the lily of the valley-第57章

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dangerous　to…morrow；　no　hours　of　difficulty。　You　will　never　find　it

necessary　to　deceive　the　indulgent　heart　which　will　live　in　future

within　your　life；　grieve　for　your　griefs；　be　joyous　with　your　joys；

which　will　love　the　women　who　make　you　happy；　and　resent　their

treachery。　I　never　had　a　brother　to　love　in　that　way。　Be　noble　enough

to　lay　aside　all　self…love　and　turn　our　attachment；　hitherto　so

doubtful　and　full　of　trouble；　into　this　sweet　and　sacred　love。　In　this

way　I　shall　be　enabled　to　still　live。　I　will　begin　to…night　by　taking

Lady　Dudley's　hand。〃



She　did　not　weep　as　she　said　these　words　so　full　of　bitter　knowledge；

by　which；　casting　aside　the　last　remaining　veil　which　hid　her　soul

from　mine；　she　showed　by　how　many　ties　she　had　linked　herself　to　me；

how　many　chains　I　had　hewn　apart。　Our　emotions　were　so　great　that　for

a　time　we　did　not　notice　it　was　raining　heavily。



〃Will　Madame　la　comtesse　wait　here　under　shelter？〃　asked　the　coachman；

pointing　to　the　chief　inn　of　Ballan。



She　made　a　sign　of　assent；　and　we　stayed　nearly　half　an　hour　under　the

vaulted　entrance；　to　the　great　surprise　of　the　inn…people　who　wondered

what　brought　Madame　de　Mortsauf　on　that　road　at　eleven　o'clock　at

night。　Was　she　going　to　Tours？　Had　she　come　from　there？　When　the　storm

ceased　and　the　rain　turned　to　what　is　called　in　Touraine　a　〃brouee；〃

which　does　not　hinder　the　moon　from　shining　through　the　higher　mists

as　the　wind　with　its　upper　currents　whirls　them　away；　the　coachman

drove　from　our　shelter；　and；　to　my　great　delight；　turned　to　go　back

the　way　we　came。



〃Follow　my　orders；〃　said　the　countess；　gently。



We　now　took　the　road　across　the　Charlemagne　moor；　where　the　rain　began

again。　Half…way　across　I　heard　the　barking　of　Arabella's　dog；　a　horse

came　suddenly　from　beneath　a　clump　of　oaks；　jumped　the　ditch　which

owners　of　property　dig　around　their　cleared　lands　when　they　consider

them　suitable　for　cultivation；　and　carried　Lady　Dudley　to　the　moor　to

meet　the　carriage。



〃What　pleasure　to　meet　a　love　thus　if　it　can　be　done　without　sin；〃

said　Henriette。



The　barking　of　the　dog　had　told　Lady　Dudley　that　I　was　in　the

carriage。　She　thought；　no　doubt；　that　I　had　brought　it　to　meet　her　on

account　of　the　rain。　When　we　reached　the　spot　where　she　was　waiting；

she　urged　her　horse　to　the　side　of　the　road　with　the　equestrian

dexterity　for　which　she　was　famous；　and　which　to　Henriette　seemed

marvellous。



〃Amedee；〃　she　said；　and　the　name　in　her　English　pronunciation　had　a

fairy…like　charm。



〃He　is　here；　madame；〃　said　the　countess；　looking　at　the　fantastic

creature　plainly　visible　in　the　moonlight；　whose　impatient　face　was

oddly　swathed　in　locks　of　hair　now　out　of　curl。



You　know　with　what　swiftness　two　women　examine　each　other。　The

Englishwoman　recognized　her　rival；　and　was　gloriously　English；　she

gave　us　a　look　full　of　insular　contempt；　and　disappeared　in　the

underbrush　with　the　rapidity　of　an　arrow。



〃Drive　on　quickly　to　Clochegourde；〃　cried　the　countess；　to　whom　that

cutting　look　was　like　the　blow　of　an　axe　upon　her　heart。



The　coachman　turned　to　get　upon　the　road　to　Chinon　which　was　better

than　that　to　Sache。　As　the　carriage　again　approached　the　moor　we　heard

the　furious　galloping　of　Arabella's　horse　and　the　steps　of　her　dog。

All　three　were　skirting　the　wood　behind　the　bushes。



〃She　is　going；　you　will　lose　her　forever；〃　said　Henriette。



〃Let　her　go；〃　I　answered；　〃and　without　a　regret。〃



〃Oh；　poor　woman！〃　cried　the　countess；　with　a　sort　of　compassionate

horror。　〃Where　will　she　go？〃



〃Back　to　La　Grenadiere；a　little　house　near　Saint…Cyr；〃　I　said；

〃where　she　is　staying。〃



Just　as　we　were　entering　the　avenue　of　Clochegourde　Arabella's　dog

barked　joyfully　and　bounded　up　to　the　carriage。



〃She　is　here　before　us！〃　cried　the　countess；　then　after　a　pause　she

added；　〃I　have　never　seen　a　more　beautiful　woman。　What　a　hand　and　what

a　figure！　Her　complexion　outdoes　the　lily；　her　eyes　are　literally

bright　as　diamonds。　But　she　rides　too　well；　she　loves　to　display　her

strength；　I　think　her　violent　and　too　active；also　too　bold　for　our

conventions。　The　woman　who　recognizes　no　law　is　apt　to　listen　only　to

her　caprices。　Those　who　seek　to　shine；　to　make　a　stir；　have　not　the

gift　of　constancy。　Love　needs　tranquillity；　I　picture　it　to　myself

like　a　vast　lake　in　which　the　lead　can　find　no　bottom；　where　tempests

may　be　violent；　but　are　rare　and　controlled　within　certain　limits；

where　two　beings　live　on　a　flowery　isle　far　from　the　world　whose

luxury　and　display　offend　them。　Still；　love　must　take　the　imprint　of

the　character。　Perhaps　I　am　wrong。　If　nature's　elements　are　compelled

to　take　certain　forms　determined　by　climate；　why　is　it　not　the　same

with　the　feelings　of　individuals？　No　doubt　sentiments；　feelings；　which

hold　to　the　general　law　in　the　mass；　differ　in　expression　only。　Each

soul　has　its　own　method。　Lady　Dudley　is　the　strong　woman　who　can

traverse　distances　and　act　with　the　vigor　of　a　man；　she　would　rescue

her　lover　and　kill　jailers　and　guards；　while　other　women　can　only　love

with　their　whole　souls；　in　moments　of　danger　they　kneel　down　to　pray；

and　die。　Which　of　the　two　women　suits　you　best？　That　is　the　question。

Yes；　yes；　Lady　Dudley　must　surely　love；　she　has　made　many　sacrifices。

Perhaps　she　will　love　you　when　you　have　ceased　to　love　her！〃



〃Dear　angel；〃　I　said；　〃let　me　ask　the　question　you　asked　me；　how　is　it

that　you　know　these　things？〃



〃Every　sorrow　teaches　a　lesson；　and　I　have　suffered　on　so　many　points

that　my　knowledge　is　vast。〃



My　servant　had　heard　the　order　given；　and　thinking　we　should　return　by

the　terraces　he　held　my　horse　ready　for　me　in　the　avenue。　Arabella's

dog　had　scented　the　horse；　and　his　mistress；　drawn　by　very　natural

curiosity；　had　followed　the　animal　through　the　woods　to　the　avenue。



〃Go　and　make　your　peace；〃　said　Henriette；　smiling　without　a　tinge　of

sadness。　〃Say　to　Lady　Dudley　how　much　she　mistakes　my　intention；　I

wished　to　show　her　the　true　value　of　the　treasure　which　has　fallen　to

her；　my　heart　holds　none　but　kind　feelings；　above　all　neither　anger

nor　contempt。　Explain　to　her　that　I　am　her　sister；　and　not　her　rival。〃



〃I　shall　not　go；〃　I　said。



〃Have　you　never　discovered；〃　she　said　with　lofty　pride；　〃that　certain

propitiations　are　insulting？　Go！〃



I　rode　towards　Lady　Dudley　wishing　to　know　the　state　of　her　mind。　〃If

she　would　only　be　angry　and　leave　me；〃　I　thought；　〃I　could　return　to

Clochegourde。〃



The　dog　led　me　to　an　oak；　from　which；　as　I　came　up；　Arabella　galloped

crying　out　to　me；　〃Come！　away！　away！〃　All　that　I　could　do　was　to

follow　her　to　Saint　Cyr；　which　we　reached　about　midnight。



〃That　lady　is　in　perfect　health；〃　said　Arabella　as　she　dismounted。



Those　who　know　her　can　alone　imagine　the　satire　contained　in　that

remark；　dryly　said　in　a　tone　which　meant；　〃I　should　have　died！〃



〃I　forbid　you　to　utter　any　of　your　sarcasms　about　Madame　de　Mortsauf；〃

I　said。



〃Do　I　displease　your　Grace　in　remarking　upon　the　perfect　health　of　one

so　dear　to　your　precious　heart？　Frenchwomen　hate；　so　I　am　told；　even

their　lover's　dog。　In　England　we　love　all　that　our　masters　love；　we

hate　all　they　hate；　because　we　are　flesh　of　their　flesh。　Permit　me

therefore　to　love　this　lady　as　much　as　you　yourself　love　her。　Only；　my

dear　child；〃　she　added；　clasping　me　in　her　arms　which　were　damp　with

rain；　〃if　you　betray　me；　I　shall　not　be　found　either　lying　down　or

standing　up；　not　in　a　carriage　with　liveried　lackeys；　nor　on　horseback

on　the　moors　of　Charlemagne；　nor　on　any　other　moor　beneath　the　skies；

nor　in　my　own　bed；　nor　beneath　a　roof　of　my　forefathers；　I　shall　not

be　anywhere；　for　I　will　live　no　longer。　I　was　born　in　Lancashire；　a

country　where　women　die　for　love。　Know　you；　and　give　you　up？　I　will

yield　you　to　none；　not　even　to　Death；　for　I　should　die　with　you。〃



She　led　me　to　her　rooms；　where　comfort　had　already　sp