white lies-第6节

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ill　yourself；　you　will　die；　this　is　frightful：　help　here！　help！〃　　Jacintha　put　her　hand　to　his　mouth；　and；　without　leaving　off　her　hysterics；　gasped　out；　〃Ah！　don't　expose　me。〃　　So　then　he　didn't　know　what　to　do；　but　he　seized　a　tumbler　and　filled　it　with　wine；　and　forced　it　between　her　lips。　All　she　did　was　to　bite　a　piece　out　of　the　glass　as　clean　as　if　a　diamond　had　cut　it。　　This　did　her　a　world　of　good：　destruction　of　sacred　household　property　gave　her　another　turn。　　〃There；　I've　broke　your　glass　now；〃　she　cried；　with　a　marvellous　change　of　tone；　and　she　came…to　and　cried　quietly　like　a　reasonable　person；　with　her　apron　to　her　eyes。

When　Edouard　saw　she　was　better；　he　took　her　hand　and　said　proudly；　〃Secret　for　secret。　　I　choose　this　moment　to　confide　to　you　that　I　love　Mademoiselle　Rose　de　Beaurepaire。　　Love　her？　　I　did　love　her；　but　now　you　tell　me　she　is　poor　and　in　distress；　I　adore　her。〃　　The　effect　of　this　declaration　on　Jacintha　was　magical；　comical。　　Her　apron　came　down　from　one　eye；　and　that　eye　dried　itself　and　sparkled　with　curiosity：　the　whole　countenance　speedily　followed　suit　and　beamed　with　sacred　joy。　　What！　an　interesting　love　affair　confided　to　her　all　in　a　moment！　　She　lowered　her　voice　to　a　whisper　directly。　　〃Why；　how　did　you　manage？　　She　never　goes　into　company。〃

〃No；　but　she　goes　to　church。　　Besides；　I　have　met　her　eleven　times　out　walking　with　her　sister；　and　twice　out　of　the　eleven　she　smiled　on　me。　　O　Jacintha！　a　smile　such　as　angels　smile；　a　smile　to　warm　the　heart　and　purify　the　soul　and　last　forever　in　the　mind。〃

〃Well；　they　say　'man　is　fire　and　woman　tow：'　but　this　beats　all。　Ha！　ha！〃

〃Oh！　do　not　jest。　　I　did　not　laugh　at　you。　　Jacintha；　it　is　no　laughing　matter；　I　revere　her　as　mortals　revere　the　saints；　I　love　her　so　that　were　I　ever　to　lose　all　hope　of　her　I　would　not　live　a　day。　　And　now　that　you　have　told　me　she　is　poor　and　in　sorrow；　and　I　think　of　her　walking　so　calm　and　gentlealways　in　black；　Jacintha；　and　her　low　courtesy　to　me　whenever　we　met；　and　her　sweet　smile　to　me　though　her　heart　must　be　sad；　oh！　my　heart　yearns　for　her。　　What　can　I　do　for　her？　　How　shall　I　surround　her　with　myself　unseenmake　her　feel　that　a　man's　love　waits　upon　her　feet　every　step　she　takes　that　a　man's　love　floats　in　the　air　round　that　lovely　head？〃　　Then　descending　to　earth　for　a　moment；　〃but　I　say；　you　promise　not　to　betray　me；　come；　secret　for　secret。〃

〃I　will　not　tell　a　soul；　on　the　honor　of　a　woman；〃　said　Jacintha。

The　form　of　protestation　was　quite　new　to　Edouard；　and　not　exactly　the　one　his　study　of　the　ancient　writers　would　have　led　him　to　select。　　But　the　tone　was　convincing：　he　trusted　her。　　They　parted　sworn　allies；　and；　at　the　very　moment　of　parting；　Jacintha；　who　had　cast　many　a　furtive　glance　at　the　dead　game；　told　Edouard　demurely；　Mademoiselle　Rose　was　very　fond　of　roast　partridge。　　On　this　he　made　her　take　the　whole　bag；　and　went　home　on　wings。　　Jacintha's　revelation　roused　all　that　was　noble　and　forgiving　in　him。　　His　understanding　and　his　heart　expanded　from　that　hour；　and　his　fancy　spread　its　pinions　to　the　sun　of　love。　　Ah！　generous　Youth；　let　who　will　betray　thee；　let　who　will　sneer　at　thee；　let　me；　though　young　no　longer；　smile　on　thee　and　joy　in　thee！　　She　he　loved　was　sad；　was　poor；　was　menaced　by　many　ills；　then　she　needed　a　champion。　　He　would　be　her　unseen　friend；　her　guardian　angel。　　A　hundred　wild　schemes　whirled　in　his　beating　heart　and　brain。　　He　could　not　go　in…　doors；　indeed；　no　room　could　contain　him：　he　made　for　a　green　lane　he　knew　at　the　back　of　the　village；　and　there　he　walked　up　and　down　for　hours。　　The　sun　set；　and　the　night　came；　and　the　stars　glittered；　but　still　he　walked　alone；　inspired；　exalted；　full　of　generous　and　loving　schemes：　of　sweet　and　tender　fancies：　a　heart　on　fire；　and　youth　the　fuel；　and　the　flame　vestal。


CHAPTER　III。


This　very　day　was　the　anniversary　of　the　baron's　death。

The　baroness　kept　her　room　all　the　morning；　and　took　no　nourishment　but　one　cup　of　spurious　coffee　Rose　brought　her。　　Towards　evening　she　came　down…stairs。　　In　the　hall　she　found　two　chaplets　of　flowers；　they　were　always　placed　there　for　her　on　this　sad　day。　　She　took　them　in　her　hand；　and　went　into　the　little　oratory　that　was　in　the　park；　there　she　found　two　wax　candles　burning；　and　two　fresh　chaplets　hung　up。　　Her　daughters　had　been　there　before　her。

She　knelt　and　prayed　many　hours　for　her　husband's　soul；　then　she　rose　and　hung　up　one　chaplet　and　came　slowly　away　with　the　other　in　her　hand。　　At　the　gate　of　the　park；　Josephine　met　her　with　tender　anxiety　in　her　sapphire　eyes；　and　wreathed　her　arms　round　her；　and　whispered；　〃But　you　have　your　children　still。〃

The　baroness　kissed　her　and　they　came　towards　the　house　together；　the　baroness　leaning　gently　on　her　daughter's　elbow。

Between　the　park　and　the　angle　of　the　chateau　was　a　small　plot　of　turf　called　at　Beaurepaire　the　Pleasance；　a　name　that　had　descended　along　with　other　traditions；　and　in　the　centre　of　this　Pleasance；　or　Pleasaunce；　stood　a　wonderful　oak…tree。　　Its　circumference　was　thirty…four　feet。　　The　baroness　came　to　this　ancient　tree；　and　hung　her　chaplet　on　a　mutilated　limb　called　the　〃knights'　bough。〃

The　sun　was　setting　tranquil　and　red；　a　broad　ruby　streak　lingered　on　the　deep　green　leaves　of　the　prodigious　oak。　　The　baroness　looked　at　it　awhile　in　silence。

Then　she　spoke　slowly　to　it　and　said；　〃You　were　here　before　us：　you　will　be　here　when　we　are　gone。〃

A　spasm　crossed　Josephine's　face；　but　she　said　nothing　at　the　time。　And　so　they　went　in　together。

Now　as　this　tree　was　a　feat　of　nature；　and；　above　all；　played　a　curious　part　in　our　story；　I　will　ask　you　to　stay　a　few　minutes　and　look　at　it；　while　I　say　what　was　known　about　it；　not　the　thousandth　part　of　what　it　could　have　told；　if　trees　could　speak　as　well　as　breathe。

The　baroness　did　not　exaggerate；　the　tree　was　far　older　than　even　this　ancient　family。　　They　possessed　among　other　archives　a　manuscript　written　by　a　monk；　a　son　of　the　house；　about　four　hundred　years　before　our　story；　and　containing　many　of　the　oral　traditions　about　this　tree　that　had　come　down　to　him　from　remote　antiquity。　According　to　this　authority；　the　first　Baron　of　Beaurepaire　had　pitched　his　tent　under　a　fair　oak…tree　that　stood　prope　rivum；　near　a　brook。　　His　grandson　built　a　square　tower　hard　by；　and　dug　a　moat　that　enclosed　both　tree　and　tower；　and　received　the　waters　of　the　brook　aforesaid。

At　this　time　the　tree　seems　only　to　have　been　remarked　for　its　height。　　But；　a　century　and　a　half　before　the　monk　wrote；　it　had　become　famous　in　all　the　district　for　its　girth；　and　in　the　monk's　own　day　had　ceased　to　grow；　but　not　begun　to　decay。　　The　mutilated　arm　I　have　mentioned　was　once　a　long　sturdy　bough；　worn　smooth　as　velvet　in　one　part　from　a　curious　cause：　it　ran　about　as　high　above　the　ground　as　a　full…sized　horse；　and　the　knights　and　squires　used　to　be　forever　vaulting　upon　it；　the　former　in　armor；　the　monk；　when　a　boy；　had　seen　them　do　it　a　thousand　times。　　This　bough　broke　in　two；　A。D。　1617：　but　the　mutilated　limb　was　still　called　the　knights'　bough；　nobody　knew　why。　　So　do　names　survive　their　ideas。

What　had　not　this　tree　seen　since　first　it　came　green　and　tender　as　a　cabbage　above　the　soil；　and　stood　at　the　mercy　of　the　first　hare　or　rabbit　that　should　choose　to　cut　short　its　frail　existence！

Since　then　eagles　had　perched　on　its　crown；　and　wild　boars　fed　without　fear　of　man　upon　its　acorns。　　Troubadours　had　sung　beneath　it　to　lords　and　ladies　seated　round；　or　walking　on　the　grass　and　commenting　the　minstrel's　tales　of　love　by　exchange　of　amorous　glances。　　Mediaeval　sculptors　had　taken　its　leaves；　and　wisely　trusting　to　nature；　had　adorned　churches　with　those　leaves　cut　in　stone。

It　had　seen　a　Norman　duke　conquer　England；　and　English　kings　invade　France　and　be　crowned　at　Paris。　　It　had　seen　a　girl　put　knights　to　the　rout；　and　seen　the　warrior　virgin　burned　by　envious　priests　with　common　consent　both　of　the　curs　she　had　defended　and　the　curs　she　had　defeated。

Why；　in　its　old　age　it　had　seen　the　rise　of　printing；　and　the　first　dawn　of　national　civilization　in　Europe。　　It　flourished　and　decayed　in　France；　but　it　sprung　in　Gaul。　　And　more　remarkable　still；　though　by　all　accounts　it　may　see　the　world　to　an　end；　it　was　a　tree　in　ancient　history：　its　old　age　awaits　the　millennium；　its　first　youth　belonged　to　that　great　tract　of　time　which　includes　the　birth　of　Christ；　the　building　of　Rome；　and　the　siege　of　Troy。

The　tree　had；　ere　this；　mingled　in　the　fortunes　of　the　family。　　It　had　saved　their　lives　and　taken　their　lives。　　One　lord　of　Beaurepaire；　hotly　pursued　by　his　feudal　enemies；　made　for　the　tree；　and　hid　himself　partly　by　a　great　bough；　partly　by　the　thick　screen　of　leaves。　　The　foe　darted　in；　made　sure　he　had　taken　to　the　house；　ransacked　it；　and　got　into　the　cellar；　where　by　good…luck　was　a　store　of　Malvoisie：　and　so　the　oak　and　the　vine　saved　the　quaking　baron。　　Another　lord　of　Beaurepaire；　besieged　in　his　castle；　was　shot　dead　on　the　ramparts　by　a　cross…bowman　who　had　secreted　himself　unobserved　in　this　tree　a　little　before　the　dawn。

A　young　heir　of　Beaurepaire；　climbing　for　a　raven's　nest　to　the　top　of　this　tree；　lost　his