whether　they　would　like　to　know　who　left　the　purse。

〃Oh；　yes；　yes！〃　screamed　Rose。

〃Then　come　with　me。　　You　ARE　dressed；　never　mind　your　bonnets；　or　you　will　be　too　late。〃

Questions　poured　on　her；　but　she　waived　all　explanation；　and　did　not　give　them　time　to　think；　or　Josephine；　for　one；　she　knew　would　raise　objections。　　She　led　the　way　to　the　Pleasaunce；　and；　when　she　got　to　the　ancestral　oak；　she　said　hurriedly；　〃Now；　mesdemoiselles；　hide　in　there；　and　as　still　as　mice。　　You'll　soon　know　who　leaves　the　purses。〃

With　this　she　scudded　to　the　lane；　and　gave　Edouard　the　key。　　〃Look　sharp；〃　said　she；　〃before　they　get　up；　it's　almost　their　dressing　time。〃

〃YOU'LL　SOON　KNOW　WHO　LEAVES　THE　PURSES！〃

Curiosity；　delicious　curiosity；　thrilled　our　two　daughters　of　Eve。

This　soon　began　to　alternate　with　chill　misgivings　at　the　novelty　of　the　situation。

〃She　is　not　coming　back；〃　said　Josephine　ruefully。

〃No；〃　said　Rose；　〃and　suppose　when　we　pounce　out　on　him；　it　should　be　a　stranger。〃

〃Pounce　on　him？　surely　we　are　not　to　do　that？〃

〃Oh；　y…yes；　that　is　the　p…p…programme；〃　quavered　Rose。

A　key　grated；　and　the　iron　gate　creaked　on　its　hinges。　　They　ran　together　and　pinched　one　another　for　mutual　support；　but　did　not　dare　to　speak。

Presently　a　man's　shadow　came　slap　into　the　tree。　　They　crouched　and　quivered；　and　expected　to　be　caught　instead　of　catching；　and　wished　themselves　safe　back　in　bed；　and　all　this　a　nightmare；　and　no　worse。

At　last　they　recovered　themselves　enough　to　observe　that　this　shadow；　one　half　of　which　lay　on　the　ground；　while　the　head　and　shoulders　went　a　little　way　up　the　wall　of　the　tree；　represented　a　man's　profile；　not　his　front　face。　　The　figure；　in　short；　was　standing　between　them　and　the　sun；　and　was　contemplating　the　chateau；　not　the　tree。

The　shadow　took　off　its　hat　to　Josephine；　in　the　tree。　　Then　would　she　have　screamed　if　she　had　not　bitten　her　white　hand　instead；　and　made　a　red　mark　thereon。

It　wiped　its　brow　with　a　handkerchief；　it　had　walked　fast；　poor　thing！　　The　next　moment　it　was　away。

They　looked　at　one　another　and　panted。　　They　scarcely　dared　do　it　before。　　Then　Rose；　with　one　hand　on　her　heaving　bosom；　shook　her　little　white　fist　viciously　at　where　the　figure　must　be；　and　perhaps　a　comical　desire　of　vengeance　stimulated　her　curiosity。　　She　now　glided　through　the　fissure　like　a　cautious　panther　from　her　den；　and　noiseless　and　supple　as　a　serpent　began　to　wind　slowly　round　the　tree。　　She　soon　came　to　a　great　protuberance　in　the　tree；　and　twining　and　peering　round　it　with　diamond　eye；　she　saw　a　very　young；　very　handsome　gentleman；　stealing　on　tiptoe　to　the　nearest　flower…　bed。　　Then　she　saw　him　take　a　purse　out　of　his　bosom；　and　drop　it　on　the　bed。　　This　done；　he　came　slowly　past　the　tree　again；　and　was　even　heard　to　vent　a　little　innocent　chuckle　of　intense　satisfaction：　but　of　brief　duration；　for；　when　Rose　saw　the　purse　leave　his　hand；　she　made　a　rapid　signal　to　Josephine　to　wheel　round　the　other　side　of　the　tree；　and；　starting　together　with　admirable　concert；　both　the　daughters　of　Beaurepaire　glided　into　sight　with　a　vast　appearance　of　composure。

Two　women　together　are　really　braver　than　fifteen　separate；　but　still；　most　of　this　tranquillity　was　merely　put　on；　but　so　admirably　that　Edouard　Riviere　had　no　chance　with　them。　　He　knew　nothing　about　their　tremors；　all　he　saw　or　heard　was；　a　rustle；　then　a　flap　on　each　side　of　him　as　of　great　wings；　and　two　lovely　women　were　upon　him　with　angelic　swiftness。　　〃Ah！〃　he　cried　out　with　a　start；　and　glanced　from　the　first…comer；　Rose；　to　the　gate。　　But　Josephine　was　on　that　side　by　this　time；　and　put　up　her　hand；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃You　can't　pass　here。〃　　In　such　situations；　the　mind　works　quicker　than　lightning。　　He　took　off　his　hat；　and　stammered　an　excuse〃Come　to　look　at　the　oak。〃　　At　this　moment　Rose　pounced　on　the　purse；　and　held　it　up　to　Josephine。　　He　was　caught。　　His　only　chance　now　was　to　bolt　for　the　mark　and　run；　but　it　was　not　the　notary；　it　was　a　novice　who　lost　his　presence　of　mind；　or　perhaps　thought　it　rude　to　run　when　a　lady　told　him　to　stand　still。　　All　he　did　was　to　crush　his　face　into　his　two　hands；　round　which　his　cheeks　and　neck　now　blushed　red　as　blood。　　Blush？　they　could　both　see　the　color　rush　like　a　wave　to　the　very　roots　of　his　hair　and　the　tips　of　his　fingers。

The　moment　our　heroines；　who；　in　that　desperation　which　is　one　of　the　forms　of　cowardice；　had　hurled　themselves　on　the　foe；　saw　this；　flashthe　quick…witted　poltroons　exchanged　purple　lightning　over　Edouard's　drooping　head；　and　enacted　lionesses　in　a　moment。

It　was　with　the　quiet　composure　of　lofty　and　powerful　natures　that　Josephine　opened　on　him。　　〃Compose　yourself；　sir；　and　be　so　good　as　to　tell　us　who　you　are。〃　　Edouard　must　answer。　　Now　he　could　not　speak　through　his　hands；　and　he　could　not　face　a　brace　of　tranquil　lionesses：　so　he　took　a　middle　course；　removed　one　hand；　and　shading　himself　from　Josephine　with　the　other；　he　gasped　out；　〃I　ammy　name　is　Riviere；　and　IIladies！〃

〃I　am　afraid　we　frighten　you；〃　said　Josephine；　demurely。

〃Don't　be　frightened；〃　said　Rose；　majestically；　〃we　are　not　VERY　angry；　only　a　LITTLE　curious　to　know　why　you　water　our　flowers　with　gold。〃

At　this　point…blank　thrust；　and　from　her；　Edouard　was　so　confounded　and　distressed；　they　both　began　to　pity　him。　　He　stammered　out　that　he　was　so　confused　he　did　not　know　what　to　say。　　He　couldn't　think　how　ever　he　could　have　taken　such　a　liberty；　might　he　be　permitted　to　retire？　and　with　this　he　tried　to　slip　away。

〃Let　me　detain　you　one　instant；〃　said　Josephine；　and　made　for　the　house。

Left　alone　so　suddenly　with　the　culprit；　the　dignity；　and　majesty；　and　valor　of　Rose　seemed　to　ooze　gently　out；　and　she　stood　blushing；　and　had　not　a　word　to　say；　no　more　had　Edouard。　　But　he　hung　his　head；　and　she　hung　her　head。　　And；　somehow　or　other；　whenever　she　raised　her　eyes　to　glance　at　him；　he　raised　his　to　steal　a　look　at　her；　and　mutual　discomfiture　resulted。

This　awkward；　embarrassing　delirium　was　interrupted　by　Josephine's　return。　　She　now　held　another　purse　in　her　hand；　and　quietly　poured　the　rest　of　the　coin　into　it。　　She　then；　with　a　blush；　requested