the duchesse de langeais-第22节

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　away　from　the　ball；　loathing　human　nature；　and　even　then　scarcely　ready　to　believe　in　such　complete　depravity。

〃If　there　is　no　executioner　for　such　crimes；〃　he　said；　as　he　looked　up　at　the　lighted　windows　of　the　ballroom　where　the　most　enchanting　women　in　Paris　were　dancing；　laughing；　and　chatting；　〃I　will　take　you　by　the　nape　of　the　neck；　Mme　la　Duchesse；　and　make　you　feel　something　that　bites　more　deeply　than　the　knife　in　the　Place　de　la　Greve。　　Steel　against　steel；　we　shall　see　which　heart　will　leave　the　deeper　mark。〃

For　a　week　or　so　Mme　de　Langeais　hoped　to　see　the　Marquis　de　Montriveau　again；　but　he　contented　himself　with　sending　his　card　every　morning　to　the　Hotel　de　Langeais。　　The　Duchess　could　not　help　shuddering　each　time　that　the　card　was　brought　in；　and　a　dim　foreboding　crossed　her　mind；　but　the　thought　was　vague　as　a　presentiment　of　disaster。　　When　her　eyes　fell　on　the　name；　it　seemed　to　her　that　she　felt　the　touch　of　the　implacable　man's　strong　hand　in　her　hair；　sometimes　the　words　seemed　like　a　prognostication　of　a　vengeance　which　her　lively　intellect　invented　in　the　most　shocking　forms。　　She　had　studied　him　too　well　not　to　dread　him。　　Would　he　murder　her；　she　wondered？　　Would　that　bull…necked　man　dash　out　her　vitals　by　flinging　her　over　his　head？　　Would　he　trample　her　body　under　his　feet？　　When；　where；　and　how　would　he　get　her　into　his　power？　　Would　he　make　her　suffer　very　much；　and　what　kind　of　pain　would　he　inflict？　　She　repented　of　her　conduct。　　There　were　hours　when；　if　he　had　come；　she　would　have　gone　to　his　arms　in　complete　self…surrender。

Every　night　before　she　slept　she　saw　Montriveau's　face；　every　night　it　wore　a　different　aspect。　　Sometimes　she　saw　his　bitter　smile；　sometimes　the　Jovelike　knitting　of　the　brows；　or　his　leonine　look；　or　some　disdainful　movement　of　the　shoulders　made　him　terrible　for　her。　　Next　day　the　card　seemed　stained　with　blood。　　The　name　of　Montriveau　stirred　her　now　as　the　presence　of　the　fiery；　stubborn；　exacting　lover　had　never　done。　　Her　apprehensions　gathered　strength　in　the　silence。　　She　was　forced；　without　aid　from　without；　to　face　the　thought　of　a　hideous　duel　of　which　she　could　not　speak。　　Her　proud　hard　nature　was　more　responsive　to　thrills　of　hate　than　it　had　ever　been　to　the　caresses　of　love。　　Ah！　if　the　General　could　but　have　seen　her；　as　she　sat　with　her　forehead　drawn　into　folds　between　her　brows；　immersed　in　bitter　thoughts　in　that　boudoir　where　he　had　enjoyed　such　happy　moments；　he　might　perhaps　have　conceived　high　hopes。　　Of　all　human　passions；　is　not　pride　alone　incapable　of　engendering　anything　base？　　Mme　de　Langeais　kept　her　thoughts　to　herself；　but　is　it　not　permissible　to　suppose　that　M。　de　Montriveau　was　no　longer　indifferent　to　her？　　And　has　not　a　man　gained　ground　immensely　when　a　woman　thinks　about　him？　　He　is　bound　to　make　progress　with　her　either　one　way　or　the　other　afterwards。

Put　any　feminine　creature　under　the　feet　of　a　furious　horse　or　other　fearsome　beast；　she　will　certainly　drop　on　her　knees　and　look　for　death；　but　if　the　brute　shows　a　milder　mood　and　does　not　utterly　slay　her；　she　will　love　the　horse；　lion；　bull；　or　what　not；　and　will　speak　of　him　quite　at　her　ease。　　The　Duchess　felt　that　she　was　under　the　lion's　paws；　she　quaked；　but　she　did　not　hate　him。

The　man　and　woman　thus　singularly　placed　with　regard　to　each　other　met　three　times　in　society　during　the　course　of　that　week。　　Each　time；　in　reply　to　coquettish　questioning　glances；　the　Duchess　received　a　respectful　bow；　and　smiles　tinged　with　such　savage　irony；　that　all　her　apprehensions　over　the　card　in　the　morning　were　revived　at　night。　　Our　lives　are　simply　such　as　our　feelings　shape　them　for　us；　and　the　feelings　of　these　two　had　hollowed　out　a　great　gulf　between　them

The　Comtesse　de　Serizy；　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles's　sister；　gave　a　great　ball　at　the　beginning　of　the　following　week；　and　Mme　de　Langeais　was　sure　to　go　to　it。　　Armand　was　the　first　person　whom　the　Duchess　saw　when　she　came　into　the　room；　and　this　time　Armand　was　looking　out　for　her；　or　so　she　thought　at　least。　　The　two　exchanged　a　look；　and　suddenly　the　woman　felt　a　cold　perspiration　break　from　every　pore。　　She　had　thought　all　along　that　Montriveau　was　capable　of　taking　reprisals　in　some　unheard…of　way　proportioned　to　their　condition；　and　now　the　revenge　had　been　discovered；　it　was　ready；　heated；　and　boiling。　　Lightnings　flashed　from　the　foiled　lover's　eyes；　his　face　was　radiant　with　exultant　vengeance。　　And　the　Duchess？　　Her　eyes　were　haggard　in　spite　of　her　resolution　to　be　cool　and　insolent。　　She　went　to　take　her　place　beside　the　Comtesse　de　Serizy；　who　could　not　help　exclaiming；　〃Dear　Antoinette！　what　is　the　matter　with　you？　　You　are　enough　to　frighten　one。〃

〃I　shall　be　all　right　after　a　quadrille；〃　she　answered；　giving　a　hand　to　a　young　man　who　came　up　at　that　moment。

Mme　de　Langeais　waltzed　that　evening　with　a　sort　of　excitement　and　transport　which　redoubled　Montriveau's　lowering　looks。　　He　stood　in　front　of　the　line　of　spectators；　who　were　amusing　themselves　by　looking　on。　　Every　time　that　SHE　came　past　him；　his　eyes　darted　down　upon　her　eddying　face；　he　might　have　been　a　tiger　with　the　prey　in　his　grasp。　　The　waltz　came　to　an　end；　Mme　de　Langeais　went　back　to　her　place　beside　the　Countess；　and　Montriveau　never　took　his　eyes　off　her；　talking　all　the　while　with　a　stranger。　

〃One　of　the　things　that　struck　me　most　on　the　journey；〃　he　was　saying　（and　the　Duchess　listened　with　all　her　ears）；　〃was　the　remark　which　the　man　makes　at　Westminster　when　you　are　shown　the　axe　with　which　a　man　in　a　mask　cut　off　Charles　the　First's　head；　so　they　tell　you。　　The　King　made　it　first　of　all　to　some　inquisitive　person；　and　they　repeat　it　still　in　memory　of　him。〃

〃What　does　the　man　say？〃　asked　Mme　de　Serizy。

〃　‘Do　not　touch　the　axe！'　〃　replied　Montriveau；　and　there　was　menace　in　the　sound　of　his　voice。

〃Really；　my　Lord　Marquis；〃　said　Mme　de　Langeais；　〃you　tell　this　old　story　that　everybody　knows　if　they　have　been　to　London；　and　look　at　my　neck　in　such　a　melodramatic　way　that　you　seem　to　me　to　have　an　axe　in　your　hand。〃

The　Duchess　was　in　a　cold　sweat；　but　nevertheless　she　laughed　as　she　spoke　the　last　words。

〃But　circumstances　give　the　story　a　quite　new　application；〃　returned　he。

〃How　so；　pray　tell　me；　for　pity's　sake？〃

〃In　this　way；　madameyou　have　touched　the　axe；〃　said　Montriveau；　lowering　his　voice。

〃What　an　enchanting　prophecy！〃　returned　she；　smiling　with　assumed　grace。　　〃And　when　is　my　head　to　fall？〃

〃I　have　no　wish　to　see　that　pretty　head　of　yours　cut　off。　　I　only　fear　some　great　misfortune　for　you。　　If　your　head　were　clipped　close；　would　you　feel　no　regrets　for　the　dainty　golden　hair　that　you　turn　to　such　good　account？〃

〃There　are　those　for　whom　a　woman　would　love　to　make　such　a　sacrifice；　even　if；　as　often　happens；　it　is　for　the　sake　of　a　man　who　cannot　make　allowances　for　an　outbreak　of　temper。〃

〃Quite　so。　　Well；　and　if　some　wag　were　to　spoil　your　beauty　on　a　sudden　by　some　chemical　process；　and　you；　who　are　but　eighteen　for　us；　were　to　be　a　hundred　years　old？〃

〃Why；　the　smallpox　is　our　Battle　of　Waterloo；　monsieur；〃　she　interrupted。　　〃After　it　is　over　we　find　out　those　who　love　us　sincerely。〃

〃Would　you　not　regret　the　lovely　face　that？〃

〃Oh！　indeed　I　should；　but　less　for　my　own　sake　than　for　the　sake　of　someone　else　whose　delight　it　might　have　been。　　And；　after　all；　if　I　were　loved；　always　loved；　and　truly　loved；　what　would　my　beauty　matter　to　me？What　do　you　say；　Clara？〃

〃It　is　a　dangerous　speculation；〃　replied　Mme　de　Serizy。

〃Is　it　permissible　to　ask　His　Majesty　the　King　of　Sorcerers　when　I　made　the　mistake　of　touching　the　axe；　since　I　have　not　been　to　London　as　yet？〃

〃NOT　SO；〃　he　answered　in　English；　with　a　burst　of　ironical　laughter。

〃And　when　will　the　punishment　begin？〃

At　this　Montriveau　coolly　took　out　his　watch；　and　ascertained　the　hour　with　a　truly　appalling　air　of　conviction。

〃A　dreadful　misfortune　will　befall　you　before　this　day　is　out。〃

〃I　am　not　a　child　to　be　easily　frightened；　or　rather；　I　am　a　child　ignorant　of　danger；〃　said　the　Duchess。　　〃I　shall　dance　now　without　fear　on　the　edge　of　the　precipice。〃

〃I　am　delighted　to　know　that　you　have　so　much　strength　of　character；〃　he　answered；　as　he　watched　her　go　to　take　her　place　in　a　square　dance。

But　the　Duchess；　in　spite　of　her　apparent　contempt　for　Armand's　dark　prophecies；　was　really　frightened。　　Her　late　lover's　presence　weighed　upon　her　morally　and　physically　with　a　sense　of　oppression　that　scarcely　ceased　when　he　left　the　ballroom。　　And　yet　when　she　had　drawn　freer　breath；　and　enjoyed　the　relief　for　a　moment；　she　found　herself　regretting　the　sensation　of　dread；　so　greedy　of　extreme　sensations　is　the　feminine　nature。　　The　regret　was　not　love；　but　it　was　certainly　akin　to　other　feelings　which　prepare　the　way　for　love。　　And　thenas　if　the　impression　which　Montriveau　had　made　upon　her　were　suddenly　revivedshe　recollected　his　air　of　conviction　as　he　took　out　his　watch；　and　in　a　sudden　spasm　of　dread　she　went　out。

By　this　time　it　was　about　midnight。　　One　of　her　servants；　waiting　with　her　pelisse；　went　down　to　order　her　carriage。　　On　her　way　home　she　fell　naturally　enough　to　musing　over