the duchesse de langeais-第32节

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　roused　any　feeling　of　love　in　me。　　Do　you　ask　why　this　was　so；　my　friend？　　I　can　no　more　explain　it　than　I　can　tell　you　why　I　love　you　now。　　Oh！　certainly　it　flattered　my　vanity　that　I　should　be　the　subject　of　your　passionate　talk；　and　receive　those　burning　glances　of　yours；　but　you　left　me　cold。　　No；　I　was　not　a　woman；　I　had　no　conception　of　womanly　devotion　and　happiness。　　Who　was　to　blame？　　You　would　have　despised　me；　would　you　not；　if　I　had　given　myself　without　the　impulse　of　passion？　　Perhaps　it　is　the　highest　height　to　which　we　can　riseto　give　all　and　receive　no　joy；　perhaps　there　is　no　merit　in　yielding　oneself　to　bliss　that　is　foreseen　and　ardently　desired。　　Alas；　my　friend；　I　can　say　this　now；　these　thoughts　came　to　me　when　I　played　with　you；　and　you　seemed　to　me　so　great　even　then　that　I　would　not　have　you　owe　the　gift　to　pityWhat　is　this　that　I　have　written？

〃I　have　taken　back　all　my　letters；　I　am　flinging　them　one　by　one　on　the　fire；　they　are　burning。　　You　will　never　know　what　they　confessedall　the　love　and　the　passion　and　the　madness

〃I　will　say　no　more；　Armand；　I　will　stop。　　I　will　not　say　another　word　of　my　feelings。　　If　my　prayers　have　not　echoed　from　my　soul　through　yours；　I　also；　woman　that　I　am；　decline　to　owe　your　love　to　your　pity。　　It　is　my　wish　to　be　loved；　because　you　cannot　choose　but　love　me；　or　else　to　be　left　without　mercy。　　If　you　refuse　to　read　this　letter；　it　shall　be　burnt。　　If；　after　you　have　read　it；　you　do　not　come　to　me　within　three　hours；　to　be　henceforth　forever　my　husband；　the　one　man　in　the　world　for　me；　then　I　shall　never　blush　to　know　that　this　letter　is　in　your　hands；　the　pride　of　my　despair　will　protect　my　memory　from　all　insult；　and　my　end　shall　be　worthy　of　my　love。　　When　you　see　me　no　more　on　earth；　albeit　I　shall　still　be　alive；　you　yourself　will　not　think　without　a　shudder　of　the　woman　who；　in　three　hours'　time；　will　live　only　to　overwhelm　you　with　her　tenderness；　a　woman　consumed　by　a　hopeless　love；　and　faithfulnot　to　memories　of　past　joysbut　to　a　love　that　was　slighted。

〃The　Duchesse　de　la　Valliere　wept　for　lost　happiness　and　vanished　power；　but　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais　will　be　happy　that　she　may　weep　and　be　a　power　for　you　still。　　Yes；　you　will　regret　me。　　I　see　clearly　that　I　was　not　of　this　world；　and　I　thank　you　for　making　it　clear　to　me。

〃Farewell；　you　will　never　touch　MY　axe。　　Yours　was　the　executioner's　axe；　mine　is　God's；　yours　kills；　mine　saves。　　Your　love　was　but　mortal；　it　could　not　endure　disdain　or　ridicule；　mine　can　endure　all　things　without　growing　weaker；　it　will　last　eternally。　　Ah！　　I　feel　a　sombre　joy　in　crushing　you　that　believe　yourself　so　great；　in　humbling　you　with　the　calm；　indulgent　smile　of　one　of　the　least　among　the　angels　that　lie　at　the　feet　of　God；　for　to　them　is　given　the　right　and　the　power　to　protect　and　watch　over　men　in　His　name。　　You　have　but　felt　fleeting　desires；　while　the　poor　nun　will　shed　the　light　of　her　ceaseless　and　ardent　prayer　about　you；　she　will　shelter　you　all　your　life　long　beneath　the　wings　of　a　love　that　has　nothing　of　earth　in　it。

〃I　have　a　presentiment　of　your　answer；　our　trysting　place　shall　bein　heaven。　　Strength　and　weakness　can　both　enter　there；　dear　Armand；　the　strong　and　the　weak　are　bound　to　suffer。　　This　thought　soothes　the　anguish　of　my　final　ordeal。　　So　calm　am　I　that　I　should　fear　that　I　had　ceased　to　love　you　if　I　were　not　about　to　leave　the　world　for　your　sake。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

〃ANTOINETTE。〃


〃Dear　Vidame；〃　said　the　Duchess　as　they　reached　Montriveau's　house；　〃do　me　the　kindness　to　ask　at　the　door　whether　he　is　at　home。〃　　The　Vidame；　obedient　after　the　manner　of　the　eighteenth　century　to　a　woman's　wish；　got　out；　and　came　back　to　bring　his　cousin　an　affirmative　answer　that　sent　a　shudder　through　her。　　She　grasped　his　hand　tightly　in　hers；　suffered　him　to　kiss　her　on　either　cheek；　and　begged　him　to　go　at　once。　　He　must　not　watch　her　movements　nor　try　to　protect　her。　　〃But　the　people　passing　in　the　street；〃　he　objected。

〃No　one　can　fail　in　respect　to　me；〃　she　said。　　It　was　the　last　word　spoken　by　the　Duchess　and　the　woman　of　fashion。

The　Vidame　went。　　Mme　de　Langeais　wrapped　herself　about　in　her　cloak；　and　stood　on　the　doorstep　until　the　clocks　struck　eight。　　The　last　stroke　died　away。　　The　unhappy　woman　waited　ten；　fifteen　minutes；　to　the　last　she　tried　to　see　a　fresh　humiliation　in　the　delay；　then　her　faith　ebbed。　　She　turned　to　leave　the　fatal　threshold。

〃Oh；　God！〃　the　cry　broke　from　her　in　spite　of　herself；　it　was　the　first　word　spoken　by　the　Carmelite。


Montriveau　and　some　of　his　friends　were　talking　together。　　He　tried　to　hasten　them　to　a　conclusion；　but　his　clock　was　slow；　and　by　the　time　he　started　out　for　the　Hotel　de　Langeais　the　Duchess　was　hurrying　on　foot　through　the　streets　of　Paris；　goaded　by　the　dull　rage　in　her　heart。　　She　reached　the　Boulevard　d'Enfer；　and　looked　out　for　the　last　time　through　falling　tears　on　the　noisy；　smoky　city　that　lay　below　in　a　red　mist；　lighted　up　by　its　own　lamps。　　Then　she　hailed　a　cab；　and　drove　away；　never　to　return。　　When　the　Marquis　de　Montriveau　reached　the　Hotel　de　Langeais；　and　found　no　trace　of　his　mistress；　he　thought　that　he　had　been　duped。　　He　hurried　away　at　once　to　the　Vidame；　and　found　that　worthy　gentleman　in　the　act　of　slipping　on　his　flowered　dressing…gown；　thinking　the　while　of　his　fair　cousin's　happiness。

Montriveau　gave　him　one　of　the　terrific　glances　that　produced　the　effect　of　an　electric　shock　on　men　and　women　alike。

〃Is　it　possible　that　you　have　lent　yourself　to　some　cruel　hoax；　monsieur？〃　Montriveau　exclaimed。　　〃I　have　just　come　from　Mme　de　Langeais's　house；　the　servants　say　that　she　is　out。〃

〃Then　a　great　misfortune　has　happened；　no　doubt；〃　returned　the　Vidame；　〃and　through　your　fault。　　I　left　the　Duchess　at　your　door〃

〃When？〃

〃At　a　quarter　to　eight。〃

〃Good　evening；〃　returned　Montriveau；　and　he　hurried　home　to　ask　the　porter　whether　he　had　seen　a　lady　standing　on　the　doorstep　that　evening。

〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis；　a　handsome　woman；　who　seemed　very　much　put　out。　　She　was　crying　like　a　Magdalen；　but　she　never　made　a　sound；　and　stood　as　upright　as　a　post。　　Then　at　last　she　went；　and　my　wife　and　I　that　were　watching　her　while　she　could　not　see　us；　heard　her　say；　‘Oh；　God！'　so　that　it　went　to　our　hearts；　asking　your　pardon；　to　hear　her　say　it。〃

Montriveau；　in　spite　of　all　his　firmness；　turned　pale　at　those　few　words。　　He　wrote　a　few　lines　to　Ronquerolles；　sent　off　the　message　at　once；　and　went　up　to　his　rooms。　　Ronquerolles　came　just　about　midnight。

Armand　gave　him　the　Duchess's　letter　to　read。

〃Well？〃　asked　Ronquerolles。

〃She　was　here　at　my　door　at　eight　o'clock；　at　a　quarter…past　eight　she　had　gone。　　I　have　lost　her；　and　I　love　her。　　Oh！　if　my　life　were　my　own；　I　could　blow　my　brains　out。〃

〃Pooh；　pooh！　　Keep　cool；〃　said　Ronquerolles。　　〃Duchesses　do　not　fly　off　like　wagtails。　　She　cannot　travel　faster　than　three　leagues　an　hour；　and　tomorrow　we　will　ride　six。Confound　it！　　Mme　de　Langeais　is　no　ordinary　woman；〃　he　continued。　　〃Tomorrow　we　will　all　of　us　mount　and　ride。　　The　police　will　put　us　on　her　track　during　the　day。　　She　must　have　a　carriage；　angels　of　that　sort　have　no　wings。　　We　shall　find　her　whether　she　is　on　the　road　or　hidden　in　Paris。　　There　is　the　semaphore。　　We　can　stop　her。　　You　shall　be　happy。　　But；　my　dear　fellow；　you　have　made　a　blunder；　of　which　men　of　your　energy　are　very　often　guilty。　　They　judge　others　by　themselves；　and　do　not　know　the　point　when　human　nature　gives　way　if　you　strain　the　cords　too　tightly。　　Why　did　you　not　say　a　word　to　me　sooner？　　I　would　have　told　you　to　be　punctual。　　Good…bye　till　tomorrow；〃　he　added；　as　Montriveau　said　nothing。　　〃Sleep　if　you　can；〃　he　added；　with　a　grasp　of　the　hand。

But　the　greatest　resources　which　society　has　ever　placed　at　the　disposal　of　statesmen；　kings；　ministers；　bankers；　or　any　human　power；　in　fact；　were　all　exhausted　in　vain。　　Neither　Montriveau　nor　his　friends　could　find　any　trace　of　the　Duchess。　　It　was　clear　that　she　had　entered　a　convent。　　Montriveau　determined　to　search；　or　to　institute　a　search；　for　her　through　every　convent　in　the　world。　　He　must　have　her；　even　at　the　cost　of　all　the　lives　in　a　town。　　And　in　justice　to　this　extraordinary　man；　it　must　be　said　that　his　frenzied　passion　awoke　to　the　same　ardour　daily　and　lasted　through　five　years。　　Only　in　1829　did　the　Duc　de　Navarreins　hear　by　chance　that　his　daughter　had　travelled　to　Spain　as　Lady　Julia　Hopwood's　maid；　that　she　had　left　her　service　at　Cadiz；　and　that　Lady　Julia　never　discovered　that　Mlle　Caroline　was　the　illustrious　duchess　whose　sudden　disappearance　filled　the　minds　of　the　highest　society　of　Paris。


The　feelings　of　the　two　lovers　when　they　met　again　on　either　side　of　the　grating　in　the　Carmelite　convent　should　now　be　comprehended　to　the　full；　and　the　violence　of　the　passion　awakened　in　either　soul　will　doubtless　explain　the　catastrophe　of　the　story。

In　1823　the　Duc　de　Langeais　was　dead；　and　his　wife　was　free。　　Antoinette　de　Navarreins　was　living；　consumed　by　love；　on　a　ledge　of　rock　in　the　Mediterranean；　but　it　was　in　the　Pope's　power　to　dissolve　Sister　Theresa's　vows。　　The　happiness　bought　by　so　much　love　might　yet　bloom　for　the　two