white lies-第53节

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；〃　well；　this　will　be　the　next　time。　〃May　I　jump　up　behind？〃

Colonel　Raynal　nodded　assent。　　Edouard　took　a　run；　and　lighted　like　a　monkey　on　the　horse's　crupper。　　He　pranced　and　kicked　at　this　unexpected　addition；　but　the　spur　being　promptly　applied　to　his　flanks；　he　bounded　off　with　a　snort　that　betrayed　more　astonishment　than　satisfaction；　and　away　they　cantered　to　Beaurepaire；　without　drawing　rein。

〃There；〃　said　Edouard；　〃I　was　afraid　they　would　be　gone　to　bed；　and　they　are。　　The　very　house　seems　asleepfancyat　half…past　ten。〃

〃That　is　a　pity；〃　said　Raynal；　〃for　this　chateau　is　the　stronghold　of　etiquette。　　They　will　be　two　hours　dressing　before　they　will　come　out　and　shake　hands。　　I　must　put　my　horse　into　the　stable。　　Go　you　and　give　the　alarm。〃

〃I　will；　colonel。　　Stop；　first　let　me　see　whether　none　of　them　are　up；　after　all。〃

And　Edouard　walked　round　the　chateau；　and　soon　discovered　a　light　at　one　window；　the　window　of　the　tapestried　room。　　Running　round　the　other　way　he　came　slap　upon　another　light：　this　one　was　nearer　the　ground。　　A　narrow　but　massive　door；　which　he　had　always　seen　not　only　locked　but　screwed　up；　was　wide　open；　and　through　the　aperture　the　light　of　a　candle　streamed　out　and　met　the　moonlight　streaming　in。

〃Hallo！〃　cried　Edouard。

He　stopped；　turned；　and　looked　in。

〃Hallo！〃　he　cried　again　much　louder。

A　young　woman　was　sleeping　with　her　feet　in　the　silvery　moonlight；　and　her　head　in　the　orange…colored　blaze　of　a　flat　candle；　which　rested　on　the　next　step　above　of　a　fine　stone　staircase；　whose　existence　was　now　first　revealed　to　the　inquisitive　Edouard。

Coming　plump　upon　all　this　so　unexpectedly；　he　quite　started。

〃Why；　Jacintha！〃

He　touched　her　on　the　shoulder　to　wake　her。　　No。　　Jacintha　was　sleeping　as　only　tired　domestics　can　sleep。　　He　might　have　taken　the　candle　and　burnt　her　gown　off　her　back。　　She　had　found　a　step　that　fitted　into　the　small　of　her　back；　and　another　that　supported　her　head；　and　there　she　was　fast　as　a　door。

At　this　moment　Raynal's　voice　was　heard　calling　him。

〃There　is　a　light　in　that　bedroom。〃

〃It　is　not　a　bedroom；　colonel；　it　is　our　sitting…room　now。　　We　shall　find　them　all　there；　or　at　least　the　young　ladies；　and　perhaps　the　doctor。　　The　baroness　goes　to　bed　early。　　Meantime　I　can　show　you　one　of　our　dramatis　personae；　and　an　important　one　too。　　She　rules　the　roost。〃

He　took　him　mysteriously　and　showed　him　Jacintha。

Moonlight　by　itself　seems　white；　and　candlelight　by　itself　seems　yellow；　but　when　the　two　come　into　close　contrast　at　night；　candle　turns　a　reddish　flame；　and　moonlight　a　bluish　gleam。

So　Jacintha；　with　her　shoes　in　this　celestial　sheen；　and　her　face　in　that　demoniacal　glare；　was　enough　to　knock　the　gazer's　eye　out。

〃Make　a　good　sentinelthis　one；〃　said　Raynal〃an　outlying　picket　for　instance；　on　rough　ground；　in　front　of　the　enemy's　riflemen。〃

〃Ha！　ha！　colonel！　　Let　us　see　where　this　staircase　leads。　　I　have　an　idea　it　will　prove　a　short　cut。〃

〃Where　to？〃

〃To　the　saloon；　or　somewhere；　or　else　to　some　of　Jacintha's　haunts。　Serve　her　right　for　going　to　sleep　at　the　mouth　of　her　den。〃

〃Forward　thenno；　halt！　　Suppose　it　leads　to　the　bedrooms？　　Mind　this　is　a　thundering　place　for　ceremony。　　We　shall　get　drummed　out　of　the　barracks　if　we　don't　mind　our　etiquette。〃

At　this　they　hesitated；　and　Edouard　himself　thought；　on　the　whole；　it　would　be　better　to　go　and　hammer　at　the　front　door。

Now　while　they　hesitated；　a　soft　delicious　harmony　of　female　voices　suddenly　rose；　and　seemed　to　come　and　run　round　the　walls。　　The　men　looked　at　one　another　in　astonishment；　for　the　effect　was　magical。　The　staircase　being　enclosed　on　all　sides　with　stone　walls　and　floored　with　stone；　they　were　like　flies　inside　a　violoncello；　the　voices　rang　above；　below；　and　on　every　side　of　the　vibrating　walls。　In　some　epochs　spirits　as　hardy　as　Raynal's；　and　wits　as　quick　as　Riviere's；　would　have　fled　then　and　there　to　the　nearest　public；　and　told　over　cups　how　they　had　heard　the　dames　of　Beaurepaire；　long　since　dead；　holding　their　revel；　and　the　conscious　old　devil's　nest　of　a　chateau　quivering　to　the　ghostly　strains。

But　this　was　an　incredulous　age。　　They　listened；　and　listened；　and　decided　the　sounds　came　from　up…stairs。

〃Let　us　mount；　and　surprise　these　singing　witches；〃　said　Edouard。

〃Surprise　them！　what　for？　　It　is　not　the　enemyfor　once。　　What　is　the　good　of　surprising　our　friends？〃

Storming　parties　and　surprises　were　no　novelty　and　therefore　no　treat　to　Raynal。

〃It　will　be　so　delightful　to　see　their　faces　at　first　sight　of　you。　O　colonel；　for　my　sake！　　Don't　spoil　it　by　going　tamely　in　at　the　front　door；　after　coming　at　night　from　Egypt　for　half　an　hour。〃

Raynal　grumbled　something　about　its　being　a　childish　trick；　but　to　please　Edouard　consented　at　last；　only　stipulated　for　a　light：　〃or　else；〃　said　he；　〃we　shall　surprise　ourselves　instead　with　a　broken　neck；　going　over　ground　we　don't　know　to　surprise　the　nativesour　skirmishers　got　nicked　that　way　now　and　then　in　Egypt。〃

〃Yes；　colonel；　I　will　go　first　with　Jacintha's　candle。〃　　Edouard　mounted　the　stairs　on　tiptoe。　　Raynal　followed。　　The　solid　stone　steps　did　not　prate。　　The　men　had　mounted　a　considerable　way；　when　puff　a　blast　of　wind　came　through　a　hole；　and　out　went　Edouard's　candle。　　He　turned　sharply　round　to　Raynal。　　〃Peste！〃　said　he　in　a　vicious　whisper。　　But　the　other　laid　his　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　whispered；　〃Look　to　the　front。〃　　He　looked；　and；　his　own　candle　being　out；　saw　a　glimmer　on　ahead。　　He　crept　towards　it。　　It　was　a　taper　shooting　a　feeble　light　across　a　small　aperture。　　They　caught　a　glimpse　of　what　seemed　to　be　a　small　apartment。　　Yet　Edouard　recognized　the　carpet　of　the　tapestried　roomwhich　was　a　very　large　room。　　Creeping　a　yard　nearer；　he　discovered　that　it　was　the　tapestried　room；　and　that　what　had　seemed　the　further　wall　was　only　the　screen；　behind　which　were　lights；　and　two　women　singing　a　duet。

He　whispered　to　Raynal；　〃It　is　the　tapestried　room。〃

〃Is　it　a　sitting…room？〃　whispered　Raynal。

〃Yes！　yes！　　Mind　and　not　knock　your　foot　against　the　wood。〃

And　Raynal　went　softly　up　and　put　his　foot　quietly　through　the　aperture；　which　he　now　saw　was　made　by　a　panel　drawn　back　close　to　the　ground；　and　stood　in　the　tapestried　chamber。　　The　carpet　was　thick；　the　voices　favored　the　stealthy　advance；　the　floor　of　the　old　house　was　like　a　rock；　and　Edouard　put　his　face　through　the　aperture；　glowing　all　over　with　anticipation　of　the　little　scream　of　joy　that　would　welcome　his　friend　dropping　in　so　nice　and　suddenly　from　Egypt。

The　feeling　was　rendered　still　more　piquant　by　a　sharp　curiosity　that　had　been　growing　on　him　for　some　minutes　past。　　For　why　was　this　passage　opened　to…night？he　had　never　seen　it　opened　before。　And　why　was　Jacintha　lying　sentinel　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs？

But　this　was　not　all。　　Now　that　they　were　in　the　room　both　men　became　conscious　of　another　sound　besides　the　ladies'　voicesa　very　peculiar　sound。　　It　also　came　from　behind　the　screen。　　They　both　heard　it；　and　showed；　by　the　puzzled　looks　they　cast　at　one　another；　that　neither　could　make　out　what　on　earth　it　was。　　It　consisted　of　a　succession　of　little　rustles；　followed　by　little　thumps　on　the　floor。

But　what　was　curious；　too；　this　rustle；　thumprustle；　thumpfell　exactly　into　the　time　of　the　music；　so　that；　clearly；　either　the　rustle　thump　was　being　played　to　the　tune；　or　the　tune　sung　to　the　rustle　thump。

This　last　touch　of　mystery　inflamed　Edouard's　impatience　beyond　bearing：　he　pointed　eagerly　and　merrily　to　the　corner　of　the　screen。　Raynal　obeyed；　and　stepped　very　slowly　and　cautiously　towards　it。

Rustle；　thump！　rustle；　thump！　rustle；　thump！　with　the　rhythm　of　harmonious　voices。

Edouard　got　his　head　and　foot　into　the　room　without　taking　his　eye　off　Raynal。

Rustle；　thump！　rustle；　thump！　rustle；　thump！

Raynal　was　now　at　the　screen；　and　quietly　put　his　head　round　it；　and　his　hand　upon　it。

Edouard　was　bursting　with　expectation。

No　result。　　What　is　this？　　Don't　they　see　him？　　Why　does　he　not　speak　to　them？　　He　seems　transfixed。

Rustle；　thump！　rustle；　thump；　accompanied　now　for　a　few　notes　by　one　voice　only；　Rose's。

Suddenly　there　burst　a　shriek　from　Josephine；　so　loud；　so　fearful；　that　it　made　even　Raynal　stagger　back　a　step；　the　screen　in　his　hand。

Then　another　scream　of　terror　and　anguish　from　Rose。　　Then　a　fainter　cry；　and　the　heavy　helpless　fall　of　a　human　body。

Raynal　sprang　forward　whirling　the　screen　to　the　earth　in　terrible　agitation；　and　Edouard　bounded　over　it　as　it　fell　at　his　feet。　　He　did　not　take　a　second　step。　　The　scene　that　caught　his　eye　stupefied　and　paralyzed　him　in　full　career；　and　froze　him　to　the　spot　with　amazement　and　strange　misgivings。


CHAPTER　XIX。


To　return　for　a　moment　to　Rose。　　She　parted　from　Edouard；　and　went　in　at　the　front　door：　but　the　next　moment　she　opened　it　softly　and　watched　her　lover　unseen。　　〃Dear　Edouard！〃　she　murmured：　and　then　she　thought；　〃how　sad　it　is　that　I　must　deceive　him；　even　to…night：　must　make　up　an　excuse　to　get　him　from　me；　when　we　were　so　happy　together。　　Ah！　he　little　knows　how　I　shall　welcome　our　wedding…day。　When　once　I　can　see　my　poor　martyr　on　the　road　to　peace