letters of two brides-第57章

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was　time。　Next　day；　Louise；　worn　out　with　so　much　exertion；　was　unable
to　go　out；　indeed；　she　only　got　up　for　dinner。　In　the　course　of　the
evening；　Madeleine　de　Lenoncourt；　her　two　brothers；　and　her　mother
arrived。　The　coolness　which　Louise's　second　marriage　had　caused
between　herself　and　her　family　disappeared。　Every　day　since　that
evening；　Louise's　father　and　both　her　brothers　have　ridden　over　in　the
morning；　and　the　two　duchesses　spend　all　their　evenings　at　the　chalet。
Death　unites　as　well　as　separates；　it　silences　all　paltry　feeling。

Louise　is　perfection　in　her　charm；　her　grace；　her　good　sense；　her　wit；
and　her　tenderness。　She　has　retained　to　the　last　that　perfect　tact　for
which　she　has　been　so　famous；　and　she　lavishes　on　us　the　treasures　of
her　brilliant　mind；　which　made　her　one　of　the　queens　of　Paris。

〃I　should　like　to　look　well　even　in　my　coffin；〃　she　said　with　her
matchless　smile；　as　she　lay　down　on　the　bed　where　she　was　to　linger
for　a　fortnight。

Her　room　has　nothing　of　the　sick…chamber　in　it；　medicines；　ointments；
the　whole　apparatus　of　nursing；　is　carefully　concealed。

〃Is　not　my　deathbed　pretty！〃　she　said　to　the　Sevres　priest　who　came　to
confess　her。

We　gloated　over　her　like　misers。　All　this　anxiety；　and　the　terrible
truths　which　dawned　on　him；　have　prepared　Gaston　for　the　worst。　He　is
full　of　courage；　but　the　blow　has　gone　home。　It　would　not　surprise　me
to　see　him　follow　his　wife　in　the　natural　course。　Yesterday；　as　we
were　walking　round　the　lake；　he　said　to　me：

〃I　must　be　a　father　to　those　two　children；〃　and　he　pointed　to　his
sister…in…law；　who　was　taking　the　boys　for　a　walk。　〃But　though　I　shall
do　nothing　to　hasten　my　end；　I　want　your　promise　that　you　will　be　a
second　mother　to　them；　and　will　persuade　your　husband　to　accept　the
office　of　guardian；　which　I　shall　depute　to　him　in　conjunction　with　my
sister…in…law。〃

He　said　this　quite　simply；　like　a　man　who　knows　he　is　not　long　for
this　world。　He　has　smiles　on　his　face　to　meet　Louise's；　and　it　is　only
I　whom　he　does　not　deceive。　He　is　a　mate　for　her　in　courage。

Louise　has　expressed　a　wish　to　see　her　godson；　but　I　am　not　sorry　he
should　be　in　Provence；　she　might　want　to　remember　him　generously；　and
I　should　be　in　a　great　difficulty。

Good…bye；　my　love。

August　25th　（her　birthday）。

Yesterday　evening　Louise　was　delirious　for　a　short　time；　but　her
delirium　was　the　prettiest　babbling；　which　shows　that　even　the　madness
of　gifted　people　is　not　that　of　fools　or　nobodies。　In　a　mere　thread　of
a　voice　she　sang　some　Italian　airs　from　/I　Puritani；　La　Sonnambula；
Moise/；　while　we　stood　round　the　bed　in　silence。　Not　one　of　us；　not
even　the　Duc　de　Rhetore；　had　dry　eyes；　so　clear　was　it　to　us　all　that
her　soul　was　in　this　fashion　passing　from　us。　She　could　no　longer　see
us！　Yet　she　was　there　still　in　the　charm　of　the　faint　melody；　with　its
sweetness　not　of　this　earth。

During　the　night　the　death　agony　began。　It　is　now　seven　in　the
morning；　and　I　have　just　myself　raised　her　from　bed。　Some　flicker　of
strength　revived；　she　wished　to　sit　by　her　window；　and　asked　for
Gaston's　hand。　And　then；　my　love；　the　sweetest　spirit　whom　we　shall
ever　see　on　this　earth　departed；　leaving　us　the　empty　shell。

The　last　sacrament　had　been　administered　the　evening　before；　unknown
to　Gaston；　who　was　taking　a　snatch　of　sleep　during　this　agonizing
ceremony；　and　after　she　was　moved　to　the　window；　she　asked　me　to　read
her　the　/De　Profundis/　in　French；　while　she　was　thus　face　to　face　with
the　lovely　scene；　which　was　her　handiwork。　She　repeated　the　words
after　me　to　herself；　and　pressed　the　hands　of　her　husband；　who　knelt
on　the　other　side　of　the　chair。

August　26th。

My　heart　is　broken。　I　have　just　seen　her　in　her　winding…sheet；　her
face　is　quite　pale　now　with　purple　shadows。　Oh！　I　want　my　children！　my
children！　Bring　me　my　children！







THE　END