the duchesse de langeais-第31节

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That　evening；　at　the　Elysee…Bourbon；　the　Duc　de　Navarreins；　M。　de　Pamiers；　M。　de　Marsay；　M。　de　Grandlieu；　and　the　Duc　de　Maufrigneuse　triumphantly　refuted　the　scandals　that　were　circulating　with　regard　to　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais。　　So　many　officers　and　other　persons　had　seen　Montriveau　walking　in　the　Tuileries　that　morning；　that　the　silly　story　was　set　down　to　chance；　which　takes　all　that　is　offered。　　And　so；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　the　Duchess's　carriage　had　waited　before　Montriveau's　door；　her　character　became　as　clear　and　as　spotless　as　Mambrino's　sword　after　Sancho　had　polished　it　up。

But；　at　two　o'clock；　M。　de　Ronquerolles　passed　Montriveau　in　a　deserted　alley；　and　said　with　a　smile；　〃She　is　coming　on；　is　your　Duchess。　　Go　on；　keep　it　up！〃　he　added；　and　gave　a　significant　cut　of　the　riding　whip　to　his　mare；　who　sped　off　like　a　bullet　down　the　avenue。

Two　days　after　the　fruitless　scandal；　Mme　de　Langeais　wrote　to　M。　de　Montriveau。　　That　letter；　like　the　preceding　ones；　remained　unanswered。　　This　time　she　took　her　own　measures；　and　bribed　M。　de　Montriveau's　man；　Auguste。　　And　so　at　eight　o'clock　that　evening　she　was　introduced　into　Armand's　apartment。　　It　was　not　the　room　in　which　that　secret　scene　had　passed；　it　was　entirely　different。　　The　Duchess　was　told　that　the　General　would　not　be　at　home　that　night。　　Had　he　two　houses？　　The　man　would　give　no　answer。　　Mme　de　Langeais　had　bought　the　key　of　the　room；　but　not　the　man's　whole　loyalty。

When　she　was　left　alone　she　saw　her　fourteen　letters　lying　on　an　old…fashioned　stand；　all　of　them　uncreased　and　unopened。　　He　had　not　read　them。　　She　sank　into　an　easy…chair；　and　for　a　while　she　lost　consciousness。　　When　she　came　to　herself；　Auguste　was　holding　vinegar　for　her　to　inhale。

〃A　carriage；　quick！〃　she　ordered。

The　carriage　came。　　She　hastened　downstairs　with　convulsive　speed；　and　left　orders　that　no　one　was　to　be　admitted。　　For　twenty…four　hours　she　lay　in　bed；　and　would　have　no　one　near　her　but　her　woman；　who　brought　her　a　cup　of　orange…flower　water　from　time　to　time。　　Suzette　heard　her　mistress　moan　once　or　twice；　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　tears　in　the　brilliant　eyes；　now　circled　with　dark　shadows。

The　next　day；　amid　despairing　tears；　Mme　de　Langeais　took　her　resolution。　　Her　man　of　business　came　for　an　interview；　and　no　doubt　received　instructions　of　some　kind。　　Afterwards　she　sent　for　the　Vidame　de　Pamiers；　and　while　she　waited；　she　wrote　a　letter　to　M。　de　Montriveau。　　The　Vidame　punctually　came　towards　two　o'clock　that　afternoon；　to　find　his　young　cousin　looking　white　and　worn；　but　resigned；　never　had　her　divine　loveliness　been　more　poetic　than　now　in　the　languor　of　her　agony。

〃You　owe　this　assignation　to　your　eighty…four　years；　dear　cousin；〃　she　said。　　〃Ah！　do　not　smile；　I　beg　of　you；　when　an　unhappy　woman　has　reached　the　lowest　depths　of　wretchedness。　　You　are　a　gentleman；　and　after　the　adventures　of　your　youth　you　must　feel　some　indulgence　for　women。〃

〃None　whatever；〃　said　he。

〃Indeed！〃

〃Everything　is　in　their　favour。〃

〃Ah！　　Well；　you　are　one　of　the　inner　family　circle；　possibly　you　will　be　the　last　relative；　the　last　friend　whose　hand　I　shall　press；　so　I　can　ask　your　good　offices。　　Will　you；　dear　Vidame；　do　me　a　service　which　I　could　not　ask　of　my　own　father；　nor　of　my　uncle　Grandlieu；　nor　of　any　woman？　　You　cannot　fail　to　understand。　　I　beg　of　you　to　do　my　bidding；　and　then　to　forget　what　you　have　done；　whatever　may　come　of　it。　　It　is　this：　　Will　you　take　this　letter　and　go　to　M。　de　Montriveau？　will　you　see　him　yourself；　give　it　into　his　hands；　and　ask　him；　as　you　men　can　ask　things　between　yourselvesfor　you　have　a　code　of　honour　between　man　and　man　which　you　do　not　use　with　us；　and　a　different　way　of　regarding　things　between　yourselvesask　him　if　he　will　read　this　letter？　　Not　in　your　presence。　　Certain　feelings　men　hide　from　each　other。　　I　give　you　authority　to　say；　if　you　think　it　necessary　to　bring　him；　that　it　is　a　question　of　life　or　death　for　me。　　If　he　deigns〃

〃DEIGNS！〃　repeated　the　Vidame。

〃If　he　deigns　to　read　it；〃　the　Duchess　continued　with　dignity；　〃say　one　thing　more。　　You　will　go　to　see　him　about　five　o'clock；　for　I　know　that　he　will　dine　at　home　today　at　that　time。　　Very　good。　　By　way　of　answer　he　must　come　to　see　me。　　If；　three　hours　afterwards；　by　eight　o'clock；　he　does　not　leave　his　house；　all　will　be　over。　　The　Duchesse　de　Langeais　will　have　vanished　from　the　world。　　I　shall　not　be　dead；　dear　friend；　no；　but　no　human　power　will　ever　find　me　again　on　this　earth。　　Come　and　dine　with　me；　I　shall　at　least　have　one　friend　with　me　in　the　last　agony。　　Yes；　dear　cousin；　tonight　will　decide　my　fate；　and　whatever　happens　to　me；　I　pass　through　an　ordeal　by　fire。　　There！　not　a　word。　　I　will　hear　nothing　of　the　nature　of　comment　or　adviceLet　us　chat　and　laugh　together；〃　she　added；　holding　out　a　hand；　which　he　kissed。　　〃We　will　be　like　two　grey…headed　philosophers　who　have　learned　how　to　enjoy　life　to　the　last　moment。　　I　will　look　my　best；　I　will　be　very　enchanting　for　you。　　You　perhaps　will　be　the　last　man　to　set　eyes　on　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais。〃

The　Vicomte　bowed；　took　the　letter；　and　went　without　a　word。　　At　five　o'clock　he　returned。　　His　cousin　had　studied　to　please　him；　and　she　looked　lovely　indeed。　　The　room　was　gay　with　flowers　as　if　for　a　festivity；　the　dinner　was　exquisite。　　For　the　grey…headed　Vidame　the　Duchess　displayed　all　the　brilliancy　of　her　wit；　she　was　more　charming　than　she　had　ever　been　before。　　At　first　the　Vidame　tried　to　look　on　all　these　preparations　as　a　young　woman's　jest；　but　now　and　again　the　attempted　illusion　faded；　the　spell　of　his　fair　cousin's　charm　was　broken。　　He　detected　a　shudder　caused　by　some　kind　of　sudden　dread；　and　once　she　seemed　to　listen　during　a　pause。　

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked。

〃Hush！〃　she　said。

At　seven　o'clock　the　Duchess　left　him　for　a　few　minutes。　　When　she　came　back　again　she　was　dressed　as　her　maid　might　have　dressed　for　a　journey。　　She　asked　her　guest　to　be　her　escort；　took　his　arm；　sprang　into　a　hackney　coach；　and　by　a　quarter　to　eight　they　stood　outside　M。　de　Montriveau's　door。

Armand　meantime　had　been　reading　the　following　letter：


〃MY　FRIEND；I　went　to　your　rooms　for　a　few　minutes　without　your　knowledge；　I　found　my　letters　there；　and　took　them　away。　　This　cannot　be　indifference；　Armand；　between　us；　and　hatred　would　show　itself　quite　differently。　　If　you　love　me；　make　an　end　of　this　cruel　play；　or　you　will　kill　me；　and　afterwards；　learning　how　much　you　were　loved；　you　might　be　in　despair。　　If　I　have　not　rightly　understood　you；　if　you　have　no　feeling　towards　me　but　aversion；　which　implies　both　contempt　and　disgust；　then　I　give　up　all　hope。　　A　man　never　recovers　from　those　feelings。　　You　will　have　no　regrets。　　Dreadful　though　that　thought　may　be；　it　will　comfort　me　in　my　long　sorrow。　　Regrets？　　Oh；　my　Armand；　may　I　never　know　of　them；　if　I　thought　that　I　had　caused　you　a　single　regretBut；　no；　I　will　not　tell　you　what　desolation　I　should　feel。　　I　should　be　living　still；　and　I　could　not　be　your　wife；　it　would　be　too　late！

〃Now　that　I　have　given　myself　wholly　to　you　in　thought；　to　whom　else　should　I　give　myself？to　God。　　The　eyes　that　you　loved　for　a　little　while　shall　never　look　on　another　man's　face；　and　may　the　glory　of　God　blind　them　to　all　besides。　　I　shall　never　hear　human　voices　more　since　I　heard　yoursso　gentle　at　the　first；　so　terrible　yesterday；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　I　am　still　only　on　the　morrow　of　your　vengeance。　　And　now　may　the　will　of　God　consume　me。　　Between　His　wrath　and　yours；　my　friend；　there　will　be　nothing　left　for　me　but　a　little　space　for　tears　and　prayers。

〃Perhaps　you　wonder　why　I　write　to　you？　　Ah！　do　not　think　ill　of　me　if　I　keep　a　gleam　of　hope；　and　give　one　last　sigh　to　happy　life　before　I　take　leave　of　it　forever。　　I　am　in　a　hideous　position。　　I　feel　all　the　inward　serenity　that　comes　when　a　great　resolution　has　been　taken；　even　while　I　hear　the　last　growlings　of　the　storm。　　When　you　went　out　on　that　terrible　adventure　which　so　drew　me　to　you；　Armand；　you　went　from　the　desert　to　the　oasis　with　a　good　guide　to　show　you　the　way。　　Well；　I　am　going　out　of　the　oasis　into　the　desert；　and　you　are　a　pitiless　guide　to　me。　　And　yet　you　only；　my　friend；　can　understand　how　melancholy　it　is　to　look　back　for　the　last　time　on　happinessto　you；　and　you　only；　I　can　make　moan　without　a　blush。　　If　you　grant　my　entreaty；　I　shall　be　happy；　if　you　are　inexorable；　I　shall　expiate　the　wrong　that　I　have　done。　　After　all；　it　is　natural；　is　it　not；　that　a　woman　should　wish　to　live；　invested　with　all　noble　feelings；　in　her　friend's　memory？　　Oh！　my　one　and　only　love；　let　her　to　whom　you　gave　life　go　down　into　the　tomb　in　the　belief　that　she　is　great　in　your　eyes。　　Your　harshness　led　me　to　reflect；　and　now　that　I　love　you　so；　it　seems　to　me　that　I　am　less　guilty　than　you　think。　　Listen　to　my　justification；　I　owe　it　to　you；　and　you　that　are　all　the　world　to　me；　owe　me　at　least　a　moment's　justice。

〃I　have　learned　by　my　own　anguish　all　that　I　made　you　suffer　by　my　coquetry；　but　in　those　days　I　was　utterly　ignorant　of　love。　　YOU　know　what　the　torture　is；　and　you　mete　it　out　to　me！　　During　those　first　eight　months　that　you　gave　me　you　never　roused　any　feelin