ferragus-第24章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Is that joy；〃 he said； laughing； 〃or the effect of expectation？〃
〃Oh； of many things！〃 she said； examining the seal。
〃I leave you now for a few moments。〃
He went down to his study； and wrote to his brother； giving him
directions about the payment to the widow Gruget。 When he returned； he
found his dinner served on a little table by his wife's bedside； and
Josephine ready to wait on him。
〃If I were up how I should like to serve you myself；〃 said Clemence；
when Josephine had left them。 〃Oh； yes； on my knees！〃 she added；
passing her white hands through her husband's hair。 〃Dear； noble
heart； you were very kind and gracious to me just now。 You did me more
good by showing me such confidence than all the doctors on earth could
do me with their prescriptions。 That feminine delicacy of yoursfor
you do know how to love like a womanwell； it has shed a balm into my
heart which has almost cured me。 There's truce between us； Jules；
lower your head； that I may kiss it。〃
Jules could not deny himself the pleasure of that embrace。 But it was
not without a feeling of remorse in his heart； he felt himself small
before this woman whom he was still tempted to think innocent。 A sort
of melancholy joy possessed him。 A tender hope shone on her features
in spite of their grieved expression。 They both were equally unhappy
in deceiving each other； another caress； and； unable to resist their
suffering； all would then have been avowed。
〃To…morrow evening； Clemence。〃
〃No； no； to…morrow morning； by twelve o'clock； you will know all； and
you'll kneel down before your wifeOh； no！ you shall not be
humiliated； you are all forgiven now； you have done no wrong。 Listen；
Jules； yesterday you did crush meharshly； but perhaps my life would
not have been complete without that agony； it may be a shadow that
will make our coming days celestial。〃
〃You lay a spell upon me；〃 cried Jules； 〃you fill me with remorse。〃
〃Poor love！ destiny is stronger than we； and I am not the accomplice
of mine。 I shall go out to…morrow。〃
〃At what hour？〃 asked Jules。
〃At half…past nine。〃
〃Clemence；〃 he said； 〃take every precaution； consult Doctor Desplein
and old Haudry。〃
〃I shall consult nothing but my heart and my courage。〃
〃I shall leave you free； you will not see me till twelve o'clock。〃
〃Won't you keep me company this evening？ I feel so much better。〃
After attending to some business； Jules returned to his wife；
recalled by her invincible attraction。 His passion was stronger than
his anguish。
The next day； at nine o'clock Jules left home； hurried to the rue des
Enfants…Rouges； went upstairs； and rang the bell of the widow Gruget's
lodgings。
〃Ah！ you've kept your word； as true as the dawn。 Come in； monsieur；〃
said the old woman when she saw him。 〃I've made you a cup of coffee
with cream；〃 she added； when the door was closed。 〃Oh！ real cream； I
saw it milked myself at the dairy we have in this very street。〃
〃Thank you； no； madame； nothing。 Take me at once〃
〃Very good； monsieur。 Follow me； this way。〃
She led him up into the room above her own； where she showed him；
triumphantly； an opening about the size of a two…franc piece； made
during the night； in a place； which； in each room； was above a
wardrobe。 In order to look through it； Jules was forced to maintain
himself in rather a fatiguing attitude； by standing on a step…ladder
which the widow had been careful to place there。
〃There's a gentleman with him；〃 she whispered； as she retired。
Jules then beheld a man employed in dressing a number of wounds on the
shoulders of Ferragus； whose head he recognized from the description
given to him by Monsieur de Maulincour。
〃When do you think those wounds will heal？〃 asked Ferragus。
〃I don't know；〃 said the other man。 〃The doctors say those wounds will
require seven or eight more dressings。〃
〃Well； then； good…bye until to…night；〃 said Ferragus； holding out his
hand to the man； who had just replaced the bandage。
〃Yes； to…night；〃 said the other； pressing his hand cordially。 〃I wish
I could see you past your sufferings。〃
〃To…morrow Monsieur de Funcal's papers will be delivered to us； and
Henri Bourignard will be dead forever；〃 said Ferragus。 〃Those fatal
marks which have cost us so dear no longer exist。 I shall become once
more a social being； a man among men； and more of a man than the
sailor whom the fishes are eating。 God knows it is not for my own sake
I have made myself a Portuguese count！〃
〃Poor Gratien！you； the wisest of us all； our beloved brother； the
Benjamin of the band； as you very well know。〃
〃Adieu； keep an eye on Maulincour。〃
〃You can rest easy on that score。〃
〃Ho！ stay； marquis；〃 cried the convict。
〃What is it？〃
〃Ida is capable of everything after the scene of last night。 If she
should throw herself into the river； I would not fish her out。 She
knows the secret of my name； and she'll keep it better there。 But
still； look after her； for she is； in her way； a good girl。〃
〃Very well。〃
The stranger departed。 Ten minutes later Jules heard； with a feverish
shudder； the rustle of a silk gown； and almost recognized by their
sound the steps of his wife。
〃Well； father；〃 said Clemence； 〃my poor father； are you better？ What
courage you have shown！〃
〃Come here； my child；〃 replied Ferragus； holding out his hand to her。
Clemence held her forehead to him and he kissed it。
〃Now tell me； what is the matter； my little girl？ What are these new
troubles？〃
〃Troubles； father！ it concerns the life or death of the daughter you
have loved so much。 Indeed you must； as I wrote you yesterday； you
/must/ find a way to see my poor Jules to…day。 If you knew how good he
has been to me； in spite of all suspicions apparently so legitimate。
Father； my love is my very life。 Would you see me die？ Ah！ I have
suffered so much that my life； I feel it！ is in danger。〃
〃And all because of the curiosity of that miserable Parisian？〃 cried
Ferragus。 〃I'd burn Paris down if I lost you； my daughter。 Ha！ you may
know what a lover is； but you don't yet know what a father can do。〃
〃Father； you frighten me when you look at me in that way。 Don't weigh
such different feelings in the same scales。 I had a husband before I
knew that my father was living〃
〃If your husband was the first to lay kisses on your forehead； I was
the first to drop tears upon it；〃 replied Ferragus。 〃But don't feel
frightened； Clemence； speak to me frankly。 I love you enough to
rejoice in the knowledge that you are happy； though I； your father；
may have little place in your heart； while you fill the whole of
mine。〃
〃Ah！ what good such words do me！ You make me love you more and more；
though I seem to rob something from my Jules。 But； my kind father；
think what his sufferings are。 What may I tell him to…day？〃
〃My child； do you think I waited for your letter to save you from this
threatened danger？ Do you know what will become of those who venture
to touch your happiness； or come between us？ Have you never been aware
that a second providence was guarding your life？ Twelve men of power
and intellect form a phalanx round your love and your existence；
ready to do all things to protect you。 Think of your father； who has
risked death to meet you in the public promenades； or see you asleep
in your little bed in your mother's home； during the night…time。 Could
such a father； to whom your innocent caresses give strength to live
when a man of honor ought to have died to escape his infamy； could
/I/； in short； I who breathe through your lips； and see with your
eyes； and feel with your heart； could I fail to defend with the claws
of a lion and the soul of a father； my only blessing； my life； my
daughter？ Since the death of that angel； your mother； I have dreamed
but of one thing；the happiness of pressing you to my heart in the
face of the whole earth； of burying the convict；〃 He paused a
moment； and then added： 〃of giving you a father； a father who could
press without shame your husband's hand； who could live without fear
in both your hearts； who could say to all the world； 'This is my
daughter；'in short； to be a happy father。〃
〃Oh； father！ father！〃
〃After infinit
