little novels-第27章

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ating　influence　of　the　Princess　no　longer　sustained　me；　my　nature　became　degraded。　Horrid　doubts　rose　in　my　mind。　Did　her　father　suspect　us？

IX。

NEED　I　say　that　I　passed　a　sleepless　night？

The　morning　found　me　with　my　pen　in　my　hand；　confronting　the　serious　responsibility　of　writing　to　the　Princess；　and　not　knowing　what　to　say。　I　had　already　torn　up　two　letters；　when　Uncle　David　presented　himself　with　a　message　from　his　niece。　Jeanne　was　in　trouble；　and　wanted　to　ask　my　advice。

My　state　of　mind；　on　hearing　this；　became　simply　inexplicable。　Here　was　an　interruption　which　ought　to　have　annoyed　me。　It　did　nothing　of　the　kindit　inspired　me　with　a　feeling　of　relief！

I　naturally　expected　that　the　old　Frenchman　would　return　with　me　to　his　niece；　and　tell　me　what　had　happened。　To　my　surprise；　he　begged　that　I　would　excuse　him；　and　left　me　without　a　word　of　explanation。　I　found　Jeanne　walking　up　and　down　her　little　sitting…room；　flushed　and　angry。　Fragments　of　torn　paper　and　heaps　of　flowers　littered　the　floor；　and　three　unopen　jewel…cases　appeared　to　have　been　thrown　into　the　empty　fireplace。　She　caught　me　　excitedly　by　the　hand　the　moment　I　entered　the　room。

〃You　are　my　true　friend；〃　she　said；　〃you　were　present　the　other　night　when　I　sang。　Was　there　anything　in　my　behavior　on　the　stage　which　could　justify　men　who　call　themselves　gentlemen　in　insulting　me？〃

〃My　dear；　how　can　you　ask　the　question？〃

〃I　must　ask　it。　Some　of　them　send　flowers；　and　some　of　them　send　jewels；　and　every　one　of　them　writes　lettersinfamous；　abominable　letterssaying　they　are　in　love　with　me；　and　asking　for　appointments　as　if　I　was〃

She　could　say　no　more。　Poor　dear　Jeanneher　head　dropped　on　my　shoulder；　she　burst　out　crying。　Who　could　see　her　so　cruelly　humiliatedthe　faithful　loving　daughter；　whose　one　motive　for　appearing　on　the　stage　had　been　to　preserve　her　father's　good　nameand　not　feel　for　her　as　I　did？　I　forgot　all　considerations　of　prudence；　I　thought　of　nothing　but　consoling　her；　I　took　her　in　my　arms；　I　dried　her　tears；　I　kissed　her；　I　said；　〃Tell　me　the　name　of　any　one　of　the　wretches　who　has　written　to　you；　and　I　will　make　him　an　example　to　the　rest！〃　She　shook　her　head；　and　pointed　to　the　morsels　of　paper　on　the　floor。　〃Oh；　Ernest；　do　you　think　I　asked　you　to　come　here　for　any　such　purpose　as　that？　Those　jewels；　those　hateful　jewels；　tell　me　how　I　can　send　them　back！　spare　me　the　sight　of　them！〃

So　far　it　was　easy　to　console　her。　I　sent　the　jewels　at　once　to　the　manager　of　the　theaterwith　a　written　notice　to　be　posted　at　the　stage　door；　stating　that　they　were　waiting　to　be　returned　to　the　persons　who　could　describe　them。

〃Try；　my　dear；　to　forget　what　has　happened；〃　I　said。　〃Try　to　find　consolation　and　encouragement　in　your　art。〃

〃I　have　lost　all　interest　in　my　success　on　the　stage；〃　she　answered；　〃now　I　know　the　penalty　I　must　pay　for　it。　When　my　father's　memory　is　clear　of　reproach；　I　shall　leave　the　theater　never　to　return　to　it　again。〃

〃Take　time　to　consider；　Jeanne。〃

〃I　will　do　anything　you　ask　of　me。〃

For　a　while　we　were　silent。　Without　any　influence　to　lead　to　it　that　I　could　trace；　I　found　myself　recalling　the　language　that　the　Princess　had　used　in　alluding　to　Jeanne。　When　I　thought　of　them　now；　the　words　and　the　tone　in　which　they　had　been　spoken　jarred　on　me。　There　is　surely　something　mean　in　an　assertion　of　superiority　which　depends　on　nothing　better　than　the　accident　of　birth。　I　don't　know　why　I　took　Jeanne's　hand；　I　don't　know　why　I　said；　〃What　a　good　girl　you　are！　how　glad　I　am　to　have　been　of　some　little　use　to　you！〃　Is　my　friend　the　secretary　right；　when　he　reproaches　me　with　acting　on　impulse；　like　a　woman？　I　don't　like　to　think　so；　and　yet；　this　I　must　ownit　was　well　for　me　that　I　was　obliged　to　leave　her；　before　I　had　perhaps　said　other　words　which　might　have　been　alike　unworthy　of　Jeanne；　of　the　Princess；　and　of　myself。　I　was　called　away　to　speak　to　my　servant。　He　brought　with　him　the　secretary's　card；　having　a　line　written　on　it：　〃I　am　waiting　at　your　rooms；　on　business　which　permits　of　no　delay。〃

As　we　shook　hands；　Jeanne　asked　me　if　I　knew　where　her　uncle　was。　I　could　only　tell　her　that　he　had　left　me　at　my　own　door。　She　made　no　remark；　but　she　seemed　to　be　uneasy　on　receiving　that　reply。

X。

WHEN　I　arrived　at　my　rooms；　my　colleague　hurried　to　meet　me　the　moment　I　opened　the　door。

〃I　am　going　to　surprise　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　there　is　no　time　to　prepare　you　for　it。　Our　chief；　the　Minister；　has　seen　the　Prince　this　morning；　and　has　been　officially　informed　of　an　event　of　importance　in　the　life　of　the　Princess。　She　is　engaged　to　be　married　to　the　Grand　Duke。〃

Engaged　to　the　Dukeand　not　a　word　from　her　to　warn　me　of　it！　Engagedafter　what　she　had　said　to　me　no　longer　ago　than　the　past　night！　Had　I　been　made　a　plaything　to　amuse　a　great　lady？　Oh；　what　degradation！　I　was　furious；　I　snatched　up　my　hat　to　go　to　the　palaceto　force　my　way　to　herto　overwhelm　her　with　reproaches。　My　friend　stopped　me。　He　put　an　official　document　into　my　hand。

〃There　is　your　leave　of　absence　from　the　legation；〃　he　said；　〃beginning　from　to…day。　I　have　informed　the　Minister；　in　strict　confidence；　of　the　critical　position　in　which　you　are　placed。　He　agrees　with　me　that　the　Princess's　inexcusable　folly　is　alone　to　blame。　Leave　us；　Ernest；　by　the　next　train。　There　is　some　intrigue　going　on；　and　I　fear　you　may　be　involved　in　it。　You　know　that　the　rulers　of　these　little　German　States　can　exercise　despotic　authority　when　they　choose？〃

〃Yes！　yes！〃

〃Whether　the　Prince　has　acted　of　his　own　free　willor　whether　he　has　been　influenced　by　some　person　about　himI　am　not　able　to　tell　you。　He　has　issued　an　order　to　arrest　an　old　Frenchman；　known　to　be　a　republican；　and　suspected　of　associating　with　one　of　the　secret　societies　in　this　part　of　Germany。　The　conspirator　has　taken　to　flight；　having　friends；　as　we　suppose；　who　warned　him　in　time。　But　this；　Ernest；　is　not　the　worst　of　it。　That　charming　singer；　that　modest；　pretty　girl〃

〃You　don't　mean　Jeanne？〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　say　I　do。　Advantage　has　been　taken　of　her　relationship　to　the　old　man；　to　include　that　innocent　creature　in　political　suspicions　which　it　is　simply　absurd　to　suppose　that　she　has　deserved。　She　is　ordered　to　leave　the　Prince's　domains　immediately。Are　you　going　to　her？〃

〃Instantly！〃　I　replied。

Could　I　feel　a　moment's　hesitation；　after　the　infamous　manner　in　which　the　Princess　had　sacrificed　me　to　the　Grand　Duke？　Could　I　think　of　the　poor　girl；　friendless；　helplesswith　nobody　near　her　but　a　stupid　woman…servant；　unable　to　speak　the　language　of　the　countryand　fail　to　devote　myself　to　the　protection　of　Jeanne？　Thank　God；　I　reached　her　lodgings　in　time　to　tell　her　what　had　happened；　and　to　take　it　on　myself　to　receive　the　police。

XI。

IN　three　days　more；　Jeanne　was　safe　in　London；　having　traveled　under　my　escort。　I　was　fortunate　enough　to　find　a　home　for　her；　in　the　house　of　a　lady　who　had　been　my　mother's　oldest　and　dearest　friend。

We　were　separated；　a　few　days　afterward；　by　the　distressing　news　which　reached　me　of　the　state　of　my　brother's　health。　I　went　at　once　to　his　house　in　the　country。　His　medical　attendants　had　lost　all　hope　of　saving　him：　they　told　me　plainly　that　his　release　from　a　life　of　suffering　was　near　at　hand。

While　I　was　still　in　attendance　at　his　bedside；　I　heard　from　the　secretary。　He　inclosed　a　letter；　directed　to　me　in　a　strange　handwriting。　I　opened　the　envelope　and　looked　for　the　signature。　My　friend　had　been　entrapped　into　sending　me　an　anonymous　letter。

Besides　addressing　me　in　French　（a　language　seldom　used　in　my　experience　at　the　legation）；　the　writer　disguised　the　identity　of　the　persons　mentioned　by　the　use　of　classical　names。　In　spite　of　these　precautions；　I　felt　no　difficulty　in　arriving　at　a　conclusion。　My　correspondent's　special　knowledge　of　Court　secrets；　and　her　malicious　way　of　communicating　them；　betrayed　the　Baroness。

I　translate　the　letter；　restoring　to　the　persons　who　figure　in　it　the　names　under　which　they　are　already　known。　The　writer　began　in　these　satirically　familiar　terms：



〃When　you　left　the　Prince's　dominions；　my　dear　sir；　you　no　doubt　believed　yourself　to　be　a　free　agent。　Quite　a