ferragus-第17章

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of　mind；　I　prefer　to　speak　to　you　in　person。　Believe　me；　if　my　very
life　were　not　concerned；　I　should　not　meddle　with　the　private　affairs
of　any　household；　even　if　I　thought　I　had　the　right　to　do　so。〃

〃If　what　you　have　to　say　to　me　concerns　Madame　Desmarets；〃　replied
Jules；　〃I　request　you　to　be　silent；　monsieur。〃

〃If　I　am　silent；　monsieur；　you　may　before　long　see　Madame　Jules　on　the
prisoner's　bench　at　the　court　of　assizes　beside　a　convict。　Now；　do　you
wish　me　to　be　silent？〃

Jules　turned　pale；　but　his　noble　face　instantly　resumed　its　calmness；
though　it　was　now　a　false　calmness。　Drawing　the　baron　under　one　of　the
temporary　sheds　of　the　Bourse；　near　which　they　were　standing；　he　said
to　him　in　a　voice　which　concealed　his　intense　inward　emotion：

〃Monsieur；　I　will　listen　to　you；　but　there　will　be　a　duel　to　the　death
between　us　if〃

〃Oh；　to　that　I　consent！〃　cried　Monsieur　de　Maulincour。　〃I　have　the
greatest　esteem　for　your　character。　You　speak　of　death。　You　are
unaware　that　your　wife　may　have　assisted　in　poisoning　me　last　Saturday
night。　Yes；　monsieur；　since　then　some　extraordinary　evil　has　developed
in　me。　My　hair　appears　to　distil　an　inward　fever　and　a　deadly　languor
through　my　skull；　I　know　who　clutched　my　hair　at　that　ball。〃

Monsieur　de　Maulincour　then　related；　without　omitting　a　single　fact；
his　platonic　love　for　Madame　Jules；　and　the　details　of　the　affair　in
the　rue　Soly　which　began　this　narrative。　Any　one　would　have　listened
to　him　with　attention；　but　Madame　Jules'　husband　had　good　reason　to　be
more　amazed　than　any　other　human　being。　Here　his　character　displayed
itself；　he　was　more　amazed　than　overcome。　Made　a　judge；　and　the　judge
of　an　adored　woman；　he　found　in　his　soul　the　equity　of　a　judge　as　well
as　the　inflexibility。　A　lover　still；　he　thought　less　of　his　own
shattered　life　than　of　his　wife's　life；　he　listened；　not　to　his　own
anguish；　but　to　some　far…off　voice　that　cried　to　him；　〃Clemence　cannot
lie！　Why　should　she　betray　you？〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　baron；　as　he　ended；　〃being　absolutely　certain　of
having　recognized　in　Monsieur　de　Funcal　the　same　Ferragus　whom　the
police　declared　dead；　I　have　put　upon　his　traces　an　intelligent　man。
As　I　returned　that　night　I　remembered；　by　a　fortunate　chance；　the　name
of　Madame　Meynardie；　mentioned　in　that　letter　of　Ida；　the　presumed
mistress　of　my　persecutor。　Supplied　with　this　clue；　my　emissary　will
soon　get　to　the　bottom　of　this　horrible　affair；　for　he　is　far　more
able　to　discover　the　truth　than　the　police　themselves。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　Desmarets；　〃I　know　not　how　to　thank　you　for　this
confidence。　You　say　that　you　can　obtain　proofs　and　witnesses；　I　shall
await　them。　I　shall　seek　the　truth　of　this　strange　affair
courageously；　but　you　must　permit　me　to　doubt　everything　until　the
evidence　of　the　facts　you　state　is　proved　to　me。　In　any　case　you　shall
have　satisfaction；　for；　as　you　will　certainly　understand；　we　both
require　it。〃

Jules　returned　home。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Jules？〃　asked　his　wife；　when　she　saw　him。　〃You
look　so　pale　you　frighten　me！〃

〃The　day　is　cold；〃　he　answered；　walking　with　slow　steps　across　the
room　where　all　things　spoke　to　him　of　love　and　happiness；that　room
so　calm　and　peaceful　where　a　deadly　storm　was　gathering。

〃Did　you　go　out　to…day？〃　he　asked；　as　though　mechanically。

He　was　impelled　to　ask　the　question　by　the　last　of　a　myriad　of
thoughts　which　had　gathered　themselves　together　into　a　lucid
meditation；　though　jealousy　was　actively　prompting　them。

〃No；〃　she　answered；　in　a　tone　that　was　falsely　candid。

At　that　instant　Jules　saw　through　the　open　door　of　the　dressing…room
the　velvet　bonnet　which　his　wife　wore　in　the　mornings；　on　it　were
drops　of　rain。　Jules　was　a　passionate　man；　but　he　was　also　full　of
delicacy。　It　was　repugnant　to　him　to　bring　his　wife　face　to　face　with
a　lie。　When　such　a　situation　occurs；　all　has　come　to　an　end　forever
between　certain　beings。　And　yet　those　drops　of　rain　were　like　a　flash
tearing　through　his　brain。

He　left　the　room；　went　down　to　the　porter's　lodge；　and　said　to　the
porter；　after　making　sure　that　they　were　alone：

〃Fouguereau；　a　hundred　crowns　if　you　tell　me　the　truth；　dismissal　if
you　deceive　me；　and　nothing　at　all　if　you　ever　speak　of　my　question
and　your　answer。〃

He　stopped　to　examine　the　man's　face；　leading　him　under　the　window。
Then　he　continued：

〃Did　madame　go　out　this　morning？〃

〃Madame　went　out　at　a　quarter　to　three；　and　I　think　I　saw　her　come　in
about　half　an　hour　ago。〃

〃That　is　true；　upon　your　honor？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃You　will　have　the　money；　but　if　you　speak　of　this；　remember；　you　will
lose　all。〃

Jules　returned　to　his　wife。

〃Clemence；〃　he　said；　〃I　find　I　must　put　my　accounts　in　order。　Do　not
be　offended　at　the　inquiry　I　am　going　to　make。　Have　I　not　given　you
forty　thousand　francs　since　the　beginning　of　the　year？〃

〃More；〃　she　said；〃forty…seven。〃

〃Have　you　spent　them？〃

〃Nearly；〃　she　replied。　〃In　the　first　place；　I　had　to　pay　several　of
our　last　year's　bills〃

〃I　shall　never　find　out　anything　in　this　way；〃　thought　Jules。　〃I　am
not　taking　the　best　course。〃

At　this　moment　Jules'　own　valet　entered　the　room　with　a　letter　for　his
master；　who　opened　it　indifferently；　but　as　soon　as　his　eyes　had
lighted　on　the　signature　he　read　it　eagerly。　The　letter　was　as
follows：

　　Monsieur；For　the　sake　of　your　peace　of　mind　as　well　as　ours；　I
　　take　the　course　of　writing　you　this　letter　without　possessing　the
　　advantage　of　being　known　to　you；　but　my　position；　my　age；　and　the
　　fear　of　some　misfortune　compel　me　to　entreat　you　to　show
　　indulgence　in　the　trying　circumstances　under　which　our　afflicted
　　family　is　placed。　Monsieur　Auguste　de　Maulincour　has　for　the　last
　　few　days　shown　signs　of　mental　derangement；　and　we　fear　that　he
　　may　trouble　your　happiness　by　fancies　which　he　confided　to
　　Monsieur　le　Vidame　de　Pamiers　and　myself　during　his　first　attack
　　of　frenzy。　We　think　it　right；　therefore；　to　warn　you　of　his
　　malady；　which　is；　we　hope；　curable；　but　it　will　have　such　serious
　　and　important　effects　on　the　honor　of　our　family　and　the　career　of
　　my　grandson　that　we　must　rely；　monsieur；　on　your　entire
　　discretion。

　　If　Monsieur　le　Vidame　or　I　could　have　gone　to　see　you　we　would　not
　　have　written。　But　I　make　no　doubt　that　you　will　regard　this　prayer
　　of　a　mother；　who　begs　you　to　destroy　this　letter。

　　Accept　the　assurance　of　my　perfect　consideration。

Baronne　de　Maulincour；　/nee/　de　Rieux。


〃Oh！　what　torture！〃　cried　Jules。

〃What　is　it？　what　is　in　your　mind？〃　asked　his　wife；　exhibiting　the
deepest　anxiety。

〃I　have　come；〃　he　answered；　slowly；　as　he　threw　her　the　letter；　〃to
ask　myself　whether　it　can　be　you　who　have　sent　me　that　to　avert　my
suspicions。　Judge；　therefore；　what　I　suffer。〃

〃Unhappy　man！〃　said　Madame　Jules；　letting　fall　the　paper。　〃I　pity　him；
though　he　has　done　me　great　harm。〃

〃Are　you　aware　that　he　has　spoken　to　me？〃

〃Oh！　have　you　been　to　see　him；　in　spite　of　your　promise？〃　she　cried　in
terror。

〃Clemence；　our　love　is　in　danger　of　perishing；　we　stand　outside　of　the
ordinary　rules　of　life；　let　us　lay　aside　all　petty　considerations　in
presence　of　this　great　peril。　Explain　to　me　why　you　went　out　this
morning。　Women　think　they　have　the　right　to　tell　us　little　falsehoods。
Sometimes　they　like　to　hide　a　pleasure　they　are　preparing　for　us。　Just
now　you　said　a　word　to　me；　by　mistake；　no　doubt；　a　no　for　a　yes。〃

He　went　into　the　dressing…room　and　brought　out　the　bonnet。

〃See；〃　he　said；　〃your　bonnet　has　betrayed　you；　these　spots　are
raindrops。　You　must；　therefore；　have　gone　out　in　a　street　cab；　and
these　drops　fell　upon　it　as　you　went　to　find　one；　or　as　you　entered　or
left　the　house　where　you　went。　But　a　woman　can　leave　her　own　home　for
many　innocent　purposes；　even　after　she　has　told　her　husband　that　she
did　not　mean　to　go　out。　There　are　so　many　reasons　for　changing　our
plans！　Caprices；　whims；　are　they　not　your　right？　Women　are　not
required　to　be　consistent　with　themselves。　You　had　forgotten
something；a　service　to　render；　a　visit；　some　kind　action。　But
nothing　hinders　a　woman　from　telling　her　husband　what　she　does。　Can　we
ever　blush　o