white lies-第56节

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where　her　feet　had　been；　and　her　candle　out。

She　uttered　shriek　upon　shriek；　and　was　too　frightened　to　get　up。　She　thought　it　was　supernatural；　some　old　De　Beaurepaire　had　served　her　thus　for　sleeping　on　her　post。　　A　struggle　took　place　between　her　fidelity　and　her　superstitious　fears。　　Fidelity　conquered。　Quaking　in　every　limb；　she　groped　up　the　staircase　for　her　candle。

It　was　gone。

Then　a　still　more　sickening　fear　came　over　her。

What　if　this　was　no　spirit's　work；　but　a　human　arma　strong　one　some　man's　arm？

Her　first　impulse　was　to　dart　up　the　stairs；　and　make　sure　that　no　calamity　had　befallen　through　her　mistimed　drowsiness。　　But；　when　she　came　to　try；　her　dread　of　the　supernatural　revived。　　She　could　not　venture　without　a　light　up　those　stairs；　thronged　perhaps　with　angry　spirits。　　She　ran　to　the　kitchen。　　She　found　the　tinderbox；　and　with　trembling　hands　struck　a　light。　　She　came　back　shading　it　with　her　shaky　hands；　and；　committing　her　soul　to　the　care　of　Heaven；　she　crept　quaking　up　the　stairs。　　Then　she　heard　voices　above；　and　that　restored　her　more；　she　mounted　more　steadily。　Presently　she　stopped；　for　a　heavy　step　was　coming　down。　　It　did　not　sound　like　a　woman's　step。　　It　came　further　down；　she　turned　to　fly。

〃Jacintha！〃　said　a　deep　voice；　that　in　this　stone　cylinder　rang　like　thunder　from　a　tomb。

〃Oh！　saints　and　angels　save　me！〃　yelled　Jacintha；　and　fell　on　her　knees；　and　hid　her　head　for　security；　and　down　went　her　candlestick　clattering　on　the　stone。

〃Don't　be　a　fool！〃　said　the　iron　voice。　　〃Get　up　and　take　this。〃

She　raised　her　head　by　slow　degrees；　shuddering。　　A　man　was　holding　out　a　cradle　to　her；　the　candle　he　carried　lighted　up　his　face；　it　was　Colonel　Raynal。

She　stared　at　him　stupidly；　but　never　moved　from　her　knees；　and　the　candle　began　to　shake　violently　in　her　hand；　as　she　herself　trembled　from　head　to　foot。

Then　Raynal　concluded　she　was　in　the　plot；　but；　scorning　to　reproach　a　servant；　he　merely　said；　〃Well；　what　do　you　kneel　there　for；　gaping　at　me　like　that？　　Take　this；　I　tell　you；　and　carry　it　out　of　the　house。〃

He　shoved　the　cradle　roughly　down　into　her　hands；　then　turned　on　his　heel　without　a　word。

Jacintha　collapsed　on　the　stairs；　and　the　cradle　beside　her；　for　all　the　power　was　driven　out　of　her　body；　she　could　hardly　support　her　own　weight；　much　less　the　cradle。

She　rocked　herself；　and　moaned　out；　〃Oh；　what's　this？　oh；　what's　this？〃

A　cold　perspiration　came　over　her　whole　frame。

〃What　could　this　mean？　　What　on　earth　had　happened？〃

She　took　up　the　candle；　for　it　was　lying　burning　and　guttering　on　the　stairs；　scraped　up　the　grease　with　the　snuffers；　and　by　force　of　habit　tried　to　polish　it　clean　with　a　bit　of　paper　that　shook　between　her　fingers；　she　did　not　know　what　she　was　doing。　　When　she　recovered　her　wits；　she　took　the　child　out　of　the　cradle；　and　wrapped　it　carefully　in　her　shawl；　then　went　slowly　down　the　stairs；　and　holding　him　close　to　her　bosom；　with　a　furtive　eye；　and　brain　confused；　and　a　heart　like　lead；　stole　away　to　the　tenantless　cottage；　where　Madame　Jouvenel　awaited　her。

Meantime；　Rose；　with　quaking　heart；　had　encountered　the　baroness。　She　found　her　pale　and　agitated；　and　her　first　question　was；　〃What　is　the　matter？　what　have　you　been　all　doing　over　my　head？〃

〃Darling　mother；〃　replied　Rose；　evasively；　〃something　has　happened　that　will　rejoice　your　heart。　　Somebody　has　come　home。〃

〃My　son？　eh；　no！　impossible！　　We　cannot　be　so　happy。〃

〃He　will　be　with　you　directly。〃

The　old　lady　now　trembled　with　joyful　agitation。

〃In　five　minutes　I　will　bring　him　to　you。　　Shall　you　be　dressed？　　I　will　ring　for　the　girl　to　help　you。〃

〃But；　Rose；　the　scream；　and　that　terrible　fall。　　Ah！　where　is　Josephine？〃

〃Can't　you　guess；　mamma？　　Oh；　the　fall　was　only　the　screen；　they　stumbled　over　it　in　the　dark。〃

〃They！　who？〃

〃Colonel　Raynal；　andand　Edouard。　　I　will　tell　you；　mamma；　but　don't　be　angry；　or　even　mention　it；　they　wanted　to　surprise　us。　They　saw　a　light　burning；　and　they　crept　on　tiptoe　up　to　the　tapestried　room；　where　Josephine　and　I　were；　and　they　did　give　us　a　great　fright。〃

〃What　madness！〃　cried　the　baroness；　angrily；　〃and　in　Josephine's　weak　state！　　Such　a　surprise　might　have　driven　her　into　a　fit。〃

〃Yes；　it　was　foolish；　but　let　it　pass；　mamma。　　Don't　speak　of　it；　for　he　is　so　sorry　about　it。〃

Then　Rose　slipped　out；　ordered　a　fire　in　the　salon；　and　not　in　the　tapestried　room；　and　the　next　minute　was　at　her　sister's　door。　There　she　found　Raynal　knocking；　and　asking　Josephine　how　she　was。

〃Pray　leave　her　to　me　a　moment；〃　said　she。　　〃I　will　bring　her　down　to　you。　　Mamma　is　waiting　for　you　in　the　salon。〃

Raynal　went　down。　　Rose　unlocked　the　bedroom…door；　went　in；　and；　to　her　horror；　found　Josephine　lying　on　the　floor。　　She　dashed　water　in　her　face；　and　applied　every　remedy；　and　at　last　she　came　back　to　life；　and　its　terrors。

〃Save　me；　Rose！　save　mehe　is　coming　to　kill　meI　heard　him　at　the　door；〃　and　she　clung　trembling　piteously　to　Rose。

Then　Rose；　seeing　her　terror；　was　almost　glad　at　the　suicidal　falsehood　she　had　told。　　She　comforted　and　encouraged　Josephine　and　deceived　her。　　（This　was　the　climax。）

〃All　is　well；　my　poor　coward；〃　she　cried；　〃your　fears　are　all　imaginary；　another　has　owned　the　child；　and　the　story　is　believed。〃

〃Another！　impossible！　　He　would　not　believe　it。〃

〃He　does　believe　ithe　shall　believe　it。〃

Rose　then；　feeling　by　no　means　sure　that　Josephine；　terrified　as　she　was；　would　consent　to　let　her　sister　come　to　shame　to　screen　her；　told　her　boldly　that　Jacintha　had　owned　herself　the　mother　of　the　child；　and　that　Raynal's　only　feeling　towards　HER　was　pity；　and　regret　at　having　so　foolishly　frightened　her；　weakened　as　she　was　by　illness。　　〃I　told　him　you　had　been　ill；　dear。　　But　how　came　you　on　the　ground？〃

〃I　had　come　to　myself；　I　was　on　my　knees　praying。　　He　tapped。　　I　heard　his　voice。　　I　remember　no　more。　　I　must　have　fainted　again　directly。〃

Rose　had　hard　work　to　make　her　believe　that　her　guilt；　as　she　called　it；　was　not　known；　and　even　then　she　could　not　prevail　on　her　to　come　down…stairs；　until　she　said；　〃If　you　don't；　he　will　come　to　you。〃　　On　that　Josephine　consented　eagerly；　and　with　trembling　fingers　began　to　adjust　her　hair　and　her　dress　for　the　interview。

All　this　terrible　night　Rose　fought　for　her　sister。　　She　took　her　down…stairs　to　the　salon；　she　put　her　on　the　sofa；　she　sat　by　her　and　pressed　her　hand　constantly　to　give　her　courage。　　She　told　the　story　of　the　surprise　her　own　way；　before　the　whole　party；　including　the　doctor；　to　prevent　Raynal　from　being　called　on　to　tell　it　his　way。　　She　laughed　at　Josephine's　absurdity；　but　excused　it　on　account　of　her　feeble　health。　　In　short；　she　threw　more　and　more　dust　in　all　their　eyes。

But　by　the　time　when　the　rising　sun　came　faintly　in　and　lighted　the　haggard　party；　where　the　deceived　were　happy；　the　deceivers　wretched；　the　supernatural　strength　this　young　girl　had　shown　was　almost　exhausted。　　She　felt　an　hysterical　impulse　to　scream　and　weep：　each　minute　it　became　more　and　more　ungovernable。　　Then　came　an　unexpected　turn。　　Raynal　after　a　long　and　tiring　talk　with　his　mother；　as　he　called　her；　looked　at　his　watch；　and　in　a　characteristic　way　coolly　announced　his　immediate　departure；　this　being　the　first　hint　he　had　given　them　that　he　was　not　come　back　for　good。

The　baroness　was　thunderstruck。

Rose　and　Josephine　pressed　one　another's　hands；　and　had　much　ado　not　to　utter　a　loud　cry　of　joy。

Raynal　explained　that　he　was　the　bearer　of　despatches。　　〃I　must　be　off：　not　an　hour　to　lose。　　Don't　fret；　mother；　I　shall　soon　be　back　again；　if　I　am　not　knocked　on　the　head。〃

Raynal　took　leave　of　them　all。　　When　it　came　to　Rose's　turn；　he　drew　her　aside　and　whispered　into　her　ear；　〃Who　is　the　man？〃

She　started；　and　seemed　dumfounded。

〃Tell　me；　or　I　ask　my　wife。〃

〃She　has　promised　me　not　to　betray　me：　I　made　her　swear。　　Spare　me　now；　brother；　I　will　tell　you　all　when　you　come　back。〃

〃That　is　a　bargain：　now　hear　ME　swear：　he　shall　marry　you；　or　he　shall　die　by　my　hand。〃

He　confirmed　this　by　a　tremendous　oath。

Rose　shuddered；　but　said　nothing；　only　she　thought　to　herself；　〃I　am　forewarned。　　Never　shall　you　know　who　is　the　father　of　that　child。〃

He　was　no　sooner　gone　than　the　baroness　insisted　on　knowing　what　this　private　communication　between　him　and　Rose　was　about。

〃Oh；〃　said　Rose；　〃he　was　only　telling　me　to　keep　up　your　courage　and　Josephine's　till　he　comes　back。〃

This　was　the　last　lie　the　poor　entangled　wretch　had　to　tell　that　morning。　　The　next　minute　the　sisters；　exhausted　by　their　terrible　struggle；　went　feebly；　with　downcast　eyes；　along　the　corridor　and　up　the　staircase　to　Josephine's　room。

They　went　hand　in　hand。　　They　sank　down；　dressed　as　they　were；　on　Josephine's　bed；　and　clung　to　one　another　and　trembled　together；　till　their　exhausted　natures　sank　into　uneasy　slumbers；　from　which　each　in　turn　would　wake　ever　and　anon　with　a　convulsive　start；　and　clasp　her　sister　tighter　to　her　breast。

Theirs　was　a　marvellous　love。　　Even　a　course　of　deceit　had　not　yet　prevailed　to　separate　or　chill　their　sister　bosoms。　　But　still　in　this　deep　and　wonderful　love　there　were　degrees：　one　we